Walking For Truth, Love and Courage

An update

2007-10-25T07:25:00.000+10:00

Here is a brief update: I am well :)

Sometimes people make mistakes...

2005-08-19T06:09:00.000+10:00

and regret does nothing to solve the issue. I am having a bad today. I do have some great tales to share but to not have the heart to share them right now. I am feeling very depressed, and the only thing that comes to mind are some lyrics that summarise how I feel. I am sure I'll have better days. I need to keep walking but am lacking the positivity to keep walking right now. I'll get those legs pumping again but for now I am in a finding it diifcult to get the motivation to keep on walking. This will be temporary, I will get through this, but it doesn't detract from how I feel right now. So I'll let Mariah Carey say it for me, with her song 'We Belong Together':

(Ooh, ooh, sweet love, yeah)

I didn't mean it
When I said I didn't love you, so
I should have held on tight
I never shoulda let you go
I didn't know nothing
I was stupid, I was foolish
I was lying to myself
I could not fathom that I would ever
Be without your love
Never imagined I'd be
Sitting here beside myself
Cause I didn't know you
Cause I didn't know me
But I thought I knew everything
I never felt

The feeling that I'm feeling
Now that I don't hear your voice
Or have your touch and kiss your lips
Cause I don't have a choice
Oh, what I wouldn't give
To have you lying by my side
Right here, cause baby
(We belong together)

[chorus]
When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby, please
Cause we belong together

Who else am I gon' lean on
When times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone
Till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place
There ain't nobody better
Oh, baby baby, we belong together

I can't sleep at night
When you are on my mind
Bobby Womack's on the radio
Saying to me
"If you think you're lonely now"
Wait a minute
This is too deep (too deep)
I gotta change the station
So I turn the dial
Trying to catch a break
And then I hear Babyface
I only think of you
And it's breaking my heart
I'm trying to keep it together
But I'm falling apart

I'm feeling all out of my element
I'm throwing things, crying
Trying to figure out
Where the hell I went wrong
The pain reflected in this song
It ain't even half of what
I'm feeling inside
I need you
Need you back in my life, baby

[chorus]
When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby, please
Cause we belong together

Who else am I gon' lean on
When times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone
Till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place
There ain't nobody better
Oh, baby baby, we belong together, baby

[chorus]
When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby, please
Cause we belong together

Who am I gonna lean on
When times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me
Till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place
There ain't nobody better
Oh baby, baby
We belong together

I'll keep on walking, but for now I am finding it very difficult to even take a first step.

I Can Resist Anything But Temptation

2005-08-07T13:45:00.000+10:00

Greetings fellow travellers (both literal and metaphorical)!

I wrote and sent this today as an email to my dearest friend who is currently travelling and working in the UK. So if it does not read easily, or make sense in certain parts, that is because it is a first draft, written just as I awoke, attempting to write to two audiences simultaneously; an individual and 'the masses' (i.e the 3 or 4 people out there who do not know me personally but read this blog).

Once again I shall relate to you a dream (haha mistyped it then as 'cream') that I had, an no this one was not sexual. I do so partly as a means of sharing myself, and partly because this is a great way to write (via email) it down to permanently record it. This will go upon my blog so please do not be offended if it is written as if for 'the masses' in some parts. You are the first that I share this with, and it is still written 'to you', with a few explanations for those who do not know me as well as you do :)

As per usual I cannot remember the order of events, and the longer I am awake the more the dream fades back into my unconcious. As per usual, my reality and fantasy, or conscious and unsconcious meld together in my dream.

The first scene of the dream is of Guy and I arriving ar Crow's Nest train station, about to embark upon an epic adventure together. During our conversation last night (and prior to that on the phone), Guy said that next time I go on a long walk, he would like to come on the journey with me. I would love the company, especially considering that one of the most difficult parts of the last journey was the feeling of being alone, even though I did not go more than a single day without human contact. I have always enjoying walking and talking with friends and even strangers. And you know Guy and I, both of us have mouths on us that require no winding up, they are solar-powered and operate at a very high velocity.

Back to the dream: we arrive at Crow's Nest station, large packs strapped to our backs, hiking boots strapped to our feet and an excited feeling strapped to our minds. However this is not the Crow's Nest that I often frequented in North Sydney. This Crow's Next reminds me of south coast of NSW, similar to areas that I walked
through. Interestingly I only just realised that Guy and I met at North Sydney TAFE (college) in St Leonards, which is right next to Crow's Nest (where I also worked for a year as a Market Research Aggravator, erm Telephonist). I told ya, I'm always followed by or following crows!

The sun is shining brightly, the sea breeze is tickling our faces (even though we aren't in the immediate vicinity of the beach) and thus begins our grand adventure. I experienced an intense feeling of elation as I was finally walking again, and this time I had a companion to adventure with!. It wasn't long before we stopped off at
pub, as I often did in my previous journey, as it is a great place to meet people and to share stories.

Now last night when Guy and I went to a pub, the Landsdown near the University of Sydney, he drank beer and I drank orange juice and ended with one Red Bull. It was my first experience of entering a pub since my (new) last day of drinking and smoking, July 4th 2005. Coincidentally that is also the day of my grandmother's passing on my mum's side (pretty sure that's what you said wasn't it mum?). I did
not feel tempted in the slightest to drink or smoke, and I am glad of the new non-smoking rule in pubs here, although secondary smoke from some unknown source was irritating my throat. Coincidentally again, July 4th was the day they changed the smoking regulations in pubs here (besides being 'Indepenence Day' in US; a discourse I shall not engage with at this point in time, suffice as to say such a celebration
perplexes me as much as our 'Australia Day' given the history of indigenous relations with both countries).

The pub experience in the dream is a little hazy, but I do remember that I was drinking in it, and was very conscious of trying not to smoke, although the temptation increased with each drink. At some stage during in the night, I met a guy in the gents (bathroom for international readers) who gave me some ecstacy. Now I haven't touched the stuff in five years, but in the dream I thought it a grand idea, even though a muted part of me was saying 'Don't do it Blake!'. The pervading thought of the night was 'It doesn't matter what I do, as long as I don't smoke', which I am sure I did at some stage but do not distinctly remember doing so. When I did chemical drugs all those years ago, I would smoke upwards of 60 cigarettes in a night!

The dream does what I call a 'dream loop'. A dream loop is where a scene in a dream reoccurs, however it often has subtle differences each time it loops (there is probably some fancy psychology term out there, perhaps something Jung created; my unlearned and poorly read sponge has yet to soak in the 'official' term if there is one).

