It’s too soon to say now whether I will miss Australia. I got used to the country, just as I got used to living in Britain, and grew comfortable there but I don’t know if I’ll ever have the urge to try and live there again. I may never get the opportunity to live there again, in fact. In that respect, that I’ve only half used my working holiday visa, it is a shame to have left the place.
That I’ve forged a great friendship with Peter and left, that Jess and I parted under such unnecessary circumstances, that I never found a good job and missed the experience of the Australian workplace; these are all potential regrets. Then again, I’ve done Australia my way – bumbled through it, made errors through lack of attention and planning, but ultimately had a very enjoyable time. Who can really ask for more?
I will go back, I’ve promised myself. Next time will be a great road trip spanning thousands of miles through the vast and barren outback and avoiding the beaten track that the backpackers inhabit. Places like the Cape Yorke Peninsula, Arnhem Land and the Simpson Desert will be on my route; places that in the 21st century are still not manicured by man. That’s the Australia I like best.
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On Monday, a week before my flight, I walked through the Botanic Gardens for the second time. Peter and I missed the bats the first time and this time I was equipped with my Kodak EasyShare ZD710. The city, viewed from gardens and the harbour, is the most impressive urban scene that I saw in Australia.
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I was lucky to have a few people really care that I was leaving – it’s a nice feeling. Probably nothing more than vanity. I was also lucky to spend it in the Rocks – my favourite part of Sydney. Altogether, it was a perfect last week and I was quite glum when I reached Auckland and realised that I really did like Australia and the bloody place was gone.
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