Australia
For me, the summer of 2019 was a time of exploration, reflection, and discovery. My time in central Australia was spent hiking through national parks, watching sunsets at the top of campsites, and absorbing the region’s rich landscape.
Throughout my trip, it felt like the sun was setting at every time of day. Even in the heart of their winter, I was constantly wrapped in the warm glow of the sun, the red sand, and the towering mountains.
Every time I gazed around the mountains, my mind was calmly overwhelmed. Calm from the stillness of the nature around me, overwhelmed trying to take it all in. I was fascinated by the idea that every crevasse in the rocks, every mountain top, every cave, and every cliff has a tale — an ancient story, a unique history — of how it came to be. Perhaps some of these stories have been lost in time or exist as lore exclusive to the Aboriginal people or pass through the tourist’s ear. Regardless, looking up to see the stunning red rocks that towered over me encouraged me to discover — and sometimes imagine — those stories myself.
Hearing from guides and locals brought me closer to the incredibly special Anangu culture, one seldom taught in school. Around Uluru in the Kata Tjuta park, there are designated areas where photography is prohibited. To the Anangu people, these parts of the rock are sacred and act as scripture. Eager as I was to capture the beauty of the rock’s details, I felt more connected to the earth and to my surroundings, observing these sacred areas and looking at other parts of the park through a lens.
I found magic in taking photographs and preserving memories but also in savoring the moments with my camera put away. When I read through the daily journal I kept during my time in Australia, I remember those special moments I didn’t get to capture — like the sacred spots of Uluru, seeing my first shooting star, and observing the ritual of dot painting — and I relive them over again.
In central Australia, I saw beauty, serenity, and stories at every turn. There were countless opportunities for me to discover a hidden pocket of beauty glossed over by the people who walked the same path before me. On this trip, I came to learn that “the adventure never ends” so long as I put one foot in front of the other through the rocky red sand.
