PHOTOS & VIDEOS

Instagram (@trek4youthmentalhealth)

WALKING THROUGH THE summer will certainly be a huge and times very uncomfortable challenge, but it won't be a negative experience if I manage things right. The biggest risk is heat stress, and one way I can reduce my likelihood of experiencing it is to give myself protective cover from the sun. It turns out my silver insulation sheet (which I originally planned to place over my cart to protect all my things from the heat) is the perfect size to lay over my tent. And if I align my tent to match the trajectory of the sun, the inside of the tent will always be in shade. KEEN TO MAKE the most of a relatively cool spell (temperatures in the 30s rather than the 40s), and to spend as little time on bitumen as possible (because bitumen means traffic), I didn't film much as I walked away from Uluru, past Curtin Springs, through the settlement of Erldunda, and on to the tiny town of Kulgera. From there I'm heading further east towards Finke - and it's between Kulgera and Finke that you can find a monument at a place called Lambert's Centre, marking the geographic centre of Australia. When I get there, I'll officially be halfway across Australia! CHANGE IS SCARY, because it can mean stepping into a new unknown. But when that unknown involves freeing yourself from limitations, suddenly change represents a promising new way of experiencing the world. I might be mistaken in thinking that we all have things we can work on - whether it's depression...or anxiety...or fear...or having parts of yourself you don't like thinking about...or feeling insecure about something...or feeling a bit unsettled or lost...or just struggling to cope overall - but even if you don't, I think it's important to know that if anything like this enters your world, there is help available through which you can come to understand your experience, see it clearly without harsh judgement, and learn strategies to relate to yourself and to the world in fruitful, life-affirming ways. I found seeing a psychologist a targeted, science-based approach, which suited me. Others might gain value from self development courses. Or from just chatting with friends. If you need help: open up to a friend, tell a doctor you'd like to see a psychologist, or call a helpline (e.g. Lifeline Australia 13 11 14). THAT'S A WRAP on the ninth stage of the journey. A couple of major milestones on this leg: (1) walking the furthest I've ever walked in a single day (54.6 km); and (2) reaching Uluru, of course. The next section is pretty exciting too - it's going to take me to the geographic centre of Australia! THERE MIGHT ONLY be one thing more special than standing in the presence of ULURU, and that's walking to it across the desert - getting your very first glimpse as you slowly come over a rise, watching it grow in size until its bigger than you ever imagined it to be, feeling the spirit of the place sink into your bones, seeing it change colour as the sun sets and the stars come out. IF WALKING INTO the view of Kata Tjuta is anything to go by, then walking into the view of Uluru is going to be one of the most epic moments I could experience. Even anticipating the daunting day ahead - walking 50-60 km to get through Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in one day - isn't enough to quash my growing excitement. The break from walking will be nice too! I'VE BEEN LOOKING forward to this: finding the absolute boundary of what I feel capable of and nudging it a little further out. Yes, it involves some pain and suffering, but that's not a negative thing. Knowing that I'm expanding what's possible for myself makes it entirely worth it. I REALLY HOPED I'd see much more wildlife than I have. Besides birds, I've only seen one snake, several dragons, couple of emus and a few kangaroos (plus camels, horses, goats, cattle and cats). I'd rather see no animals than dead ones, so it was quite disappointing to come across this woma python (Aspidites ramsayi), which must have been driven over shortly before I found it. Like all pythons, woma pythons are not venomous. They mostly feeds on other reptiles, including lizards and other snakes, although they also eat mammals and birds. If you see a snake almost the same as this one, but with a black head, then you'll be looking at another harmless snake called the black-headed python. I THOUGHT EARLY on that walking at night would be my go-to strategy to deal with the summer heat, but experience has now taught me that although that's an effective way to avoid the heat of the day while walking, it introduces the problem of a sleep deficit when night is also the only time it's cool enough to sleep. The solution therefore requires a balance between: (1) getting enough sleep during the night when it's cooler; (2) waking up in the dark to start walking at the coolest point of the night and achieve my target kilometres (which are dictated by food and water constraints) before peak heat: and (3) working (e.g. video production) through the heat of the afternoon. I've got a bit of finessing and habit-forming effort to go, but I'm confident I can make it work and stay healthy along the way.

YouTube

Coming soon!