DISPATCH
In the streets of Adelaide, the Jacarandas are in bloom. They light up the city with their blue-purple flowers. Even the least beautiful streets seem to offer an idyllic vision. It reminds me of Japan and the flowering of cherry trees. Everything seems more beautiful with the trees in bloom. But in Australia the appearance of flowers does not seem to be really noticed by the inhabitants opposite of Japan where the flowering is celebrated with weeks of festivals and gatherings.
After Kangaroo Island I am back in Adelaide for a week. It is late November and very hot and humid. It is already the start of summer and I am suffering just from the idea that here in Australia the normal temperature during the summer is around 35°C. It is much more than what I consider to be my ideal temperature (rather around 25°C). I decide to reach the state of New South Wales to participate in the blueberry harvest during the month of December.
The farm where I decided to go is part of the large Costa group (leading producer, packer and distributor of fresh fruit and vegetables in Australia) and is located in Tumbarumba, a small village, not far from Wagga Wagga. I decide to follow the coast, go through Mont Gambier and the famous 12 Apostles then go up north and join Tumbarumba. Almost 1,400 kilometers. And ten days on the road.
So here I am driving along the coast and the famous Great Ocean Road. Walks, free campsites and writing articles on my website in librairies is my daily schedule. It is hot. It is cold. Sun then clouds. A quiet night. A noisy night. I drive hours on the road but I don’t really know if I like doing that. The landscape scrolls monotonously. The routine takes hold. There are too many tourists on the roads. And there is something that bothers me. An impression of emptiness that seems to grow in my mind.
The 12 Apostles, the best known place on the Great Ocean Road, stand in the light of the sunset. About two hundred people are strafing the landscape. It is true that the view is beautiful. The limestone towers that were once part of the cliff are slowly nibbled by the sea. One day they will disappear completely and others will appear as the cliff recedes under the licks of salt water. Surrounded by sea mist, the place seems mysterious.
But apart from the beauty of the limestone towers at the end of the day, this crossing along the Great Ocean Road does not leave me with a lasting memory. Nothing very extraordinary to witness. Or maybe it is me that is not in the right frame of mind. Many questions are growing in my head. About my travel and what I would like to do with it. Finally, as often since several months, the most interesting thing of the travel remains the observation of animals and birds.
