2 years australia

yep, 5 July, i`m here now for two years. I celebrated it on fire cracker night the fourth. I blew up 260 aud together with my brother. We went to the river, and shaked the town awake with some firework.
I went for a drink in bojangles, where i would met Sylvie, she was travelling around Aussie country together with Sara. It was her last night here. It was good to see Sylvie again, it was almost that i flew back in time, drinking with her and Sara. But that`s just a strange twist in my mind, because there was a great difference.
This month stands in the sign of administration. My passport is running out, so time to get a new one. I`m here for 2 year, so i can ask for citizenship. And the divorce papers had to be done. It`s the NT-time , they call it. Not today, not tomorrow, not Tuesdie, not Thursdie. So there are just 2 work days left on a week. So i managed to do none of those papers, but we getting there. I have an appointment to do the test for citizenship, i have to study who was the best cricket player, the horse that won legendary races, national flora emblem, and all the useful things you need to know to get trough life. My passport, that's a story about Pontius and Pilatus, and a third guy, who`s name i still try to get. But we getting there. The divorce, what would you expect, still waiting for papers that need to be translated, but we getting there. It`s a good thing we live in an Internet communication world, where you have to do everything with the post.
This month i had also the crazy idea to put my private life on a blog, to relive everything i went trough the last 2 years. But it`s nice to read all the comments on the blog, so i decided to continue bothering you with my boring stories.
Excuse me for my cynical writing, i just came back from a bushtrip, from Yulara again, had even to work on my birthday, 40 years, time to get into my midlife crisis. But the sun was with me. She gave me the most beautiful sunrise that day.
I didn`t even had the chance to celebrate my special day, but one day i will have my revenge and it will be sweet.

May- June 2008

After i dropped Marc and Inneke at the airport, i drove back to work.
Waking up early in the night, doing my cleaning, To drive to my other work, but i was trying to save some money. To get out of town.
The cold was getting to me, yep, its cold here in the winter. It`s around 4 degrees at night and 18 in the day. I couldn`t even were my shorts anymore . The whole day with a beanie and jacket.

I painted in the weekends, and in the week i slept and worked and slept. The new relation didn`t work, more on my side then on Kate`s. Something deep in me wasn`t ready. So we decided to stop our relation, and to stay friends.

There was also a big bushjob coming up. At yulara, staying at a 7 star resort, would be nice. I saved up some money, and found out that my early nights were getting at me. In the weekends i had no more energy to do anything, so it was enough. I stopped with the cleaning business and went back to normal waking hours.
Every year in Alice , the advocate, Alice Springs main newspaper, has an art award for the locals. And after 2 years spending bush, seeing the todd river flowing, riding a bull, , knowing some slang words, using the f -word in every sentence, practising the mainactivity of an aussie and once a while taking a sickie for no reason then not feeling to go to work and having some roadkills on my name ,i consider myself almost local. So i thought , i give it a try.

Yes, i`m on the bushjob. Before i left Alice, i brought the painting to the art centre and off i go. So the next month i stayed more at the 7 star resort , then in my own 1 star unit. The days were going fast at the rock. On one of those days i received a phone call from Byanka . Before I left, I received an invitation from the art centre for the opening, i would be in Yulara , so i gave it to them. I knew byanka was interested in art, so they would go. I had won a price. My painting had won `the encourage price`, a 400 aud price to spend in the local paint shop. I couldn`t believe it. First time in my life i won something , and i wasn`t even there. And the problem was, i couldn`t even celebrate it with a large amount of alcoholic beverages , because the next morning , the next 12 hour workday was waiting.

April 2008

That month , Marc and Inneke were travelling around Australia.
Having a good time, while i was waking up at 300 am . They also planned to visit Alice , a good thing. Seeing some friends from Belgium is always something to look forward to.

It was great to see them again, and to see how they enjoyed Australia. They were having a great honeymoon. I had to show him how special the outback was, so i proposed an overnight camping under the southern sky. The place where we would go, was just 40k`s out of Alice. A little waterhole , i discovered together with Luke a while ago. Yep, on boring Sundie afternoons, we explore the area, follow tracks, they have to go somewhere. that`s how we found that place. On one of those boring Sundays, we also discovered some cave, the bat caves , they are called. A network of caves and tunnels underground. Amazing, open for everybody to get lost and never be found again. Northern Territory, my kind of country.

Marc and Inneke agreed to go camping to the new discovered camp ground. All together at the front seats of Mrs Dee. The backseats of my car are taken out, to get more place for my survivors camping gear, golf clubs, bundies, my noodle seat , etc. I installed some platform, with draws. Place for a eski, and in case you go camping on one of those 7 days in the year that it rains here in Alice, you could sleep in the back of the car.

