Sometimes a girl has got to do what other people say is best for her. So when I was ready to rock, roll and hitch my way from Cairns to Darwin, I decided to listen to my friends and the crazy lady who works in the backpackers hostel where I was using internet. I call that woman crazy because she is hilarious, sweet, dead serious and loud at the same time. I didn't know whether I needed to use my (nonexisting) serious face, kindly smile or laugh so hard I snort. She is the person who receives chocolates from backpackers, thanks them for their lovely gesture and screams DOES THIS BODY LOOK LIKE IT NEEDS MORE CHOCOLATE??? Then passes the sweets around to travellers who are only spending time in her hostel for the free wifi. I was one of the lucky ones who got a piece of Lindt goodness. But as soon as she saw what I was doing on the computer she started yelling again. DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE GOING TO HITCH-HIKE TO DARWIN! YOU WILL DIE! She closed the hitch-hikers forum and I stared at her, with a face in between giggle, understanding frown and polite smile. And another attempt to pull off my serious look. It didn't work. I had to promise her I wouldn't hitch, she promised me she would find a van filled with handsome bearded men for me to join in on a road trip. Two months later I'm still waiting for a car with beards hanging outside of the windows, happily flapping in the wind. But I did what I promised and instead of standing on the side of the Savannah Way I shared a ride with three new friends.
It turned out to be a road trip of a life time. It was strange leaving the East Coast behind, my home for the last six months. We drove until the air tasted of red dust, camped out in the bush, watched the sky turn into a big black blanket filled with stars and woke up before sunrise. Books, music and body paint were passed around during the many hours spent in Henk (the car). Most of the time we just enjoyed the changing scenery while staring out of the window. Our minds exploding with cuteness overload every time a wallaby jumped across the road.
We were three girls and one guy in a car, driving for more then 3000 km over twelve days. You can imagine this trip was not for the faint hearted. For the ones who instantly have visions of 'Crossroads', the one and only Britney Spears road trip movie: YES! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS! The girls singing along to Stevie Wonder while the boy rolled his eyes. 'Signed sealed delivered, I'm yours' blasting around the outback. Our own all-female band on the road. Britney would have been proud.