The Outback; Living High

Broken Hill, The Outback.

The Outback, where dozens of flies stick to you like white on rice, where every town is surrounded by an abyss of land and nothingness, and where sheep sheering and underground mining are everyday activities.  The Outback, where you will experience the most beautiful sunsets of your life.

Through our Contemporary Australia course, my group of peers from Loyola plus a few more took a 5 day trip to Broken Hill.  The 10 hour bus ride was unpleasant to say the least but the outcome was well worth it.  This is a video I took after one of our hikes up the mountain.    

The sentimental moment I spoke about was when we were driving in the bus and passed one of the many fields of grass and mountains.  This time, however, there was a group of wild horses running free, trying to keep up with the bus.  While taking all of this in, I was listening to one of my favorite songs; "You're Hand In Mine" by Explosions in the Sky.  With no actual lyrics, the crescendoing triumphs and harmonizing chords are enough to send goosebumps up and down your back.  I was so emotionally moved I couldn't help but start to tear up at the amazing opportunity I have been given to see and experience such an organically magnificent place.

 

Brighton Treasure

After shaking the shell around to get the sand off and making sure you aren't stealing another creature's home, you hold up your prize to the light.  It twinkles and gleams as the sun's rays bounce off the metallic swirls and stripes.  The shell has a familiarity as it fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.  Tracing the curves with your finger, you can feel the different textures and start to build a story.  It has traveled through the waters and across the shallows of the sea.  Every edge tells a story of where it's been and who may have called it home.  Now, you add it to the collection of other keep sakes.  You can't help but feel a bit guilty taking such a precious trophy from the waters.  In the end, however, it couldn't have ended up in better hands as you will care for it greatly; it serves to create an unforgettable memory with each time you pick it up.  Five months, five years or fifty, this prized possession will always serve to remind you of the wonderful and life altering feelings of appreciation this day has brought you.

My trip to Brighton Beach was unforgettable.  To natives, this is just a beach.  For me, it was enchanting.  A swarm of appreciation swept over me as I took in my surroundings.  Once I connected with my surroundings, it changed my experience as a whole.  I hope by putting you in my position you could catch the sense of gratitude that I did.  After Daniel Hernandez, writer of "The Special Chaos of Mexico City", put me in his shoes as he traveled the mountains surrounding the "futuristic hell" of Mexico City as seen from above, I was able to grasp a better sense of his experience as a whole as he continued his blog.

Brighton Beach is a major tourist attraction for foreigners but rightfully so.  It has two main beach and swimming areas separated by a beautiful rocky shoreline.  One of these areas is lined with Brighton's infamous beach huts.  Each hut is uniquely painted by the owner to stand out from the next.  They are rented and used as storage to make avid beach goers' trips more convenient.  Storing beach necessities right there on the beach makes daily beach trips easy and lightweight.

There are little words to describe the perfection that was this beach.  To local Australians, this isn't even the best beach in Victoria so I am extremely excited to continue exploring.