The Grampians
I feel like this week I officially started my Big Lap. It was such a rush to get from Sydney to Adelaide for Christmas that I felt the past three weeks have been a bit of a blur. It’s now a new year and I’ve decided I’m spending the whole month of January exploring Victoria. Yeah, I know that’s not enough time but I have to be back in Adelaide at the start of February and have decided I’m only travelling West from there so a month is all I have here.
I’ve made a list of my top places to visit and I’m determined to make it happen.
My first stop is Grampians National Park and driving through I immediately knew I should have booked more time here. This place is gorgeous.
Day one was spent crossing the Victorian border and navigating my way around the park. I booked a national parks campsite so decided to head there before lunch to make sure I’d make it through and was settled well before dark.
There was a 35km drive on an unsealed road, but most of the campsites were the same and this one looked like a good spot for my huge van.
I hate driving on unsealed roads. I always drive well below the speed limit. My van is beasty and I just don’t want to encourage anything coming loose on the inside. I already have multiple cracks along my wall joints.
I had been driving for about an hour when I came to a complete dead end. My only road into the camp site was closed due to previous flooding. The signs said to use an alternate route but as I no longer had phone reception I didn't know where that was.
I pulled out my trusty Grampians map (There’s a reason they still provide these in information centres!) and I found another road in. Do I risk going down another road that may be closed or should I just give up now and go back the way I came.
I took the alternate route. Probably drove another 10km only to find the road in was for 4WDs only.
It was time to head back the way I came.
Driving back I was frustrated. I was tired, I was hungry (I didn’t have lunch because I planned to eat at camp) and I had no idea where I was going to park that night. Through my frustrated thoughts I happened to focus on what was around me and realised I was driving through the most beautiful landscape I’ve even been in the van. Hey, if I’d just spent the last two hours driving around with no destination I may as well get out of the car and make this miss adventure worth it. In the middle of the dirt road I took some of the best pictures - something I’m never able to do when driving through a great scene on a highway. Makes me remember how reframing a frustrating situation can turn the whole experience around.
I got out to the main road and found reception. When I checked around for another camp site I found out they were all booked out (The joys of travelling during summer school holidays)
I managed to find a caravan park just outside the National Park and soon realised how lucky I was that I wasn’t able to make it to my original site. The unpowered sites were located in the general paddock right at the back of the parks land overlooking The Grampians! I would have never been able to see a view like that from inside the park.
The next two days were pretty busy. I decided to do 3 hikes and visit 3 different lookouts to get the most out of my short stay. I was also filming a vlog so wanted to explore as much of the Grampians as I could.
Even though my days are still so busy, and I know I’m trying to do so much, there are moments when I feel so completely alive and I know I’m on the right path. Most of those times come when I’m filming my vlog. Vlogging has given me permission to explore on a deeper level when I’m out on an adventure. I’m spending a lot of time on my own but with the camera there it feels like I’m not alone. As strange as it sounds the camera has become this person I’m sharing my experiences with. Someone to talk to and someone to challenge me to go to places I wouldn’t have gone if I were on my own. Vlogging is all about telling a great story and there have been many times I’ve pushed myself to drive further or walk that little bit longer to capture something better.
Some people might say that’s unhealthy to do things just for social media.
I do agree that a lot of times social media can influence us in an unhealthy way. I think we have to remember though that we are in control of the way we use social media, and if we choose to use it in the right way it can actually help build a community of support that is sometimes hard to find when you spend a lot of time on your own.
For me, I enjoy creating as I travel. That might change in the future but for now it’s my way to feel connected in this somewhat disconnected world.
I also hope that by creating content I can inspire you as the viewer to make positive changes in your own life. I believe that’s how social media should be used. It’s hard not to seek out the validation social media promotes so well - especially as a solo traveller. But if I can navigate this trip and create content with integrity I know it will be something I will look back on with pride and for me, that’s the way I want to live.
Knowing I did the best I could with this life I’ve been given.
Tam x