The track is pretty easy, just made a bit narrow by never ending growing bushplants, because not often somebody has the idea to take that lost track to run down the branches. We arrived at our spot, i was trying to get a bit closer to the waterhole, but one big rock was in the way. So we had to reverse, and camp on the rocks, above the waterhole. We had a good night, cooked some dinner, had some wine, looked at the stars. Interesting conversations about the sky. I even learned how easy it is to remember first or last quarter of the moon. Thanks Marc.
At night and even in the morning we had a lot of visitors, kangaroos everywhere, looking at us, if they never had seen a human, maybe it was.

We had some coffee, and went for a little walk in the area. Marc even tried, the game `bushgolf`.
To close the visit from Marc and Inneke here in Alice. Me ,Kate and the honeymoon couple decided to have a last tea . We went to a restaurant, where we all had different meals, and stayed till the last guests.

February - March 2008

A new year in Alice, amazing how the time goes by.

Here in the little town with 30 000 people in the middle of the outback, i started working again. Only there was one little difference in town, Sara was living here too now. We decided to have a drink one night in a new bar in town. It was a nervous night for me, it was more then a year a half ago that i saw her. I wasn`t angry at her, she didn`t mistreated me, Sara saw no future in our marriage anymore when she left me. Don`t get me wrong, i had moments i was furious at her, but can you force somebody to stay? She hurted me a lot, and there are still moments i miss my wife. But i think about the kangaroo and emu. That night we also decided that is was time to divorce.



At work , there was no bushwork ahead, so i found an evening course life model drawing. Every Wednesday , 9 weeks , i followed the course. I found my passion again for the human form. My landscape paintings became human paintings.

Since i came back from the holiday , there was a big hole in my finance, so i decided to take another job, otherwise i would be stuck here forever with the 30 000 people. I found a job as a cleaner. So the next months , i woke up at 300 am. Jumped in the car , mostly more a sleep then awake, drove to a administration building , cleaning all the desks, floor, etc. At 730 i arrived at the workshop to start my day job that finishes at 500 pm, and on a Wednesday i arrived at 600 pm at the art class till 900 pm.



There was something special in the morning, while i was cleaning i knew 29 999 people where a sleep , it was almost that i was the only living person in Alice, the town was mine that moment in the morning.

At the art class i met a nice girl, Kate. We had the same interests and we were getting along. She became my girlfriend. It was my first attempt to have a relation again. In the weekends we drove away from civilisation , away in the red centre. The thing here is, when you leave on a Fridie, the next living person you meet , is on a Sundie night when you drive back in town. So you can imagine, that i felt like Adam and Eva on those trips.



So it were pretty busy days.

December 2007-January 2008

Two good things were happening.

My sis was coming and i had a month holiday.

I left Alice 14 December direction Adelaide. My sis was arriving 16 December at the airport. That morning , i was nervous, it was more than a year ago, that i said goodbye to Belgium. The plane was on time, with my sis on. It was good to see my sister again , after so a long time.

We decided to spend the night in a hotel in the city. We had big plans for our trip, so we could use a good night sleep, after all the emotions and long flight. We discussed our plans, and the morning after, we were on our way.

The plan was to do the great ocean road, direction Melbourne. Our first night , we went to the beach , we even saved some Australian tourists from being bogged, funny sight, Australians rescued by European tourists. We thought to spend the night on the beach, but to much wind drove us in the dunes. It wasn`t such a good night for Anja, her swag was invaded by sand flees, while we were on the beach, so all night those little animals were attacking my sis who entered there new conquered territory.

The next days , we travelled along the coastline, saw a few shinglebacks escaping on the road, we were just wondering if it was always the same one we saw. We did some 4wd in the dunes, slept in the wild, slept in caravan parks, till we arrived at the Great Ocean Road. My sister saw more wildlife in those few days that i saw since i arrived in Australia, all kind off kangaroos, emus, birds, shingle backs, sand flees,kookaburra`s,etc. The only thing that was bothering us , was the bad weather we had.

Once we arrived at the Ocean road, we noticed it by the invasion of all the tourists , coming from all directions from the country or globe. It was a nice road, but civilisation has made it a bit to artificial. We went to a place were we could see some seals swimming and playing in the sea, while Anja again was invaded by animals, this time the flies wouldn`t leave her alone. We explored a national park in 4wd, where we found the most beautiful spot to camp. But it was taken by a lesbian couple, who probably planned a romantic evening in the wild. We did some night walking to magnificent waterfalls. Walked in the tree`s in a tropical forest, the only one in the south coast. Fixed the spring of the car with a rope, we lost some bolt on the way. And the wildlife kept coming, some ducks who were doing our dishes, a kookaburra who stole the pizza of my sis, a parrot who was interested in the interior of the car. We went to a sanctuary, we wanted to see a kaola, smile. There she had the chance to talk to a wombat, i never figured out what they were talking about.

