September 23rd- Landing & The Sea Bridge

First stop at Royal

Good morning, friends! I hope everyone is having a great day, as I am sure it is going to be a great day!

I have been able to speak to some of you already and let you know that I landed. If I haven't yet, I made it safely and had a great first night in! I went to bed at 7 PM local time because I was exhausted.

Biodiversity at Royal

I have been spending a lot of time trying to think about the difference between being alone and being lonely.

I brought a wish rock to the river and really thought about loneliness. It has been a while since I traveled alone, and now it really has me thinking about all the things that I would like to do and what it would mean to try to do things like this with a partner.

Dinner, breakfast, all of that is not bad. I have gotten used to eating alone; I like to sit at the bar, that way I am not looking like I got stood up or anything.

I think where I miss people the most is being able to talk to people while I am exploring and doing something new. I love to hear about people's days and things that they think about. When Suzie and I go on our walks, we geek out about nature, rocks, plants, everything. I really miss having someone to do that with, romantically or platonically. (Suzie—I know both of our lives are so busy, this is more just a thought).

Sea Bridge

While here in Australia, my goal is to meet more people, try some great food, and enjoy the day. I got to go to Royal National Park, have a hike, meet a bird (a couple), and found my way to the Sea Bridge. I ended up drawing this image as well and found that to be so enjoyable.

I love spending time with myself; however, sitting on the plane for 14 hours with nothing but my thoughts was kind of tough. With having OCD, I tend to spiral and get hypercritical about things that I think, how my body is positioned (am I going to get sore from this or have spinal issues—irrational, I know), and it was a bit of a battle while also dealing with exhaustion.

Today I went on a couple of walks and am going to explore a city—until tomorrow, my friends. Do things alone, be brave, and you never know who could be around the corner. I love you all!