I arrive at Crow's Nest station once again, however this time I am 'off my face' (i.e. drunk and drugged) and alone. I cannot remember where Guy and I are meant to be staying that night, and once again I have lost my way, in both a metaphorical and literal sense. I stumble about, trying to ask people for directions, and am very confused in the dream. My throat itches like crazy and I keep thinking to myself
'Have I had a cigarette?' The fact that I am 'off my tits' doesn't seem to be an issue to me at this stage of the dream. I am certain that this part, or in fact almost the entirety of the dream, relates to the conversation Guy and I had last night. It was the first time we'd seen each other in three years and we were discussing our next meeting, which will be on the 27/28th of August when I will be in
Sydney looking after mum's cats. It is also when I am likely to catch up with my best friends from high school, Glenn and Westie. The combined influence of three good friends who will all be drinking, and most likely smoking will certain to tempt me to the Dark Side, but rest assured 'The Force is strong with this one.' *grins*

After a little more stumbling (in the dream that is), I entered some sort of halfway house for street kids. To my surprise I see Angie and she is looking happy and healthy. Angie was a young girl I met in a pub when I was 19, and ended up spending two years of my life with, predominately arguing. She was three years younger than me, with little formal education but was intelligent, and we shared drinking, drugs, arguments, a couple of cats and even the occasional good time. I still feel a lot of guilt for the way I treated her. We were both often nasty to each other, and at times cared little for each other, ourselves or anyone else. I believe after we parted ways, she ended up meeting someone and having three children. Hopefully her world has brightened a little since we parted company.

Angie's and my conversation is interruped by me getting 'in trouble'. One of the women who runs the home, a middle-aged matronly type comes in with a little green form with a blue stamp on it saying 'Banned from the home' for not being in by 6pm. As a rebellious turd, erm I mean teenager, my 'home time' set by my mum was 6pm, at least in early high school. Well it was actually 'by dark' which in the summer
months I meant I would often stay out till 9pm, and in the winter months (when it would get dark at 5pm) I would push it to the limits. My mum and I had many confrontations about 'home time'. She was a concerned parent and I wanted to socialise with friends. The lateness and little green form will have to be explained another time in the Tale of Toby.

Throughout both exchanges (with Angie and the 'matron') I am trying to obfuscate the fact that I am under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Somehow I manage to be successful in this endeavour, and end up sitting down and talking to the three women who run the home. I am being very chatty (how unlike me :P) and regale gradiose tales of my walking adventures. I also mention that I am lost but they cannot offer any help in that regard, and I am still banned from the home and have to leave, almost reluctantly, but I realise that I do not belong there anyway. As per usual with my drug dreams (cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, chemical drugs) a sense of guilt permeates the entire dream. I have heard that this is very common with 'reformed'
druggies.

Onwards I push, walking in circles, getting frustrated and confused as I cannot find the place Guy and I are meant to be staying at. I keep thinking to myself 'If only I had a map' I would recognise the location of it; 'If only I could remember the street name' I could ask someone for directions. The dream loops again and I am at Crow's Nest station once more, and this time my mind is a little less intoxicated, and I see a map plastered to one of walls of the station! Relief swiftly transforms into dismay as I realise that the map does not have street names on it. Still I recognise the pattern of streets and have a general idea of the location of the night's rest stop.

Night has almost passed, and I bump into two girls headed in the same direction. Both also have packs on their backs and hiking boots on, and exude that same air of elation that Guy and I shared upon first arriving at Crow's Nest station. One girl is rather pretty and very chatty whereas the other is almost the complete obverse, quiet and non-descript. The pretty girl and I get along like a house on fire, and there is definitely a spark there. However I think to myself that my heart lays elsewhere, and that I shall not make the mistake that I have made many times in the past, and that is to 'fall in love' with people who could be potentially great friends. The 'romance' has ruined many a potential good friendship for me, and likewise marred relationships I have been in at the time; perhaps I grew up watching
too many episodes of Days of Our Lives with my grandfather :P

As with most of my dreams, they most often end suddenly with a conglomeration of events as the three of us reach the pinnacle of the steep hill we are climbing. The morning sun is shining brightly, almost blindingly down upon us. I hear my mate Glenn (yeah not Guy, he seems to have vanished) yell out 'Oi Blake, where the fuck have you been for the past 2 days?' and turn to see him and a few other blokes I don't recognise lazing about, shirtless and soaking up the sun, surrounded by cases of beer and empty tinnies next to a red brick house, contrasted by a typical 'Australian' backyard consisting of mat of green carpet decorated by a lone Hill's Hoist (clothesline). Music is coming from within the house, and it is Dashboard Confessional's 'Age Six Racer':

So long, sweet Summer
I stumbled upon you
And gratefully
Basked in your rays
So long, sweet Summer
I fell into you
Now you gracefully fallen away

I turn to the girls I have been travelling with for an indeterminate period of time, and realise that we must part ways for now, and that I will miss the chatty pretty one. We vow to keep in contact, and swap contact details, both laughing and saying that 'online in the best way to contact me, since I'm always on the move'. I distinctly remember being confused as she went to write down her name and started to write 'Samantha', and then crossed it out and wrote 'Kym Powell'. To my knowledge, I do not know any Kym Powell, and that is the way of dreams and representation; she was a fellow traveller whose path I crossed with briefly in my unconscious, whom I was sad to say 'farewell for now' but nonetheless enjoyed her company during part of my journey through life.

Well that is enough verbosity for one morning, I have wood to split
and much to do!

Keep on walking...

And whilst I mourn,,,

2005-08-07T01:15:00.000+10:00

the loss of one this day, I cannot fathom the loss and grief that has occured with the use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima 60 years ago, also on this very day (6th Aug).

Time flies...in memoriam

2005-08-05T23:20:00.000+10:00

It certainly has been a long time since I have posted here, but rest assured updates are on the way. I am still amazed that people stumble upon this blog and send me well wishes.

I shall write soon, but tomorrow, the 6th August is a time of sorrow for me. It marks the passing of my best friend and cat Lucy. I still can't believe that is has been three years. I try to remember the good times, but still cannot shake the final image of her eyes turning totally black as she was given an injection to end her suffering. She had a brain tumour, and for three months I cared for her and watched her go downhill until I had to make the most difficult decision of my life, and that was to decide that her time was up. I still feel so much guilt for doing so, even though it was the 'right' decision.

Once she passed on, a part of me died with her. I broke down completely and needed to be cared for by others, as I could not care for myself. Ness and Win, thank you for caring about me enough to keep me alive until I could care for myself again.

Is this deeply personal? Yes. Why do I feel the need to share? Because perhaps others who ever read these words and are feeling like there is no hope, no light at the end of the tunnel of depression; there is. And yes I move in circles, chasing my own tail, falling into the same hole (great analogy Tony!), but each time there is enough love out there to help me to remember that life is a precious and wonderful thing. I shall keep on walking...