Our next stop would be Melbourne, we were invited by Luke`s mom to celebrate Christmas and to have a fresh seafood meal.I think Anja was glad to spend a few nights in a real house, instead of being attack by the curtain in the car. The meal was unreal, fresh from the sea market. Sis even introduced cocktail sauce. We had a few relaxing days there, visiting Melbourne city. Discovering some night life together with Luke, Byanka and Tim (Luke`s brother). We met Rosemarie (Byanka`s mother). Tim brought all his diving gear with him, so we could even have a dive in the ocean. Moments where we thought we saw our life passing by in a few seconds. The second dive was more relax, the moment we really saw what was under water. The time was getting closer to move on. We were heading to seaspray, where Byanka`s dad had rented a house at the beach to celebrate new year. We stopped one night at Rosemarie`s place, wonderful lady, a place where Anja for the first time saw a real bed since here arrival in australia, even had to see a doctor. because her eye had decided to take some dirt back from the beach. We visited Walhalla, oldest mining town, on our way to Seaspray. First stop at grandma`s place to meet the rest of the family, picking up some gear , direction beach house. At the beach house, we had a few relaxing days, visiting the beach. First time i had a fishing rod in my hands. Swimming in the sea. Trying a total new barbie receipt,` chouck on can`, best chicken meat i ever ate. Thanks Lee,You take a whole chicken, throw some herbs in his body, put a can of beer up in his ... , and ready for the weber. But it was time to head back to Alice, Anja, had one more week to go before she had to return to Belgium.

On the road again, we took a complete other way to go back. Melbourne, Bendigo, Mildura, Renmark, the high country road, to catch up with the Stuart highway in Port Augusta. Back in Alice, we visited the reptile centre and other highlights of the city. Most of the time, we took it quite relax. Time to see the famous rock in the red centre. We spend one night at the Yulara resort, close to Ulurru and the Olga`s. Only a few days left of our holiday. We drove back trough running waters and boggy hole, Anja had even the privilege, to drive with Mrs Dee, my car`s name. My sis didn`t yet experienced a real bushcamp. So we spend the night at my favorite spot. Had a black pizza in the campoven, my bush skills weren`t so good that i thought. We didn`t hear the dingo`s howling that night, but the next day a big bull decided to rest a bit aside the track. The last days, we closed our holiday with a night out in Bojangles. Time to put my sis back on the plane. Me and Luke drove Anja to the airport, had a few beers and said goodbye.

Goodbye sis, thanks for a good holiday, and till soon.

Bushwork

More details about my job, especially those bushtrips , who are always different. I have been to many places now, Canteen Creek, Utopia, Willowra, Yulara, Tennant Creek, Ormiston Gorge, Ti Tree, Napperby, Murray Downs, Kings Canyon and more. Most of them are aboriginal communities, some are stations and some are resorts. All have there own story. Some are close to Alice and some takes a whole day to get there. But its always a minimum of 200k`s. Some are reachable on bitumen, and some only on dirt track and permit only.

So, i start to get to know my way around here in the red desert. But still a lot of places to discover in an area bigger than Belgium ,France and Netherlands together.

Its a good thing those jobs, it breaks the boringness of the workshop, and you are able to see places where you never are allowed to go, spend nights in a 4 star resort and restaurant, where i don`t have the money for. Sometimes it`s very basic, especially in aboriginal communities, a donga that falls apart, doing own cooking and dishes after a 12 hour workday in the bloody heat. Sometimes relax, no dishes, no cooking, even your bed is made up for you. And the time you spend on those trips ,everything is payed by the company.

On one of those trips i had that encounter with the flying roof sheet. we were putting up a roof on a big shed and the wind catches the sheet and threw it in the air, direction my poor forehead. Blood was dripping from my forehead, nothing to worry about, a face always bleed like they cut a big piece out of your skin, the only thing were i worried about was, the scar. Imagine going trough life as the new Harry Potter, with a scar in the middle of your forehead in the shape of a symmetric curved line. Happily, the sheet just scrapped some skin away, and didn`t left a print behind of this typical profile.

We also chased a big bushfire once, we were working one day and in the distance we saw some big smoke, at night time, we saw a red glow in the distance. So 3 guys jumped in the car, 2 in the front, i in the back of the Ute ( car with only 2 seats and a trunk at the back), drove into the bush, take a track to the left, to the right, again to the right, trying to get closer to that red glow. After a hour drive ,we were close to the fire. Amazing beautiful, it was like the sky was on fire, you could see all the colors of the spectrum between red and yellow. And the heat. We enjoyed the spectacle for a few minutes, but it was time to get back. How. We had taken so many turns in our fire chase. And once you drive in the opposite direction of the fire, everything becomes black. No lights and roadsigns are available in the bush. We were in the middle of the outback surrounded by 400 k`s nothing else than bush, and somewhere there is a little community. Damned. So we start driving on good luck and direction, one thing we knew was , the fire should go away from us. Driving to the left, right, right, left, amazing how many little tracks there are in the middle of nowhere, putting out the lights of the car on occasions, to see if we could see a bit of light in the horizon of a little village with some electricity. After a couple of hours driving, we finally saw some lights in the distance, we were on the good track.

