A Solo Travellers Mind

“Ordinary is such a remarkable thing. There is something to be said for that. Beauty in everyday life” – Lewis Capaldi

On arrival to Goulburn, I was greeted by a train station with one platform and an old-fashioned taxi rank outside. Quickly I realised that I’d arrived in a very small town. 

My apartment in this small town, however, was wonderful, so living there for the following 6 weeks would be no issue at all. The apartment was within a motel block, which also subsequently meant I got a daily knock from housekeeping and a never-ending supply of biscuits. This was a pleasant daily treat and subsequently led to a newly formed biscuit addiction. 

The contract was in an aged care facility nearby, and after my experience in the previous facility, I was quite anxious and slightly fearful that I’d signed away my life. However, by the end of week one, I’d settled in and knew I’d made a good choice. 

The first weekend was the test of what Goulburn had to offer, and that list was compiled of a walking trail, a big rock, and a big hill. On Saturday, I tackled the walking trail (however I ran it) and decided that actually it was very pleasant. On Sunday, I found the extended track around the golf course and decided this would be my new 10km route.

My second week in Goulburn included a first date at the Greengrocers, which doubled up as a bicycle shop, providing entertainment not just in the form of a male but also purely due to the location of the date. Sunsets were watched up a big hill, brownies were baked for Easter, a pack of kangaroos spotted on a mini hike and horrible hours were worked due to a funky shift pattern (where I subsequently earned what I wound in a month back home lol).

My third week was filled with friendly encounters, weather it be the hotel staff wishing me a good day, a man waving (and clapping) as I went on my run or being collared in the street by a friend because this town is so small that if you both leave your house at the same time you will 100% run into each other… An incredibly wholesome weekend took place, going to see Bungonia National Park, testing the local (and oldest) restaurant in Goulburn and getting my arse handed to me in a game of mini golf in Canberra. 

Week four involved a total switch up of my sleeping schedule, with my shifts now starting at 6 am instead of 2 pm. A shock to the system but not necessarily an unwelcome change. Days off were spent testing out my new runners (and ankle and knee supports lol). As well as finishing yet another book and fine-tuning my skateboarding skills. Date nights continued with our friend from the Greengrocers, in the form of pizza, magnetic chess, little blow holes, and rainy walks through Fitzroy Falls. 

Week 5 should have involved a quick farewell with Greengrocer boy, however, instead I opted to drive to the East Coast with him after work on Friday, and then make the 18 hour journey back on Sunday night (with an overnight stop in Sydney), in order to go back to work on Tuesday. Some may call this insanity, and it may well be. But I’ll call it an adventure, and as I’m a hopeless romantic, it is very much something I’d do. The 6 hour drive included a playlist mix of Kim Wilde, Immortal Technique, No Mercy, Cold War Kids, and Blink 182. If you’re not aware of who some of these people are, I wouldn’t worry because neither am I. An overnight stop in a motel with a view of a petrol station, to then sleeping in a “Swag” in an empty apartment made for interesting, yet surprisingly good sleep. Trips to the beach, multiple veiw points, a particularly cloudy sunrise, and dolphin watching filled my 48-hour adventure, and soon, the delayed farewell came around.

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. I’m yet to work out what this one is. 

The first train, in my two part journey, ended up being 7 hours instead of 5, resulting in cancelled plans to see friends and me launching myself into bed on arrival to Sydney. With an early start the following morning, I embarked on the second part of the journey back to Goulburn, where work awaited me as I picked up an extra shift to give them a hand.

My final week involved many hours at work with the thought of unemployment for the next few months, becoming more appealing as each shift went by. Picking up over time on Saturday night felt incredibly regretful at the time, but the double pay would be worth it, I assured myself. With my friend from the Greengrocers no longer living in town, it meant solo evenings for me. A little bit of self-love was commenced in the form of haircuts, brow lamination, and standard at home beauty treatments, making me feel amazing before I started roughing it up once again in hostels.

I can happily say the last 6 weeks here have been pleasantly surprising. I’ve met some amazing people, seen some really amazing things, and most importantly, I’ve fallen in love with life again, a sense I lost for a while! Being around nature and around good people will forever be a goal in my life!