Lucy, my dear friend and lovely blue Burmese (sorry no pics online to share yet), I love you dearly and miss you terribly and remember you fondly. The pain fades but the memories remain; you were there for me when I had no other, and if there is an afterlife, I'll see you there in a long time. You will always be a part of me.

Lucy
Born 7th April, 1990
Passed on 6th August 2002

I shall balance this post with something more positive in the next few days, for I have much to share :)

I should be crying
But I just can't let it show
I should be hoping
But I can't stop thinking
All the things I should've said
That I never said
All the things we should of done
That we never did
All the things I should've given
But I didn't
Oh darling make it go
Make it go away
Give me these moments back
Give them back to me
Give that little kiss
Give me your hand

- This Woman's Work, Kate Bush
>

Love has wings

2005-01-24T22:57:00.000+11:00

Much time has passed and I haven't updated my web journal. The journey has continued, as it always will regardless of whether I record the tale. Where to begin?

The journey I undertook from Albion Park to Eden was intended to be a physical, mental and spiritual journey upon which I would meet many people and share and hear tales of Truth, Love and Courage. That goal was well and truly achieved, as I met many amazing people and heard some great stories. I have written about them in my offline journal, and fully intend to meet with them all again and record their tales more verbosely. However there was one part of the journey, which whilst a driving force in the beginning, became *the* driving force by the end. And that was the romance aspect of the journey.

As I neared the end of my journey, it was the thoughts of meeting my love on the other side of the world that gave me the strength to continue. The journey was very painful, but thinking of her smiling face, and picturing that every step I took was one step closer to her, enabled me to keep going beyond physical exhaustion. It was easily the most guelling undertaking of my short life thus far.

During the journey I battled with many inner demons: from my past, my present and my future. I fought doubt and despair, two fears that had bested me in the past. Completing this journey was very important for me in order to prove to myself that I had the strength that I always knew I had, but had rarely tapped into. I was able to keep going , taking one step at a time, regardless of my mental state. That was a big step forward for me. Some day I shall write about depression and how focusing on the negative aspects of life nearly destroyed me. But for now, the journey goes on...

I abandoned my quest for sponsorship and publicity (although I am positive I would have gained sponsorship had I taken that path), and instead shall work a more 'normal' job to fund my journey. I will be going fruitpicking from mid-February until work runs out, and then I shall fly to the US. But I cannot wait that long to see my love; the distance is difficult enough without time wishing to torment us as well. So....

Love has wings, and I am learning to fly. I borrowed enough money to fly to Phoenix. I leave on Wednesday 26th Janurary (Australia day) and leave the US the day after Valentine's Day. I won't be undertaking the walk this trip due to time constraints, but it should be a great opportunity to meet people and get an idea of the lay of the land. More importantly, I shall get to meet my love and will be able to ask her to pinch me to see if I am dreaming.

Thank you to those who have followed the tale thus far. Thank you to those who have supported my journey. Thank you to those who have inspired me. I only hope that I can return the favour and inspire others.

Okay folks, I have to pack! Keep on dreaming! Remember, with our thoughts we make the world!

Home Sweet Home

2004-12-30T20:48:00.000+11:00

I returned home yesterday, earlier than I had initially planned as I am very anxious to get the next leg of the journey organised. Being unable to walk much each day has increased my restless state. The blisters on my right foot have healed but my left foot is still strained. Jumping off my bed this evening and twisting my left ankle furthered the idea that perhaps I should be resting and taking it easy. Hopefully I won't need to break my leg to get that message to sink in.

So that leaves me condemned to a few days rest at home. Fortunately I have regular access to the net again so I can get to work on rustling up a corporate sponsor for my US walk. I also have to plan the route taking into account rest stops, restocking food and water and accomodation. I learnt a lot on the Eden walk about long distance walking, and one thing is certain: I shall endeavour to keep my pack as light as possible!

I uploaded another 400 or so photos to the photo gallery, thus completing the pictorial account of the walk from Albion Park to Eden. Actually, it is incomplete still as I have yet to annotate the journey, so it is like reading a pictrure storybook without any story. I haven't even looked at the photos myself yet, and shall do so for the first time as I wade through them and annotate them.

Even after doing that, there is much of the story that still needs to be penned. I have written perhaps 50,000 words in diary entries, notes and emails since October 20th, when I first realised that I needed to travel, and started looking at the world positively for a change. I plan on turning this into a book which will be an account of both the physical, mental and spiritual journey that I have undertaken. It will not only be a story of my journey, but also a collection of stories of those I have met along the way. I intend to go back an interview as many of those that I have met along the way as possible in order to share their tales. Each and every one of them contributed to the success and meaning of my journey in some way; many of them helped to confirm the sneaking suspicion I had that humans are generally good beings.

Farewell for now and safe travels!

First Leg Complete!

2004-12-24T10:57:00.000+11:00

I am pleased to say that I made it into Eden today (finally!) safe and sound, thus bringing to a close the first leg of my journey. When I arrived in Eden, I felt like nothing more that a hot shower to ease the pain of my aching muscles, a hot meal and a cuppa, and lo and behold my grandfather was out when I arrived! So I hobbled a kilometre or so to the nearest internet access point.

I shall endeavour to write a lot more when I am able to, but for now I wish to say thank you to everyone so far who has helped me to undertake this journey; it has been a truly amazing journey so far and I am eager to undertake the next leg in the US, even if my legs don't feel like taking another step ever again.

I have met many wonderful people along the way, most of whom I am positive that I shall meet again. I have seen many wonderful sights, most of which I shall probably never see again as I think that the Albion Park to Eden walk will only be done once this lifetime. If I am to walk such distances in future, I would prefer them to be in new environments.

Not sure when I shall get a chance to use the internet again, but until I do, farewell for now .

PS - Happy 88th birthday to my grandfather!

News, News and More News

2004-12-23T13:10:00.000+11:00

Well where to begin? I forgot to mention that I had a radio interview the other day, with I believe 2EC radio (not exactly sure of the station), another radio interview today with the ABC South Coast division, and a newspaper interview with the Bega District News. I am pleased that this story is starting to reach the masses! Thank you all, especially Andrew Oglivie from the ABC for helping to share my story.

I have been fortunate enough to have had comfort these past two nights. I met a man in Cobargo, who was the First Noel; well actually he wasn't, but his name was Noel and he was kind enough to take me in for the night. We stayed up till 1am chatting about life and journeys and how to best approach sponsors in order for me to be able to undertake the next leg of the journey.

His faith is very strong, and he was very supportive (as most have been) of my journey. Noel became an artist 8 years ago, and I took a few photos of his artwork which I shall display when I find a computer that will allow me to upload. Speaking of photos, I would have a couple of hundred more by now, as well as a few video clips.