After another 17 days bushtrip, we decided to stop and visit the waterhole nearby, police waterhole, some 500 K`s away from our workshop. We deserved it, a relax day before heading back. Nice waterhole, and its above the tropic of Capricorn, so it means the water was perfect, even warmer than being out the water. We used the top of our eski as a floating table, filled with some food , and drinks. In my eyes this was better then some swimming pool in a 6 star resort, except maybe the absence of some female diversity. The night was falling, we cooked our self a nice meal on the self made barbie, and went to our swags.
In the middle of the night i woke up abrupt of something that hit my swag. Nothing to worry about , complete normal if you sleep on the ground in the middle of nature. So ,i felt a sleep again, for ten minutes, till i felt the same, but this time different, it was still on my swag. F@#k , i hit it away with my hand, it felt a bit slimy. After that time, it took me a while to get back a sleep, and yes again , something jumped on my swag. This time i took my torch, to see what was happening. And there he sat, my sleep disturbant, a little frog was looking straight into my eyes.
He jumped away , on his way to the water. After that i felt several more jumps on my swag. But i didn`t moved anymore. I was convinced that i probably was sleeping on the frog main way from the bush to the water.

Running Waters

Running waters, it`s not like the word says. There is no running water available. Just a big pole of water, i have been there twice. On an Easter weekend and later one with my sis. The first time , the water was alright, but the second time , it was a dark muddy large pool, about 30 cm high. So ,you have to be lucky to have a good swim over there. The view is great. The rock or little mountain nearby is easy to climb.

It`s a good overnight on a long weekend, what we did on Easter 2007. We drove to boggy hole, and the 4wd track continue till it reaches Running Waters. The track is really enjoyable, nice turns, cruising along over rocks and sand. Sometimes blocked by a stubborn goanna, who don`t want to leave. So jumping out the car, trying to get a picture close from him, and then to scar him away. Wrong, one of the defence tactics of those big animals is, running to the highest point. So you can imagine where he`s gonna run to in the bush where almost nothing is higher than a metre, if you are in a bad spot. Right, to your head, and i guarantee you, that`s not a pleasant thought if you see the nails of that crazy animal.

We also, mmh, i`m lying, Luke managed to catch some yabby`s, to be honest, just one. We thought to have a good meal by catching some, cook and eat them. But with our catch, we putted the poor bastard again in his own waterpool with the mission to multiply for the next trip. And like you see , the bundy was always present on camp trips.

Rainbow Valley

Not one of my favorite places.
But i think , the time you go playes a big roll. Rainbow Valley is known for the spectacular colors the mountain produces by sunset, something about the different rock material that exist in the mountain.


The road to the Valley is bitumen, part dirt. But easy, no 4wd necessary, just one spot that causes problems with low clearance vehicles.
A lot of tourist`s around, so it means , a lot of rules to obey. Walk on the path, infrastructure, camping spots are already made for you. Personally, i like the rough, wild ,deserted places more , then those cultivated ones.

Boggy Hole

One of my favorite camp places.

Its`s a 160 k`s out of Alice in the West McDonnell`s. It`s a beautiful spot and nice drive.

First bitumen for an hour, then a highway of dirt road, that narrows in a one way track. The track is not so hard, depends on the weather conditions, it`s again in the riverbed, so it means soft sand and rocks, there are a few nasty spots, but with the right pressure of tyres , you drive trough.

There are a few places to camp, one just aside the track, but a nice big waterhole and permanent, something that is rare in the red centre. i found a side track that goes to a little sandbeach and water, hidden of the maintrack, a place where i enjoy the freedom of naturism (no pictures available) only disturb when a parkranger drives by. One of the activities , is practising my golfswing, if someone is in desperately need of golfballs, they are shattered everywhere there, you only need to find them.

There are a few good memories of that place, one night , we were sleeping under that spectacular southern star sky, i sleep nowadays always outside in my swag ( kind of sleepingbag, only in canvas), and we were private witnesses of a concert of howling dingos around us. It went on for several hours, amazing.

