Royal
National Park was an amazing experience. While I have gotten to do a number of
other walks in Australia already, I have always been with people I know
relatively well, with a plan and a basic understanding of the walk in mind.
This class gave me the opportunity to explore a beautiful part of Australia
that I otherwise probably would not have visited with people I didn’t really
know and made me put my faith into the leaders that the trip would be successful.
Each of these experiences taught me something about myself.
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| Learning things about myself, others, nature, and prepping for the future! |
The bush
walk through the park afforded us many amazing sights and surprises. From
seeing whales to witnessing the beauty of Wedding Cake rock to taking a dip in
the freezing natural infinity pool at the end, we had the chance to really
appreciate the natural world around us. I learned that while sharing the
experience with friends and others is fulfilling, I appreciate nature the most alone.
When the world around me is nearly silent, filled with the sound of the waves
crashing and bird wings flapping instead of exclamations of the beauty in front
of us, I can truly appreciate the world bigger than me. I love to just let
nature speak for itself.
My group,
on the other hand, appeared to enjoy the walk most when sharing it with the
rest of the group, taking pictures and chatting for most of the trip. I really
enjoyed getting to know everyone else in my group. From experienced hikers and
divers to those who never considered themselves an “outdoorsy” person before,
it was interesting to observe how each person appreciated the walk in their own
way. While many in the group knew each other prior to the walk, everyone made
an effort to branch out and meet someone new. I also enjoyed simply standing
back and watching as the group interacted within itself; it provided me with
some insight in how an outsider might observe me when with a group of my
friends.
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| A beautiful place for the end-of-day reflection |
While
putting my faith in the leaders was quite easy to do, as I knew they had far
more experience than I did with the area and all these walks as well, there
were more minor things that I had to consent to that I didn’t always love. I
know myself pretty well and can admit that I am a high-strung, type A
personality; I like to be able to control a situation and have authority in
what I do. I had to accept that I would have little knowledge of the walk
before getting there. I also had to accept when the group moved slower than I
wanted to walk, that others should take turns leading the group and bringing up
the end, and that, as part of a class, I was not allowed the same kind of
independence that I am accustomed to in the rest of my life.
Each of
these learning moments provided me the ability to understand others and myself
in a new light. I am looking forward to the Blue Mountains trip. As a three-day
experience I am certain I will be faced with new challenges that will teach me
even more than this short bush walk.