Last night I walked into Bega, which is very close to the end of my journey, or this leg of the journey I should say. Once again I had no idea where I would be staying, and as my wearing legs took me into Bega, I saw a sign painted on a roof: "Bega Valley Breakpackers". Oh hang on, no it read "Bega Valley Backapckers". For AUD$17, I stayed in comparitive luxury and had a shower and a much needed rest. The owner, Ron, was a very interesting character to talk to, and I shall speak more of him at a later date. For now I shall say that it was inspirational to hear that he has made it through life to the ripe age of 77 and during that time has only spent 3 years working for other people. I have always preferred to live my own dreams, rather than the dreams of others, so I take my hat off to you Ron!

Magic of the day: Ron and I grew up in the same area of Sydney.

More magic: When Andrew Ogilvie interview me today, he mentioned that when he proposed to his wife in a French restaurant, the song "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" by Glen Campbell was playing in the background. Hopefully the end of my romance tale will be slightly more positive than the message behind that song.

Time to keep walking, farewell for now!

Taken In By An Angel

2004-12-21T13:19:00.000+11:00
As usual, I have much to say and littl time to say it, so I shall focus on one aspect of yesterday's journey. I pressed on yesterday morning from the rest shelter by the side of the highway that I had slept under with possums for perhaps another 8 or 9km into Narooma, where I managed to update my web journal.

From Narooma, I pressed on until early evening until I deviated slightly from the highway and came to the lovely historical village known as Central Tilba. I was tired, sore, dirty and in dire need of rest. I had only spent 2 of the past 9 nights in a bed, hadn't showered in nearly 4 days, and was starting to feel a little down. I telephoned my bank to see if my balance was positive, and indeed it was not. Another night by the side of the road, or so I thought...

As I was leaving the public toilets in Central Tilba, I bumped into Heidi the Angel and her two sons, Quendylin and Wotie/Wodie (unsure of spelling) aged 2 years and 7 months respectively. We got talking, and she offered me a place to stay at her house!

So thank you very much Heidi, for allowing my body and mind to re-energise when I was starting to get weary. A hot bath, clean clothes, a recharged mobile phone, a hot breakfast, plentiful cups of herbal tea and great conversation has done wonders for me.

Heidi, incidentally, means noble or kind in German, so she is very aptly named.

I have 120km (75 miles) of this journey left to go, and should be in Eden as planned by the 24th of December for my grandfather's 88th birthday.

Farewell for now!

Oprah Winfrey and Charity

2004-12-20T11:47:00.000+11:00
My walk is going well so far, and I walked into Narooma this morning. My internet time is veyr limited (as usual) and I have so much to write and so little time. I have walked about 240km (155 miles) so far, and am well and truly past the halfway mark of this first leg of the journey.

My body and mind are holding up well, even if I have only had the comfort of a bed two out of the past nine nights. Sleeping can be quite difficult due to aching and sore muscles, combined often with sleeping on a hard surface. I toss and turn until I fall asleep due to exhaustion, as lying on one part of me for too long starts to hurt too much. Still, I awake feeling refreshed and ready to walk onwards each morning.

The intention of this site was not only to document my own journey, but also to share tales of Truth, Love and Courage from those I meet along the way. It has become rather apparent that I am failing in that endeavour, and that most of my writing is related to my own tale. There are a number of reasons for that, most of which revolve around time: limited internet access time and limited funds, exhaustion, the urge to press onwards each day, and even limited time spent with others along the way have all been factors in why this tale has revolved mainly around my journey.

Onto the subject at hand; I wanted to talk a little more briefly about charity, for it is a subject that is commonly brought up when I mention to people that I am undertaking this walk. The usual question is 'Which charity are you walking for?', and my response is ''None, although I am happy to have my walk associated with a worthy charity'.

Which brings me to the topic of funding, donations and sponsorship; three different words which can be used synonymously, but for me have very different meanings. I am seeking sponsorship for my journey in the US, or funding, not donations. How do I differentiate between the three? Funding is money that comes from friends or family or some other person with a generous heart and wishes to help me live my dream. I do not call this a donation, since I consider donations to be money given to a charity, and I am not a charity, just a person with a need to live a dream. Sponsorship is an exchange of funds for an endorsement of a product or service.

For example, someone may ask me 'Blake, tell me which shoes did you wear on your journey?''and I would respond 'Why this pair right here, they were the best suited for my lengthy journey, both sturdy and comfortable, and [insert unnamed brand here] was kind enough to help me with a little money to undertake my journey'. ''Blake, which airline flew you to the US, and helped you to live your dream and unite two lovers seperated by an insurmountable distance?' My response: 'Why that would be [insert unnamed brand here] airline, they were kind enough to understand that love knows no boundaries, and were happy to bring my Special Someone and I together'.

Hopefully you get the picture. Onto the subect of Oprah Winfrey. Unbeknownest to myself at the time, I emailed Oprah Winfrey about my journey, as did my Special Someone. We often do things like that: say the same thing or think the same thing or do the same thing. I mentioned this to Special Someone's cousin, who also told me that she had emailed Oprah, and also mentioned Oprah's Angel Network, which is her charity.

So now when I am asked if I am doing it for a charity, my answer is still the same 'No not yet, but I am happy to have one associated with my journey' but I shall add this to it 'But if you wish to donate to a charity, I would recommend Oprah's Angel Network'. Why? Because it is the only charity that I have heard of that gives 100% of its funds to the intended recipients, due to Oprah paying the administrative costs of the charity. Oprah and I have no connection, other than I have emailed her twice, and she has not endorsed my walk in any way. However if you wish to give money to a worthy charity, the Angel Network is the best that I have found thus far. You can read more about it here: http://www.oprah.com/uyl/uyl_landing.jhtml

I particularly like the quote at the top of the page:

"I want you to open your hearts and see the world in a different way. You get from the world what you give to the world. I promise this will change your life for the better."
— Oprah

This is exactly the experience that is occuring in my life, due to mainly I would say to my change in attitude.

If you do not like that charity, then pretend that I am walking for one that you do like, and donate to that one. I do not need to walk in order for you to donate, but I will spread the word about the Angel Network because I am very impressed by a charity that gives 100% of its funds to the intended recipients, and there are a wide range of recipients too.

Why am I undertaking this journey? I am undertaking this journey partly to spread goodwill, partly to inspire people to live their dreams, partly to experience life and be inspired by the tales of others, and of course, partly to meet the girl that I am in love with, so that I may show her my love from closer proximity.

Gotta Fly!

2004-12-18T11:49:00.000+11:00
The day is rapidly passing and I have a fair distance to walk still. Well actually it isn't that far at all today: 26km. The reason I do not have far to walk, is that I pushed myself yesterday and achieved a new personal best walking record: 53km in 12.5 hours including rest stops. I slept by the water under a tree and was greeted often by the whistles and calls of drunken hooligans.