I remember one time, i was drawing and i heard a cry for help. He, can you help us , a couple of German tourists were in panic, they were bogged a bit further away, managed to get out, but were afraid to try again, the part where they were stucked is a long stretch of soft sand. They asked me if that was the only track to Alice. The bush is big, but tracks are not so common, yes , it is, i said. I felt a little bit more panic at my German friends. I told them that i would leave in the morning, and if they want to stay the night , we could leave together. The girlfriend started immediately packing out there campinggear, i think she had enough of the adventure of the lonely 4wd tracks . We spended the night drinking piss ( don`t confused it with the human liquid, just a slangword for beer), i even cooked a pizza in the campoven. I started to feel like a real bushman, i know , still a long way to go. So in the morning before we left , i let the tyres down of the rental 4wd, and off we go. No worries at all, this time, they cruised all the way to the bitumen, where are ways separated with a grateful thanks in the eyes of the German girlfriend.

Also on one of the trips to boggy hole, me and Luke went for a overnight , escaping from Alice. We encounter something strange. We arrived at our camp spot, took the eski out, loaded full of bundies, already a few disappeared on the way to our waterhole. It was the perfect weather, even the waterhole was warm, what usually pretty cold is. We spend till late at night in the water, on our waterseats, some noodles with a net underneath, only your head is above the water. So we floating there for hours, only interrupted to get some new supplies of rum. This was heaven on earth, nice and warm , with a fantastic star sky above you. That night in the water , Luke was even bate for a blind duck, the duck flew straight to him and even hit him, but no worries, i think the duck was even more scared than Luke. But suddenly, we saw some flashes in the sky, okay , i hear you thinking to much rum, no, really, it was strange. There were flashes , first we thought satellites, no , they don`t flash. Maybe airplane, no, they are smaller. It was weird, there were maybe 5 or 6 bright flashes, sometimes straight above you in the sky, then a bit further, always on different places, not to far apart from each other. Till today ,we can`t still explain what we saw.

Ruby Gap

One of my first camping trips was to Ruby Gap. In the East mac-Donnell`s, it`s a 2 hour drive from Alice, Half bitumen and dirt.
The 4wd was not so hard till you get to the national park. I remember when i entered the park, i stepped out of my car to check the road. It was my first real 4wd on my own, what the hell do i know, i just did a course 4wd back in Melbourne. When you enter the park it crosses over a dry riverbank, pretty sandy.


I stepped back in the car, at that moment i started thinking about a name for my Toyota, and the landcruiser glides in the sand. We had to go another 5 k`s one way track in the park . I travelled very slow across little rocks, big rocks and sand. Beautiful rough landscape was passing by the window. The track follows the Hale river till a dead end . There are two signs on the way , one that say`s ` cars are not advised to travel further` , the second sign tells you ` no cars allowed behind this point`. I stopped the first time by the first sign. Those days i slept in the back of the car. A good thing ,thou, because that night it start`s raining. My car was parked in the middle of the riverbed, and story`s how the river suddenly comes to life, were spooking in my head. So it was not one of my best nights. Every hour checking shining with the torch on the sand, to see if i could discover water runnung in the riverbed.

I spend 3 days at this paradise, painting and walking around. The last morning i woke up with a flat tyre, was a good thing i bought 2 new ones back in Townsville, so i had 2 extra`s that moment. I changed the flat one, and was heading back to Alice.

I came later again with Luke and Byanka, my aussie brother and sister. That time we went whole the way , we passes the second sign , till we couldn`t drive further anymore.But it was a perfect spot, even a little waterhole, and a great view at the gorge.
My most precious memory comes from there.

In the morning , i was drinking some coffee, when suddenly two dingo`s were travelling on the other side of the riverbed. I stood up to get a bit closer, but while doing that, i scared one of the animals. One dingo ran back and the other just moved on. After a few seconds he realised his partner was gone, and sat down brusquely. What the hell. He started howling . Then i noticed some movement in the bushes on the rocks a few meters up , there she was . Trying to find a safer way to get to her partner. The male dingo noticed it to, stopped howling and proceeded his way. And a bit further of our campingspot they were back reunited.


We spend the whole day finding some fake ruby`s in the sand, garnets they were, visited the lonely grave of a ruby miner. Till it was time to get back. The part between the two signs is serious 4wd. Big rocks, and i mean , big rocks, a high clearance was absolute necessary. Both cars were shaking there way trough the rough riverbed. Luke`s car ended up with a leak in his fueltank. but we arrived save in our homestead.

March- November 2007

The days between March and November, are filled with workdays and bushtrips.

Camping trips to Ruby Gap, Boggy hole, Rainbow valley, Running Waters ,every where i could go, golfdays, exploring the area around Alice. Drunken nights, casino nights, dance nights. Improving my car, painting. And some physical activities, a man alone need some practise. Discovering more and more of the Australian slang, habits and way of living.



What follows are some stories about them.

They are probably not chronicle organised, my excuses for that. I try to put together my story of 2 year here in the northern territory.

