Reflections from Australia – Part 1
A 2-month journey away from home changes everything...almost.
It’s quiet outside. The kind of quiet that is rare to listen to. I hear a gentle ‘pluf pluf’ in the air. At first, I thought it was a mystery animal making its way through the long yellow dew-soaked grass. Then, I noticed it was just the wings flapping from two magpies flying to their favorite tree top. There isn’t much more to hear apart from the warbling chorus of those iconic birds...not even the thoughts in my head that typically shift into high gear after drinking a second morning coffee.
I’ve been on an extended holiday for nearly 2 months and noticed some changes. I’m not flying through the day’s agenda ruled by habits and routines. Instead, I find myself floating through life...disengaged from almost everything that functioned well on autopilot. The result is rewarding and exciting to my senses, which are now hypersensitive and willing to spend most of each day consuming new sights, smells, and noises.
Even the seasons seem jumbled yet perfectly aligned. During the past 7 weeks, I’ve moved from winter to summer, and now I find myself at the beginning of fall. A few eucalyptus leaves are turning brown and falling gently to the dry earth. There’s a chill in the morning air...and fog hovering above the hills. I am in the bush country, roughly 150 kilometers from Australia’s capital, Canberra. I see kangaroos in the trees instead of deer. Beneath the long golden grass surrounding me are invisible brown and black snakes – the deadliest in the world...and I’m not bothered. I feel peaceful as I happily steal some time to sit outside a tiny home in a clearing above a garlic field and notice the world as it drifts by and continuously presents something unique. It’s a moment of awe that is difficult to describe.
Walking Through the Unknown Spaces of Life
Anthony Bourdain captured the general state of mind I’ve embraced during the past several weeks in a beautiful passage he wrote in his last book.
"To sit alone or with a few friends, half-drunk under a full moon, you just understand how lucky you are; it’s a story you can’t tell. It’s a story you almost by definition, can’t share. I’ve learned in real time to look at those things and realize I just had a really good moment." -- Anthony Bourdain
Bourdain’s passage popped into my head during the full moon in early March...a night that closed out a 42°C day around Sydney. The day itself was a traveling day filled with challenges and frustrations. We arrived at another caravan park, which appeared unremarkable in the mid-afternoon heat. The gum trees were casting broad shadows just out of our reach, leaving us to bake another 30 minutes while setting up the campervan. It seemed like a perfect time for a cold beer...and a short walk to explore the nearby beaches. And that’s when we discovered the rockpools...literally, a full-size swimming pool made of rocks and filled by the sea’s salty waters…and occasional creatures. We instantly knew this would be the place to visit when darkness arrived and the full moon rose from the waters that merged into the horizon.
A swim in the rockpool under the full moon’s glow was one of the many moments we shared...moments that seemed surreal even while living them. It was as if the world opened a tiny crevice in front of us and invited us to walk in to catch a glimpse of something only visible to those who dared to wiggle their way into the unknown spaces of life...the spaces where the convergence of beauty and awe are exposed for a fleeting moment.
I’m grateful for the many opportunities we had to slip through those crevices and embrace life’s endless beauty. I feel that those experiences realigned my vision of life in some yet-to-be-understood manner…
Conversations in a Caravan Park
I’m sure it will take me several months to process the many memories rattling around in my head…and that’s what’s cool about taking the time to experience life from a new perspective. Every trigger stimulated by smelling eucalyptus or the salty brine of seaweed will cast me back to Australia…perhaps to uncover something I experienced that’s safely tucked away inside my head.
Even now, as I write these words, I daydream of my encounter with a wombat in Tasmania… bushwalking through a forest of giant ferns and ancient trees… walking on a deserted white sand beach…or waking up to watch the sun rise from the sea…and even the conversations I had in a caravan park – the ones that might first appear as meaningless, superficial, and even silly.
But as those experiences and memories of conversations re-emerge in my head, I realize those were the moments worth embracing…those were the times I craved because those are the moments I felt most connected to the world I’m living in.
Vegan in a Non-Vegan Country
I haven’t taken the time to figure out how much time I spent traveling around – in a car or campervan – during the past 2 months, but I’m confident we logged somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 km. Obviously, I had the chance to see much more than what the major cities offer, and to me, the rural country reveals much more of a country’s character than the urban vibe might suggest.
And in Australia, the vibe is clearly defined by the vast amounts of land dedicated to grazing…a clear sign that the meat and dairy industries rule this ancient land.
But I also uncovered some surprises along the way. I don’t know the percentage, but I discovered many wineries in the most-famous South Australia wine regions produce vegan wines…some for many years. And they are getting more comfortable putting a vegan stamp on their label…and even offering vegan options in their restaurants.
I also noticed how mainstream plant-based milk alternatives have become. Drop into any rural café…or even gas station…and order your favorite flat white coffee with almond, oat or soy milk. No problem. I even enjoyed a delicious soy hot chocolate from the BP petrol station in Bordertown, South Australia…something I probably couldn’t order anywhere in chocolate-crazed Switzerland.
On the other hand, restaurant food still has a long way to go before vegan options become as mainstream as plant-based milk. Fortunately, there are plenty of supermarkets in every small town…and it’s never hard to find avocados, tomatoes, bread, or hummus for a quick meal – a meal that can be made as Australian as a kangaroo with a good slathering of vegemite.
Discussions in a Caravan Park
One evening just before the red glow of sunset illuminated the gum trees, we started discussing vegan food…specifically which foods should never be veganized. I recall talking about certain offal-based meat dishes like tripe as an example of something that should never become vegan. We discussed fondue as another example…even though that option already exists for those craving a manufactured cheese-like experience. And Eggs Benedict…because, well…eggs, ham and hollandaise sauce – but that’s still up for debate.
What do you think? Are there certain foods that should never find their way into a vegan world? Leave a comment below…
More About Vegan Wine…and Koalas
I have much more to share about my recent adventure and journey in Australia…specifically, some thoughts about vegan wines and what I learned about koalas (they’re not bears).
Helpful Links and References for Anyone Traveling to Australia
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Glad you enjoyed your visit to Australia
Yes we eat far too much meat here but no one on a single income can afford it now so
I’ve started buying boxes of veges from Farmer Direct
You bypass supermarket produce and prices and buy “ ugly “ or “ odd “ shaped vegetables that taste just better I reckon
And it’s a good thing to support farmers in Oz as they are being screwed over by the duopoly of Coles and Woolies
When I get home today I’ll make a vege curry and red rice
Yummmmmm 👍🏻
You took some really breathtaking photos, Jack! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and observations from these magical places. I hope to visit Australia one day.
P.S. I'm always in awe of your style of writing. Damn, it's so pleasant to read... ✨