Still, even though I did not sleep for long, and I had walked far the previous day, I awoke this morning feeling refreshed and ready to continue!

A few thank yous are in order before I depart:

I mentioned Jon and Kathy at Gatt's Cafe in Ulladulla in a previous post; thank you again for the tea.

Helen from the Traveller's rest: thank you for decyphering my babbling after walking 50km and trying to say 'I would like a room with showering facilities'. It was a great first experience at staying in a backpacker's accomodation.

Chris from the Log Cabin service station: yeah I am sure I mentioned you before, but you really made my day by having a great chat and for providing me with shelter from the rain.

Kuba and Julia: German backpackers who I had a great chat to about life and travelling. Thanks for listening and sharing (there is a pic of them in the photo gallery).

Judith: Another German backpacker: thanks for listening to my tale and offering support. Read along and I think you will find the end shall be like the one I mentioned; it is also my favourite part to the story!

Jackie and Tony at the East Lynne Store: thanks for the tea and lentil and zucchini pie! The pie was that delicious that I forgot that I don't like zucchini!

Not sure if I will be able to have internet contact again before reaching Eden in 5-6 days. Funds are running low and I still have more than half the journey to walk.

Thank you peopple of the South Coast for your generous hospitality. I haven't been able to pen the tale that I had wished, due to the effort required to undertake this journey, however I have taken copious notes and shall endeavour to do my best to scribe it once the journey is complete.

Farewell for now!

More Pics Uploaded!

2004-12-18T11:37:00.000+11:00
The photo gallery has been uploaded with a few photos (about 270) from the past few days. Please note that I have not even had the chance to look at them myself, let alone annotate them. So if some seem a little pointless, or perhaps are poor photos, then that is the reason.

Note: there is a photo of a dead cat that I saw as I was coming into Bateman's Bay. I took that photo in case for some reason the pet's companion is unaware of their whereabouts. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news if you do not know of their passing already. I shall remove the photo if contacted to do so, for I would not like that to be the way my dear companion was remembered. That cat was by the side of the road, just after the 'report traffic incidents' flashing sign.

There are also a few photos of graves or dead animals in there. No, I do not have a morbid fascination with death, and indeed I initially said to myself that I would not record any instances of death during my journey. It seems however that death is as much a part of life as, well as life is, and I came across a little of that 'magic' that I speak about and decided to record some instances of death along the highway. The highway often reeks of it unfortunately, and claims many many lives.

The magic I mentioned occured when I finally decided to stop at one of the memorials that I had seen so many of on my walk. There are many bunches of flowers along the way where people have died in road accidents. The first one I chose to stop at was dedicated to 'Ricky'. The message by the memorial read as follows:

"Fly little angel spread your wings far
Heaven awaits your smile to claim
Your cloud above, so you can watch
You family and loved ones
Like a star in the night sky
Be free now Ricky
You will be in our hearts always,
Love always,
Tamina 4th/8/04"

The magic or coincidence if you will was the date of this person's passing from this world. It was my birthday, the 30th July. Rather strange that this was the first memorial I decided to stop at?

Personal Best Walking: 50km in a Day!

2004-12-18T11:31:00.000+11:00
Note: this is the post that I tried to upload before the library internet connection went down in Ulladulla.

Aka 'A World of Pain'.

It is amazing how well the human body can recover. I have not treated my body very well over the past 28 years. Oh there have been moments where I have, but overall I haven't. I smoked and drank heavily at times for 12 years, my diet wasn't very healthy (although I have been a vegetarian for most of my life) and I have not exercised much. However as I do not have a car or a driver’s license, I walk everywhere.

For just over the past 2 months, I have been treating my body and mind a lot better. In fact, very well. I am almost vegan now, and I say 'almost' because there are moments where I prefer a white tea to black, if green tea or herbal tea is not available, and I did have 2 bowls of ice-cream on Thanksgiving, and boy did my body tell me that it didn't enjoy that! I drink a lot of water, and almost gave up soft drink. I say 'almost' again because I indulged when I met Chris at the service station and bought a bottle of [unnamed brand] cola. And then again for lunch today I had a drink of [unnamed brand] cola and greasy hot chips loaded with salt. Nothing hits the spot like [unnamed brand] cola when you are in need of refreshment! Okay, okay, I shall stop *grins*

Yesterday was the first day that I have had a full day's walk. The first day I started late in the afternoon to Kiama; the second day I started well but strained my thigh by the time I reached Berry; the third day the need to use the internet as well as an electrical storm in Nowra halted my journey; the fourth day started late as I was hoping to meet with a journalist from the South Coast Register, as well as needing to use the net some more, as well as the rain prematurely ending my walk at Tomerang (not sure of spelling since I don't have the map handy: the Log Cabin service station); so by the fifth day, I was pumped and sore and ready to test my mettle. And wow did I test it!

Oh incidentally, I did speak with a journalist from the South Coast Register, and revealed quite a few things that I had wished to talk about on this site, but haven't gotten around to yet. *thinks* Inspiration, depression, living one's dreams, a little history about me, love, loss and grief...I think that just about covers it for now. So to that [unnamed] journalist (my apologies as I missed your name when that truck drove past), thank you for listening to my tale so far, and I hope to see something in the paper soon!

So where was I? Ah yes, testing my mettle. I started the fifth day nice and early, at perhaps 6:45am, and didn't stop walking until 6:30pm (including rest breaks). I have often watched athletes on television, who, after a gruelling race, break down into tears. I have never understood why, that is, until yesterday. Yesterday I was on the verge of tears, for a number of reasons. I was in a lot of pain, and I don't mean the kind of pain where you say 'ouch' to let someone know that you have suffered some minor ill. I mean the kind of pain that shoots up and down your legs, permeates every joint, and vibrates with every step as you plod along, trying to stay focused on putting one foot after the other. Yesterday I hurt, I really, really hurt.

As I mentioned in the previous post, for about 7km I had to sing to distract myself from the pain. But the pain wasn't the only reason I was on the verge of tears. It was partly relief at finally arriving at civilisation again, after walking more in one day than I ever have before. And it was also due to fear: fear that I am doing this all in vain. Fear that I shall undertake this walk, and will not gain the support that I need to begin the neg leg of the journey. That niggling little voice known as doubt often tries to speak to me during my most vulnerable moments, such as the one I had early yesterday evening. I ignored it. I replaced doubt with positive thoughts. It takes practice, and slowly but surely I am getting better at viewing the world with a positive outlook, and I see a wonderful world that could do with a little bit of healing. Or perhaps it is myself that still needs a little healing? I have noticed that one's own mindset can often determine one's perspective on life.

So 50 km (31 miles) in one day? Pretty impressive eh? That wasn't the only reason that I gave myself a day off walking today. Tomorrow I depart for Bateman's Bay, and will see how my body copes with walking 52km!

