After enjoying a tasty and healthy
breakfast at Stef's, I got two amazing books as farewell presents for
my journey: the latest Lonely Planet for Australia, and a book called
'Wanderlust'. A word that describes the strong desire for or impulse
to wander or travel and explore the world.
There is a fantastic quote from Mae
West on the books cover: “You only live once, but if you do it
right, once is enough.” That totally resonates with me, heading
into a 5 months adventure! :-)
I'm sure there will be more about this
book on this blog, as it is a travel journal, full of fun writing
prompts, quirky questions and wild to-do's to capture all the
thoughts, feelings and sensations that the traveller experiences on
the journey.
While walking over the causeway bridges
a last time, I was lucky enough to spot a dolphin in the river,
swimming towards Freo. It had probably finished it's breakfast in the
river and heading back out. To me the wildlife all around the city in
Perth has always kept me in awe – dolphins, pelicans, galahs,
cockatoos, gulls, wagtails, cormorants, and many other species of
birds – so much nature around, if you just keep your eyes open you
wouldn't think you're in a capital city. Cycling, walking and running
around the Swan river has always been a pleasure for the country boy
from Austria.
I finally caught up with the overall
project manager of the consultant of my last project. I remember a
flight back home from site, after a long, hard, frustrating day,
several meetings and beatings on site, I sat next to a middle-aged
man on the charter plane and had one of the best conversations that I
had in a long time that picked up my mood again. Only at the end of
the conversation I discovered that it was the PM of the consultant,
responsible for delivering a multi billion dollar project where we
were just a tiny, but very important, fraction of it. He's been in
the construction and mining industry for a long time and I got some
great advise and strategies how to deal with frustration and cope
with stress when I spoke to him from time to time. I find it very
helpful to draw on the experience and knowledge of people with
expertise, reflect on it and try some stuff to see if it works for
me. Would be great having more such people around us in the company.
Being my last full day in Perth, I
rushed through my to-do list, buying some last minute items like a
headlamp, some supplies for the road (ie toilet paper!), handing back
the keys to the unit, cancelling insurances and power supply
accounts.
Finally, with nothing else left to do,
I sold my Holden Berlina V8 6.0 – my subconscious made me hang on
to it as long as I could. It was an incredibly powerful, awesome
sounding car. Not by far anywhere near a refined car like most
European high powered cars, but quite an experience to drive.
Powerful from the lower revs due to the massive displacement and the
8 cylinders, and just getting more and more crazy the higher you'd
rev it up. Quite easy to leave some rubber on the road if you're not
careful what your right foot does – freeing the more than 360
horses of their restraint.
The last evening was very enjoyable,
sitting at the beach, indulging in a picnic and some grape products
with a very special person. She has, a few years ago, been the spark
that I needed to re-evaluate my life which kicked me on the way to a
radical self improvement phase. I'm forever grateful that this
happened, even if I would have liked to get into a relationship with
her but it wasn't the right timing for her.
After the sunset, Lu prepared some
amazing buckwheat crepes susette. We talked and talked and talked a
little more and I was at total peace.
I can't believe that I'm finally
starting tomorrow – I'm so excited!
Fasten your seat belts friends, and
watch this place ;-)
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