February 2007

Back to work, the normal way of living is catching up on me.

I work in an engineering company , so the time that i`m not bush, i fabricate construction elements, put up buildings in town, fix tippers from tucks, everything where metal and welding is involved. Save from kicked out of sites , constant warnings about safety glasses, burn wounds, flying sheets that hit me on the head, screwing a teksscrew in my finger ,being attacked by a drill ending up in the hospital with a few stitches in my lip, being on fire for a couple of times, the job was doing all right. It was all new, i have to say , from a jewel maker i became an all round fabricator.



At the workshop, i was getting to know some people, one of them is Luke, who became a brother . My life was building . I had to find myself again in a land full of opportunity`s, i organised my life the last years in the purpose of my wife , what i loved doing. So i started discovering myself again. Found the love of painting again, discovered the pleasure of going camping.

Going to places in 4 wheel driving, totally away from society, totally freedom. Beauty and simplicity all around you. No lies , no deception, no bullshit, a true way of living.



My soul was getting happy, till the day i received a call from Sara. I first didn`t believed it, Cellie was dead. A bad accident was happened, he had hurt his back so bad that they had to put him a sleep.



Farewell Cellie, you will be always making noises in my ear. Farewell

January 2007

Back in the big empty house in Alice Springs.

Back to work, someday i`m gonna kill the guy that invented work. That month i received a call from Sara that she was settled down. One of our agreement was that she couldn`t take cellie with her while she was travelling, cellie need some airco in this bloody hot country.
The moment was there , i had to give cellie away. And in fact it was better that way, my job was gonna send me away for some bushtrips and i needed the money. Who would take care of cellie than.
The day that Sara would pick up my accompagnion arrived to soon. That morning i took cellie for the last time in my arms, closed the door, and drove with tears in my eyes to work.It will be all different when i`ll get back from work.
That night i arrived truly in an empty house, cellie gone, the rest of my wife`s personal stuff gone. The house didn`t brought me any luck.

Time to find another home. After a while i found the cheapest unit i could find here in Alice, i was thinking about room share, but i was getting stronger, and i always have been a loner, except when i met my love. And for 40 aud more i didn`t had to share shower and kitchen with a stranger that i maybe didn`t like.

So , packed up again , It was pretty easy that time, the 20 boxes were reduced to one, and left to my unit, where i `m still staying till today.

The wedding

Because i was a few days to early for the wedding, there was nothing to do than relaxing, taking walks with cellie, and have some alcoholic entertainment.


It was a beautiful place. First time in my whole live , that i had a beach on my own, the sea for my eyes only, except cellie`s eyes, but he had only attention for wildlife and those never ending movement of the waves, he was enjoying himself, there was no doubt about that.

On one of the days that i had to wait untill the wedding, I thought it would be nice to get rid of my white short and socks, There i go, my first experience of naturalism. I felt like adam on the beach when god created man, only he forgot to create woman that moment, nothing is perfect.

The day was there, the wedding. There was only problem. My naturist experiment didn`t allow me to sit anymore, and for a long time to. My skin renewed himself for several times.


The wedding itself was on the beach. It was a casual dresscode, but the boys had a little surprise for our wedding couple. We all bought a dressed-up t-shirt. It was the perfect place to have a wedding. Well done Koen and Katrina. I had a great time and almost lost cellie on one of the guest.


The morning after, it was back time to heading back to the middle of Australia. Off we go, back for another 1500 k`s. we took another way to get back, i had 2 new tyres, so why not try some dirt tracks,. We passed Mackay, Emerald, Winston and Boulia. Slept in the beautiful nature, waking up with a sunrise in a valley . In Boulia the road changes to dirt, 850k`s of red dirt. What an experience, no car on the road, what would you expect in the middle of the summer and dessert. I have to admit, i felt a bit scary that time, but those days ,there was a bit a 'who cares` mentality in my soul. And a bundy (rum-coke) was always in reach of my hands. The trip was exhausting, you start driving 40 km an hour what soon becomes 100 km/h . And believe me, a dirt road has some surprises, soon the eski and cellie jumped to the ceiling of the car. Back to 40 again , but you accelerate without knowing on those straight red roads. Cellie and the rest of the inside where jumping again.


We even took some hitchhikers on the way, imagine, in both 400 k direction, nothing than sand and bushes. Some aboriginal couple broke down with they car, a car that i wouldn`t even drive if i was suicidal and in that time it meant a lot. I dropped them off in their community, some side tracks of the main. Amazing that people are living here, what a different lifestyle.
Alice was getting closer, it was getting time to, the heat (airco in the car was not working) was getting at cellie. The last part is back bitumen, the speed was getting faster, only suddenly broken by a suicidal kangaroo or bull who wanted to jump before the car.