Hopefully I can upload some more photos to the photo gallery tomorrow at Gatt's Cafe: a great place to use the net and have a cuppa in Ulladulla! Jon and Kathy were kind enough to give me my third pot of peppermint tea today on the house. So if you happen to pop in there some day, tell them that 'Blake the crazy walking man' sent you!

The Wonders of Modern Technology

2004-12-17T08:23:00.000+11:00
There I was, sitting at the library, typing my latest web journal entry when *kapow!* The internet dropped off in the library just as I tried to upload my latest journal entry. Actually I don't think that it made the aforementioned sound, but it may well have if I was staring in an old Batman episode.

But wait, there's more! *cries the man in the [unnamed] infomercial* I saved my entry to disk, knowing that I would be coming to the internet cafe in the morning to upload some photos. Well the unfortunate thing is that the computer here does not have a disk drive, so I cannot upload yesterday's post until I get to Bateman's Bay. I cannot upload photos either as it is running Windows 98, and has no cd rom for me to install the camera driver. Ah gotta love technology eh?

Time is short and I must depart before I lose too much of the day. The storm is still following me, and I heard that rain is predicted for tomorrow. The sky is grey but my spirits are high as usual.

The Traveller's Rest was a fine place to stay in Ulladulla, and for AUD$25 a night it was a bargain! It is my first experience staying in backpacker accomodation, and I really enjoyed it. Being able to share tales of travelling with fellow adventurers was positively wonderful.

Time to depart, see you all in Bateman's Bay, some 52km (32.5 miles) away. I am not sure if I shall make it there today, but weather and legs permitting I shall try.

Farewell for now!

Wise men say...

2004-12-16T10:23:00.000+11:00
only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Take my hand, take my whole life too
Cause' I can't help fallin in love with you...

I sung those words over and over during the last 7km (4.5 miles) of walking yesterday in order to get my mind off the pain that was coursing through my legs. Although the 'I' in the song was replaced with my special someone's name, as per a message she sent me some time ago. I really needed something positive to focus on, and her message was perfect.

So where were we in this tale? I only have a few minutes so I shall have to be brief again, but I assure you dear reader, that I shall return after lunch to write some more.

The last entry saw me leaving Nowra midafternoon with a storm hot on my heels. This storm and I seem to have been playing a bit of a game of late, as it has followed me from the beginning.

My journey was initially delayed from starting due to me needing to spend more time with my sister. It also pissed down with rain that day, so the delay was fortuitous. The rain tickled my face briefly on the first day, although the storm appeared not to notice my turn-off into Kiama. However by the time I reached Berry, it had located me again and enjoyed soaking the clothes I was attempting to dry on the clothesline at Simon's place.

Within 10-15 minutes of entering Nowra on the third day, the storm hit in full force. There was fierce electrical display which impacted upon my accomodation plans for the evening, and had me sleeping in a park instead.

Upon leaving Nowra, the storm as I said, was hot on my heels. I had only managed to walk perhaps some 20km when the rain intensified once more. The timing could not have been more perfect: before me lay shelter, in the form of a service station! I did not let the weather dampen my spirits, even though I was starting to realise that I would not be able to walk any further that day. I had left that day with no knowledge of where I would be staying that evening, and had indeed assumed that I would be in my sleeping bag under a tree or bus shelter.

It was upon entering the service station that I had the pleasure of meeting Chris. He is a wonderful man, full of stories and has a really positive energy about him. We talked that evening until he had to depart at 10pm, and was kind enough to offer me shelter under the service station, as well as a few free cups of tea. We talked about travel, about living life as you wish, and a little about love.

I must go for now as my time on the computer in this library is up, and when I return after lunch, I shall tell the tale of walking 50km (31 miles) in a day.

Farewell for now!

A Storm and Photos Updated

2004-12-14T13:35:00.000+11:00
The hour grows late, time is fleeting and a storm is on the horizon...

I had another lovely night under the stars without a tent thanks to the storm that hit Nowra yesterday shortly after my arrival. I was going to stay at the only backpacker accomodation that I knew of, and upon arriving I was greeted by a sign that read something along the lines of:

"We regret to say that we are not taking any more bookings today due to a blackout"

I telepohoned another place for accomodation, but refuse to pay AUD$93 to rest my weary head for but a night. So I grabbed my nifty new sleeping bag, which keeps me warm in temperatures of up to -5 degrees celsius. Indeed just as the night under the stars in Kiama, I was actually too hot! The sounds of police sirens kept me in and out of consciousness, but all in all, it was a decent sleep.

I am happy to say that my photo gallery has been reorganised and updated. Unfortunately I do not have time to annotate all of the photographs yet, however there are over 150 new ones to take a look at. Even though the story is lacking, you should be able to get an idea visually of the journey that I have been undertaking. The link to the main gallery is at the top of the page (I would direct link but this netcafe won't let me open multiple windows to copy and paste the address). Enjoy!

It looks like the storm is returning, and I have very long walk to the nearest town. I do not think that I will have access to the internet for 2-3 days, so take care and I shall be back in contact as soon as possible.

A special thanks to everyone who has supported me so far; thank you to Simon the chef at the Great Southern Hotel in Berry for the use of your couch; thank you to Bill the Tambourine Man for entertaining me with your playing as well as sharing a few good tales; thanks to Richard at the Great Southern Hotel also for sharing a few stories; thanks to Murray (aka Muz) at the Postman's Tavern for a good chat and for offering accomodation last night; and thanks to the barman there for showing off your Cocktail skills with that bottle trick! Oh and lastly but not leastly, thanks Gwen Watts from the laundrette in Nowra for washing and drying my clothes for free!

Farewell for now!

Safe and Sound: A Brief Tale

2004-12-13T15:35:00.000+11:00
Time is short as I need to find accomodations for the night. The journey has been great so far, and hopefully I can upload a few photos of it soon, for I have taken many!

The walk began late on Saturday afternoon, at about 4:30pm. I left with a ridiculously heavy pack, one which weighed some 20kg+ (44lbs) and regretted it almost immediately. I arrived at Kiama by nightfall at 8:15pm, and spent the night under a tree overlooking the ocean.

The next day saw me carrying a slightly less cumbersome pack, but one which was still far too heavy for a journey of this length. I walked for some 6 hours until I arrived at the lovely little town of Berry. By this stage I was exhausted, dehydrated as I had run out of water, sunburnt as I had missed a spot when applying sunscreen, and had strained a muscle in my right thigh. So all in all, I was in good shape!

I went to the park in Berry and fell asleep under a tree. I really was exhausted. Upon waking I headed across to a local drinking trough, and it was there that I met Simon the chef, from the Great Southern Hotel. Simon and I got talking, and he was kind enough to put me up for the night on his couch. I met a few great characters at the Great Southern, including Bill the Tambourine Man. This tale is worthy of more words than I have time for right now, so I shall tell the tale fully perhaps later this evening.

