Living the life of a jolly swagman, and surprisingly loving it
- Danielle Willis
- Aug 20, 2016
- 2 min read
I hate to admit it, but I was somewhat dreading the swag night. The thought of sleeping under the night sky in the autumn with Jack Frost biting through my sleeping bag just did not appeal. Even so, I couldn't have been more wrong.
We arrived at Kings Creek Station late afternoon and feeling a little peckish from our hike earlier that day, I was overjoyed to discover that the cattle station sold homemade freshly baked cakes and cookies. Unable to resist temptation, I bought a slice of ‘Berry Apple Crumble Cake’ drizzled in white chocolate, which went down a treat.
Furthermore, our guide informed us that Kings Creek was actually a working camel farm and that the guy who ran it used helicopters and trucks to herd in wild camels to sell them for meat, riding or because they ‘looked pretty’ according to the Middle East. Unfortunately for camels, they are actually seen as pests by farmers in the outback because they trash the land and break the fencing, basically causing havoc wherever they venture to.
After setting up camp for the evening, we sat around the campfire singing and roasting marshmallows while our guide played guitar. It was such a great atmosphere to be surrounded by friends, encased by the warmth of the fire, that night, the stars were truly spectacular.
I lay there for a while in my swag, which was surprisingly warm and quite cosy, and just stared up into the night sky, my eyes tracing each individual star as it twinkled from afar. I began noticing clusters of stars, which I can only assume were constellations and just couldn’t close my eyes and block out such a natural treasure, they bring beauty to an otherwise dull and drab black cloak blocking the sun and that’s how I learnt to appreciate the little things in life. The little things we ignore and take for granted, such as the sheer ability to see these incredible sights, that’s what matters in life. Not how much money you have or how many Pandora charms are attached to your bracelet, but to experience all you can and embrace every opportunity thrown your way.
I did fall asleep eventually, after procrastinating about what it means to be given the gift of life and watching the stars twinkle back at me. I woke at 4am with very numb and cold feet, but it was all totally worth it.