Back in Alice, back to reality.

December 2006

Wedding and holiday time.

The day arrived that i would leave Alice, together with Skip and Kelly. They were heading to Darwin, so it was the perfect time to leave together. We packed up and there we went, the same bitumen road Sara disappeared. There is only one bitumen road in the red centre, it connects the south with the north.

I needed to go to the east coast, but i was on holiday, so i went with them to daily waters. We had a good night out there in the local pub and practised the favorite hobby of an aussie. The next morning we drove away in different directions. It was the first time that me and cellie , after Sara left, were alone in the true meaning of the word. But no drama`s we were heading to a good couple of friends.

I have to apologize that i don`t have much photo`s. I didn`t had a digital that time, it`s only in May 2008 that i bought one, so the pictures are made by friends till that time.

Cellie and i travelled from daily waters, to heartbreak hotel, from there to Mount Isa (remember the movie" a cry in the dark"). We spend the nights in the car along the side of the road. Townsville , there we bought 2 new tyres , and Airlie Beach. The wedding was at Dingo Beach, a 20 k`s from there. It was a beautiful spot , a little village, no tourists for a change. The only thing was we arrived a few days to soon.

November 2006

The month that follows, is a bit dark for me, probably caused by consuming to much alcohol. Thankfully i had some house mates, who kept my mind busy. They were friends from the friend. They and Sara spend a lot of time together when i was out bush, and they were still in Alice. maybe i could find some more missing pieces of the puzzle, and they were in need for a bit more luxury then a campground. Skip and Kelly stayed 2 months here in the spare room of the big house and a good thing was i didn`t have to worry about food, Kelly was a good chef.
They also took care of cellie , when i did a few more bushtrips.

We had a good time, spend several times in Bojangles, melankas (partybar) ,places where alcohol is consumed in large amounts. At one of those places i met a girl . I didn`t felt alone anymore. We spend some time together, some picnics at Wigley`s waterhole, nights out on alcohol, those combinations helped me forget what happened.
I still had contact with my wife, on occasions on the phone.

It was hard, and still is. A part of yourself is complete destroyed. So much questions and emotions are going trough your head. The past was gone together with his dreams. It`s a funny thing, thou. I always looked at the coat of arms of Australia, where the emu and the kangaroo holding the shield, two animals that can`t walk backwards. I understood the value of that symbol now pretty good, don`t look back in the past, just walk forwards. It was something where i hang on to, even today.

I had something to look forward to, Koen and Katrina are having there wedding in Arlie beach in December, and i was invited. the perfect time to have a break and holiday.

I want to place a special word of thanks to my friends, and family who supported me in those bad times . Thanks Henk and Linda to check frequently how i was doing, Thanks sis to stand behind your brother , no matter what.

oktober 2006

3 October

The morning after i got back from my first 18 days bushjob.
We are having breakfast outside in the garden. It was a bit to quiet, i felt there was something wrong. So i asked Sara if there is something wrong. I`m gonna leave tomorrow with the friend, she told me.
Time stood still, didn`t believe what i heard. She didn`t feel good about our marriage anymore. The day , we spend talking, trying to convince here to stay , trying to figure where it went wrong. Nothing to do about , the next morning she would drive away. Alcohol is a bad and good thing at moments like that. It helps you forget whats happening, it brings some rest in the inner soul at moments like that. And the bad thing is, it doesn`t change anything.

The next morning i stood up on a hill next to the Stuart Highway together with cellie , just outside Alice, waiting till they would drive by. With a little hope , she would change her mind, jump out the car and run back into my arms. But this only happens in movies.
There they came, drove by ,waved at me and cellie , and dissappeared in the sunrise.

September 2006

For the third time i arrived save and well in Alice, first time in 2oo5 with our honeymoon, second a month ago on my own with cellie, and now as a family. We arrived here with a car and roofrack stocked with 20 boxes.

We spend a few days organizing stuff, meeting some Aussie (which name i prefer not to tell) who i met on the camping ground the month before, and who became a friend. Going out , have tea (dinner) at Bojangles, a few barbie`s at the campground. We had fun, but it was time to find a job , no money means no future. One of the biggest mistakes civilization invented.

Off we go, finding a job, second company i walked in , is agree to take me on casual base. No worries, an engineering company, specialized in welding and bushjobs. A little bit information about bushjobs, it`s a job where you load the truck full with gear and material, disappear for a few days or even weeks in a 4 star resort as yulara(the rock) or in a place who knows where in the middle of the outback, mostly aboriginal communities , where you sleep in open air or dongas with no stars. The goal is to build up a construction with 12 hour work days with a team, mostly 3 guys, goes from sheds, houses, and architectural pearls. Quite interesting and unique those jobs, and good money ,but those stories are for later.