I left Berry this morning at perhaps 10am and arrived in Nowra by 1pm, just before a big electrical storm hit.

The sights, the sounds, the people, the landscape, the aches and the pains; they have all been a sensual delight! And rest assured, I shall share the tales more verbosely as soon as I am able to.

Farewell for now!

*raises hat*

Photo Update and Imminent Departure

2004-12-11T13:39:00.000+11:00
Just a quick note, my photo gallery has been updated with photographs from Day 0 of my walk. Yesterday will be Day 0.5, since I didn't begin my walk as intended, and today shall be Day 1, as I will besetting off some time after lunch.

http://www.picjar.com/pub/Walking4TLC/Walking4TLC/

My father and I just returned from the local camping store, and purchased a better tent, sleeping bag, silk sleeping bag liner and two maps for my journey, as well as a SIM card for a mobile phone. I feel a little more prepared now, and shall be departing shortly after I eat lunch and let my food settle.

Magic for the day: I went with Jedda to her piano lesson - she certainly is a talented youngen - and as we were walking up the driveway, I found $10. Every donation counts! *grins*

Delayed A Day: A Familial Journey

2004-12-10T22:07:00.000+11:00
It is raining in Wollongong, perfect weather for walking! But alas my walk has been delayed a day, and for good reason too. I shall be spending a night at my father's house, and have been enjoying spending some much needed time with my sister. We decorated the Christmas tree earlier. She also showed me that she is quite a talented writer, perhaps I can take lessons from her.

I shall depart tomorrow after being entertained by Jedda's (my sister) piano lessons.

I am very tired, and shall write further tomorrow after rest.

*makes mental note to write about good luck charm gift from Jedda*

Life Matters

2004-12-10T13:50:00.000+11:00
Currently in Sydney, trying to get as much written as possible before my train to Wollongong departs. I shall be seeing my father and sister, and am really looking forward to it as it has been far too long.

I spent the night at my mother's house last night, and awoke this morning to catch a little of that magic that I have mentioned. I do not listen to the radio usually, nor do I watch television anymore. I think it has to do with focusing more on my own life and goals rather than trying to walk with the weight of the world on my shoulders. Regardless of the reason, I have really been enjoying an absence from hearing the 'news'.

Well this morning Radio National was playing in the background, as my mother listens to it regularly, and there was a show called Life Matters. This particular segment was entitled The Last Of The Great Romantics. I thought it a fitting topic, considering one of the driving factors of my walk is Love. They wanted people to call in and talk about the most romantic things that they have done, or have had happen to them. So I plucked up the Courage, albeit a little nervously, and gave them a call and talked briefly about my walk. My short chat led to me talking to the producer of the show and passing on a few more details. They put a little something up on their website: so thank you Life Matters for helping to spread what I believe shall be one amazing story!

If you scroll down, you can see a mention of me *grins*
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/lm/stories/s1260581.htm

You can listen to a recording via their website. It is December 10th, First Hour:

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/lm/default.htm

Edit: Just a quick note to mention that it was interesting to see how many of the stories shared were about long distance relationships. I am very keen to collect stories of successful long distance relationships, in particular internet relationships as there is such a stigma attached to them. It is more socially acceptable to meet someone in a pub, get completely drunk and shag them, and then tell your friends that you are in love, rather than to spend a few months getting to know someone and falling in love. So if you have such a tale, post it here or email it to me! I'd love to hear it.

Packed and Ready!

2004-12-09T14:30:00.000+11:00
I am packed and ready, and here is a list of what I shall be taking on my journey:

Camping Equipment

1 [unnamed brand] of el cheapo tent, probably not even suitable to camp out in the backyard, let alone in the thunderstorms which are predicted for the first few days of my walk

1 [unnnamed brand] of el cheapo sleeping bag, probably not even suitable to keep me warm in a sauna

1 [unnamed brand] of el cheapo foam mat, probably not even suitable...well you get the picture!

1 [unnamed brand] of torch, complete with 3 [unnnamed brand] AA batteries

Clothing

1 [unnamed brand] pair of slacks (erm long pants)

1 [unnamed brand] pair of thermal leggings

3 [unnamed brand] pairs of underpants, brief style (none red, sorry my love)

2 [unnnamed brand] pairs of study socks (with cotton soles) [thanks Bill the coach driver, formerly in the army, for telling me one of the secrets of walking long distances with a heavy pack: 'two pair of socks and a good set of boots']

1 [unnamed brand] jumper

1 [unnamed brand] jacket, which I might not take on the walk due to its bulkiness (still undecided)

1 [unnamed brand] black cotton/lycra skintight shirt (in case I need to stop for a modelling shoot :P Actually it is for warmth since I couldn't find any thermal tops in Katoomba in Summer)

1 [unnamed brand] black t-shirt

1 [unnamed brand] black and grey long-sleeved shirt

1 [unnamed brand] black shorts (swim short style for those trips to the beach along the way)

1 [unnamed brand] imitation [unnamed brand] style hat (for added Australian iconism)

1 [unnamed brand] pair of ankle shoes (thanks Win!)

Sustanence

7 bananas
4 pears
4 carrots
3 litres of Crap Lentil Soup

NB: I shall complete this post later, for it is time to depart (again)!

I have had another failed attempt at departing, and this time I forgot my lucky hat. At least this gives me plenty of time to go via the library and post office. Farewell dear Blackheath!

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

2004-12-09T13:10:00.000+11:00
I find it interesting how the journey of life seems to choose to be taken at its own pace. I have been busy for the past two days rushing about, trying to get everything organised before my departure, intent on not forgetting any much needed items for my journey. Whilst watching the clock all morning, many trains to Sydney have passed me by, but each one that has left without me, has done so for a reason.

After missing the first train, I received two emails, one from my Anonymous Benefactor wishing me well upon my journey, and the other from an old high school friend. Unfortunately he had to cancel our plans to meet this evening due to a case of "cane toad flu" (I didn't ask what he was doing with the poor toads) but he did mention that I should visit the Nan Tien Buddhist temple outside of Wollongong, which I shall do if it is along the route I have planned.

As the departure time for the next train neared, I decided that I would not rush and let it go merrily along its way to Sydney. I checked my email again, and lo and behold, two more emails! This time one from another high school friend whom I shall be meeting this evening; he had emailed me to confirm a meeting time.

The other email was one that I had not expected but was really pleased to receive. Yet again it was contact from an old high school friend, one whom I had seen recently at our 10 year high school reunion. It really is greating catching up with old friends! We left the reunion without sharing contact details (regrettably), and that is the reason that I was so surprised to hear from Cinnamon. I had managed to track her down, thanks to the power of Google *grins* I emailed the administration staff at her workplace, and asked if they could pass on a message to her, and lo and behold within 48 hours I hear from her! We had barely talked since high school, but found that it is never too late to catch up.

