My line of work prevents me from spending much time with my own thoughts. I work long hours, spend ridiculous numbers of hours in airports and on planes, and rarely spend a night in a room where I can't hear the person sleeping in the room adjacent to mine or above me.
Normally, this doesn't bother me. I love my work and I love the fact that I'm able to help so many people. But something strange happened to me recently and, to this day, I'm still not entirely sure what changed.
I arrived back in my home town after being away for a few weeks. As I sat in the car on the way to my house I felt something very different. Normally, I'd be on edge. Anticipating the moment where I would be able to see and hold my wife for the first time in weeks. Looking forward to sitting down with her over a meal and sharing a bottle of wine together while we discussed everything that had taken place since we'd last been together.
But I didn't feel that excitement. Instead I was dreading being in the presence of other humans. Even being near my driver was sending me over the edge. The only thought that was running through my mind was that I needed space. I needed to be somewhere where I couldn't see or hear another person. The sounds of other vehicles felt like fingernails on chalkboards in my mind.
I needed to be away from cities, from cars, away from people.
My driver pulled up to my home and carried my luggage to the front door. I thanked him as politely as I could and walked into my home to greet my wife. She immediately knew that something was wrong. We sat down and had dinner together and I explained as best I could what was running through my mind.
I could see that she didn't fully grasp what I was dealing with but she asked if I needed to get away from everything for a while and simply be on my own. She quite rightly pointed out that I hadn't spent any time truly on my own for a number of years.
So the next day I did the following:
- I hired a Toyota Landcruiser
- Bought a tent and camping mattress
- Bought a portable gas cooker and some food
- Loaded my car up with 40 litres of water and 20 litres of emergency fuel
- Bought a lot of beer and coffee
I then loaded my car up with some clothing and blankets, pointed my car north, and started driving.
I quite literally had no plans. I had no idea where I was going or where I would end up. I didn't even really know when I would come back however I had told my employer that I would be away for 1 month on stress leave.
On that first day I drove for more than 1000 kilometres. I drove from early morning until I saw that the sun would be setting soon. I hadn't changed direction and had continually travelled north until I arrived in a little town with a tiny caravan park. I asked the owner of the caravan park for a camp site and she simply pointed in the general direction of a grassed area and told me to set up over there. She didn't even bother charging me since I wasn't taking up any room and would only be staying long enough to get some sleep and eat a meal.
As soon as dawn broke I was on the road again, and still heading north. After 2 days of this, I ended up in a national park that was stunningly beautiful, and reasonably empty of other people. I knew I could find solitude there so set up camp and stayed for a few days. And that was where I discovered how healing being out in nature and truly alone can be. Your senses come back. I started hearing everything surrounding me properly for the first time ever. The birdlife was amazingly beautiful. I could smell the rain, the creeks, the eucalyptus trees and the smoke from camp fires in the distance.
I spent many hours hiking through this wonderful national park and the only reason that I decided to pack up and move on was when other people starting getting too close to my camp site. I headed north again.
Driving on outback Australian roads is something to behold as well. There were many days where I could drive for hours on end and I wouldn't see another car or human being. Those drives were incredible. It was me, my car, my music, and the road. I loved those days, but loved the camp sites where it was me and nature, completely alone even more.
I continued on camping in national parks and driving north for a couple of weeks. And eventually I hit the northern coast and had to decide which direction to continue on on. I chose west, and kept on driving. I spent some time camping on beaches but found them to be too crowded with people. So eventually, and after restocking my food and beer supplies, I headed inland again where there would be less people.
After another week, I felt like I should start heading towards my home again. Sleeping rough was starting to take its toll on my body and my food supplies were starting to look a little grim.
My wife barely recognised me when I arrived home. I'd forgotten to take any shaving equipment with me and had become quite a hairy man. I was fortunately able to spend a few days with my lovely and very understanding lady before heading back to the airport and off to work once again.
What I discovered on my long drive was one thing:
Time alone, and in nature, to be with your own thoughts is incredibly good for the soul and mind.
There is nothing better for your mental well being than to spend time in nature. And getting away from society is incredibly refreshing.
After this trip, I was in the perfect frame of mind to tackle the challenges that I routinely deal with every day but I now check in on my mental well-being on a frequent basis. And I also ensure that I'm able to get away from humanity from time to time to be at one with nature. There is nothing more enjoyable to do. Just keep your favourite spots a secret.