So that was the good news, the bad news was that i had to go on one of those bushjobs in the week that was coming. But we needed the money, and we had a friend here. I had to go for 2 weeks to Tennant Creek, 600 k`s from Alice . I asked our friend to take care of my wife, second important lesson i learned, never ask a friend to take care of your wife. Packed my gear together in the early morning, gave a goodbye kiss to Sara, and closed the door. Jumped in the truck, and left Alice driving to a unknown job and unknown future.

Augustus 2006

Alice Springs airport 18 august.




The day has come we gonna be reunited again. Our little family will be whole again, after 1 month a half living separated each on the opposite side of the world. Never again ,we said, that's one thing i learned, say never `never`.
There she walks trough the gate, what an excitement there was that day. I couldn't believe it. There we stood, reunited in Alice springs, ready to give our new life a go.

Driving straight to our new home, a few days of recovering, after a flight that long it`s a must. The only thing that was still missing where our 20 boxes of personal stuff , clothing, dvd`s, clothing, books, clothing, that we had send with the boat to Australia.
A little detail was, they arrive in Melbourne harbour. No drama`s, it would be good . A little time together with the whole family , it will be fun.
This time no close encounters, just amazed how big the red centre really is. So we were on our way from Antwerp to Spain to pick up our luggage, crazy, i know, but that's the way things are here.

Once arrived in Melbourne, finding the harbor and the docks ,where our boxes would be. After a few wrong turns , we found the company that deals with international boxes. The only problem was , we couldn't pick them up, only truckers are allowed to take the load with them. My car is big, but not so big. No big thing, we made a deal with a truckie to pick it up, drive outside the gate, out of sight of the company, switch the boxes from the truck to my car, done deal .
That was it, now we were really complete, the family and the 20 boxes everywhere stacked in and up the car. I felt almost like a truckie.

Time to drive back to Alice, wait we just drove 1500 k`s the last 3 days. A good thing that Koen and Katrina are living in Upway, a suburb of Melbourne. time to pay a visit to them. We spend a few wonderful days there, saw the area, did some horse riding, drunk some beers (something you gonna hear a lot, one of the main attractions in Australia).



Time to pack up the car , and to take off to our future.

Augustus 2006

4 august 2006



Finally, i and Cellie arrive in Alice Springs, after 3 days driving. From Melbourne to Adelaide, from Adelaide to Cooper Pedy, and to our starting point of our adventure. It was a beautiful drive, no worries with the car, smooth as i could be, it even survived a close encounter with a kangaroo. A lot of eagles around , waiting on the road as they played "chicken and run" with your car when you approach them. So i had a few times , almost another close encounter.



Alice Springs, 4 august 2006, mmmh, where we gonna sleep? Finding a place to stay with a dog, not so easy. We finally found a caravan park, dogs allowed. So , we settle down . Put the tent up, have a few beers, and enjoy the screaming galas flying over our heads.



The freezing morning after, yes , it freezes in the morning in the middle of the dessert, who would expect that. Not me and cellie. Alright lets makes some plans, finding a house, paperwork, getting a drivers license, getting everything organised for the moment Sara would arrive.

Getting to know some Aussies at the caravan park at night with some beers.

We have a month and a half, should be alright. F##k no, it`s almost impossible to rent a house without references, without a job, without a address, that's why i wanna rent a house in the first place. And a dog in a rental, oh my god. After a lot of struggle , a few lovely smiles, it`s a good thing all the administration is done by woman, otherwise i would be still on that camping ground.

And thanks to cellie , who could resist a dog like that.

So , we found ourselves a house, big house, the only house that was available, and we were just in time. Another few days and Sara would arrive here in Alice. Perfect, our big adventure could start, finally.

July 2006

5 July 2006



Melbourne, Australia.


My second step on Australian soil, first one was my honeymoon, the year before. A step full with dreams and expectations. I spend a month waiting till they would release Marcel from a 3o-days quarantine. Waiting and running from one office to another to get the official papers to start a new life, and what a life, i didn`t had a clue.

Finally, the release of cellie, pick him up and drive to our destination, that was the thought i had every f#%# day in the cold July weather of Melbourne. That is one thing i don`t recommend, never camp with a tent in the month of July in Melbourne.

But anyway, the day was there, i was on my way, 4 august, singing and making strange noises together with cellie on the front seats of the car.

What a drive, On old Toyota landcruiser 1986, i didn`t even knew if the car would drive so far. I bought the car back in Melbourne , recommended by Koen. A guy that i met in Belgium, on meetings from people who gonna make that crazy step to immigrate to Australia. I never had a look under a car, how the hell i`m gonna make a choice to buy which car. So i needed help. Koen , who has become a real close friend, saw the car first, i thought that moment" you are joking", but till today i never regret the choice he made, Thanks Koen.