Just do it.

Greeting another wonderful day.

The heading for a previous post was, “Go before you go.” It is not a reminder to visit the toilet before you leave on a journey, although that is a good policy. I meant it as a reminder that life is like a candle in the wind. Any moment life’s journey could be cut short. So do not procrastinate, act now, go and carry out those ideas, dreams and plans without delay. Do not delay, this could be your only chance, strong and gusty winds are always a possibility.

On his way to greet the day.

To travel and experience is only one shallow aspect of this warning about inaction. There is a down to earth quote, buried in my jottings; I will dig up for you. “If I have anything coming to me, now is the time to slip it to me, because I cannot read my tombstone when I am dead.” Never miss an opportunity to show your appreciation. Spend precious time with the ones you love. The people around you need to be told of your love and admiration.

A good way to start the day.

Displayed on a T-shirt were these words “Just do it.” A lot can be read into those words. We can intend to do all kinds of wonderful things and do nothing. It is wise to not say hurtful nasty things. But it is unwise not to pay complements when they are due and neglect to communicate kind thoughts. Better than kind words are kind actions, just doing that will make a difference in friendship and the world around us will improve. If enough people adopt this idea it is possible the world at large will become less turbulent and may become free of greed, hate and war.

Still doing it.

I often write cryptic words, or words that are ambiguous. I wrote “Go before you go.” instead of “Go today don’t delay.” As a heading that would arouse curiosity I endeavor to attract many followers. Not to make money or to gain fame as an ego trip for me. I want to try and share some of the joy and contentment I have found. Things I have found that allow me to smile and appreciate the beauty of this fantastic, ever-changing world. Life is a magnificent ride if we know how to travel. I could find writing this blog hard work or as a challenging way to pass on some useful knowledge. I look on this blog as a pastime to convey some helpful tips to making life a joy.

They are just doing it too.

The effect I make may be insignificant, but if everyone put a little more effort into being a better person the effect would be immense. The drip would soon fill the glass and our thrust for peace would be a reality. The irony of the effort I put into my writing is I am benefiting, growing and learning, keeping up, to some extent, with the fast changing technology of today. Good deeds have a boomerang effect, like karma both our good and bad actions come back. Try out my ideas, just do it, and see if it works. With practice I am sure it will be beneficial.

Life has its ups and downs.

The most important person in your life is the person you are with right now. Pay them attention, show them you care. The most important thing you are doing is what you are doing this present moment. Do not ignore this opportunity give now the importance it deserves. It is these moments that make up your life. To hasten to a future occasion, often only to be disappointed, is to waste the experience of the activity you are engaged in. It is easy to get lost in the past or long for a coming event and not realize you are missing the importance of now. We rush through life wanting and longing for an unknown future experience. Stop and realize we are hastening to the same unavoidable unknown final outcome. Realize life is the appreciation of the opportunity you have to live to the best of your ability now.

A wave from Pauline.

I know nothing but what life’s knocks have taught me and what I have read and learnt from recognized authorities, following good roll-models, avoiding bad influences and choosing carefully what I read and watch on TV and the movies. That is how our character is built on the experiences we encounter. If you absorb negative rubbish you will suffer. If you make an effort to improve yourself in body and mind by following ethical, educated, wise and caring people you will learn and improve and find life a joy. Now you know how I do it, all you have to do is take my advice, just do it.

a refreshing way to start the day.

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Adventure travel 1996.

A typical Blue Healer Camp.

Blue Healer Trip 1996.

This is a vine caller the Strangler Fig.

Strangler Fig see how they take over their host tree.

Back in 1996 my pommepal and I hired a Toyota camp-van in Darwin. Stocked it with canned food we would need so we could visit Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. It was Pauline’s first experience of this area and it had been 40 years since I had visited here. All had changed there was no need for my concern about provisions one could see almost all the highlights without getting off the tar-seal roads. We enjoyed all the wonders of these great National Parks. Pauline saw Australian animals in their natural environments at the wild life park at Litchfield.

Pauline, the Blue Healer and Bush turkey.

When we got to Cairns Queensland we decided to travel less luxuriously and save money. We bought an old Mitsubitsu L300 van for $ 2,000. It was painted a powdery sky blue with patches of red lead paint, actually it was difficult to see where the red lead paint finished and the rust started. It was the same colour as the Aussie Blue cattle dog known as a ‘Blue Healer’. So I called the van the ‘Blue Healer’ and there was also a TV serial about the police called ‘The Blue Healer.’

The Banksia is tortured by harsh conditions and fires.

So we could sleep in the van we removed a seat and bought a sheet of five ply wood to place between the back seat and rest on the ledge behind the front seat. Then we visited the recycle shop and bought all our camping needs. The only thing we bought new was our gas bottle. Pauline could tell you the total cost I never bother about costs as long it is within my budget. It was well within our budget it will have paid for its self after the first month.

Banksia men fun and imagination.

We gave the Blue Healer a real test on its first trip from Cairns, at sea level, up to the Atherton Table lands. We stayed at a newly opened backpackers called ‘On the Wallaby’ at Youngaburra. We mostly stayed at freedom camps, they are free but some have a limit on time you can stay. For a change we sometimes stayed at old hotels or backpacker hostels. We also did WWOOF ing and learned organic gardening as well as all the local knowledge. WWOOFing is the way to meet interesting people and learn many astonishing things, most are vegetarians again we learned new recipes.

Wonderful WWOOFing experience at Murgon.

Murgon go there.

The old ’Blue Healer’ carried us over mountains and on bush tracks it forded streams and took that van where we never would have risked an expensive vehicle. It was small but Pauline and I had it set up to our liking and it was home, we loved our ‘Blue Healer’ it never failed us. We had an amazing trip on a meandering journey all the way to Sydney. In Sydney a warrant of fitness to sell a rusted out vehicle is not granted. So I reluctantly sold our ‘Blue Healer’ for parts. I like to think of that as recycling and that the parts are still traveling around.

Waiting for dinner, diary notes.

When Pauline and I travel we like to meet people and see the things the locals enjoy. It is a learning adventure, not always easy, but we always have a bailout plan. We travel light and never keep pushing on beyond our resources in physical, stamina and finances. Always have your return ticket. You hear a lot of horror stories. Pauline and I have ventured way off the beaten tourist tracks and had no drastic problems. That is because people are usually a reflection of you and you need to deflect them. Do not dressed out-of-place or flaunt your wealth.

The dark tunnel to Emu Beach.

That may be why we had such a wonderful time in the ‘Blue Healer’ we had no worries about scratching the paint. We could have walked away no worries, other than hitching a lift, if it had failed us. A small van can fit in were the big vans have trouble and people were never envious of our great ‘Blue Healer.’ I have never enjoyed a vehicle more than the ‘Blue Healer’

Singing wind monument at Emu.

Emu go there.

I am not sketching much since digital cameras took over. Back in 1996 photography was expensive so I always did a sort of sketch diary and this was good. It gave me an excuse to take a rest and better observe things. Sketching can be like meditation you are fully focused. Now we still have thousands of photos deteriorating in a cupboard and I have my trip sketches of old trips. Drawings well not fade as photos and our memory does. Actually it is not our memory but our recall. This post has triggered my recall.

Light House Byron Bay.

Byron Bay go there.

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