Which leads me to explain the reason of why I am still sitting here typing, when I was sure I would be seeing my mother for her birthday by now. I was rushing, trying to force things to go at a quicker pace than they wished to be going, and well, you know how things are, they don't like to be rushed.

I was out the door, packed and ready (or so I thought) and on my way to Blackheath train station. It was then that I realised that I had left behind my mother's suitcase, which she has been asking me to return for quite some time now. So that train had to leave without me as well. Upon returning home, I realised that I had forgotten a few other things, such as my thermal legggings, which are an absolute must camping out under the stars.

This journey must be taken at its own pace, which from what I can tell is a slow and steady one, rather than the rushed pace I am used to.

Oh and happy birthday mum! You don't look a day over 25, or was that 52? *grins*

Saying 'I Love You'

2004-12-08T23:49:00.000+11:00
I wasn't sure whether to start with an entry on the food I am cooking, or ramble a little about Love. My stomach is grumbling, but my pounding heartbeat is just a little louder.

As I tend to say in emails 'I shall make this brief'. Usually that results in a 1000+ word mini-essay, however I have food cooking and do not wish to burn it.

It is one thing to feel love, and another to be told by someone 'I love you'. Both are equally important in my mind when it comes to feeling loved. I have heard people many times say "Oh I know that he/she loves me, but they never say it". Or the other is "He/she tells me all the time that he/she loves me, but I just don't feel it".

I have had the privilege of feeling love from that special someone but she had never said the words. We have talked about it, and she prefers to refrain a little due to the gravity of their meaning. I, on the other hand, being unable to contain my excitement once love begins to gnaw at me, cannot help but shout it to the world. It is a funny thing about being in love, at least for me, and that is how much I wish to share the joy of it once I feel it. Anyway I digress; I had not heard those magical three words, that is until 11:07pm tonight.

I am not sure how fitting it is to follow such a statement with this poem, but I shall do so nonetheless since it is so poignant.

I Will Do You No Favour

If I withold my voice of anger from you for your sake,
You, in listening too hard to me, may hear more anger than any voice of
mine could have held.

If I curb my raucous ribbald pleasure voice
For anticipation of your sensitivities,
You will know I have curbed, and pleasure will be dimmed and overlaid
with grimy speculation as to why.
What was there other than pleasure that she (he) did not say?

If I keep my arms that want to hug you bound at my side,
As would seem more appropriate for men and women of our station
and trade,
Your arms, or perhaps only fingers will twitch too,
Stifled and pinched off meanly
And in spite, against their mind formed shackles,
Tense to fists.

All that I withhold dimishes me, and cheats you.
All that you withhold diminishes you and cheats me.

When we hold back ourselves for each other' sake,
That is no service to us, either one, we only
Collude in the weakening of us both.

- Suicide note, author unknown

My guide Linda shared that poem with me soon after I first met her, and I was dumbstruck after reading it. I was saddened to hear that someone who could pen such a profound poem would commit suicide. A lesson that I am slowly learning is that everything in life happens for a reason, either that or at least meaning can be drawn from everything that happens. If this person had not ended their life, then perhaps their message would not be shared with the world.

So take heed of the message!

Charity?

2004-12-08T13:11:00.000+11:00
I am often asked when sharing the tale of my impending journey whether or not I shall be walking for Charity. No that is not the name of the lass that I am rather fond of, in fact I do not believe that I have ever met Charity, however...

No I do not have a charity to walk for, although I have contacted the Starlight Foundation via email without a response. I like the sound of that charity for two reasons: firstly, they help to make the dreams of seriously ill children come true, and part of my journey is about living one's dreams; secondly, I was reading a site that rated charities in terms of the amount of money that actually makes it to the intended recipients, and they scored very well. If money can be raised to help others during my travels, then I would gladly do so.

Oh come to think of it, there is a thirdly. If my journey was to be associated with a charity, it would have to be one that the masses could relate to in order to trigger their compassionate side. My original thought was to raise funds for cancer, since I have met so many people recently who have been adversely affected by cancer. However, I do not wish to raise money for drug companies who seek to make a profit from a "wonder cure", nor do I wish to associate my walk with anything political, other than a basic message to "be nice to others". My preference would be to save animals from harm, but not everyone shares my sentiments of protecting the lives of creatures, so perhaps that fundraiser can wait till I walk around the animal kingdom.

I am open to suggestions...

How Can I Help Walking4TLC?

2004-12-08T01:34:00.000+11:00
If you have any questions, comments or wish to support my journey, you can email me at walking4tlc@gmail.com. I am glad to say that I have everything that I need to undertake my first walk from Wollongong to Eden. And before discussing how people can help Walking4TLC, I would like to thank those who have helped me so far.

To my special someone: thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for reminding me of the magic of Love and for helping me to believe in it again.

To Linda: thank you for being my guide. Your advice and support has been wonderful to say the least!

To Ness: thanks for putting up with me *grins* Most of all, thank you for caring for me. Thanks for the pack and the dictaphone.

Win: thanks for your constant love and support, and thanks for the shoes!

Anonymous Benefactor: this person wishes to remain anonymous, but I shall say that they have absolutely amazed me with their generosity. I have not met this person face to face, yet they have been so supportive of my dreams, and wired me US$400 so I could purchase a digital camera to record my journey pictorially. So thank you for allowing me to share my journey with others!

And thank you to everyone else who has offered me love, advice, support and an ear or two along the way!

Now onto the help that I need. It is really quite simple. I need to get from here (Blackheath, NSW, Australia) to there (Los Angeles, California, USA) and then walk to over there (Phoenix, Arizona, USA). So what help do I need specifically? I need funding and/or sponsorship that will enable me to get there, to undertake the walk, and then to stay for a little while. To be honest, the getting there is my main hurdle. I am decent at walking but not so good at swimming, which leaves flying as my only option.

There are many sponsorship opportunities, which I shall highlight during the writing of this blog. You will often see me refer to something as an [unnnamed brand] of something. That is my way of saying to companies out there, that it could be your product or service that is being associated with this journey.

Besides financial assistance, what other support do I need? Well being someone of little financial means myself, I understand that people often wish to help but cannot do so financially. The other help that I need is just as valuable as financial aid. I want to hear other people's stories of Truth, Love and Courage. I shall go a little more into those Principles at another time.

A simple show of support by saying "Good on you Blake, I hope your dreams come true" really does go a long way. If I pass you on my walk and flash you a smile or utter a greeting, returning that smile or greeting goes a long way in giving me the energy to keep going.

And lastly, advice. I am a novice at undertaking such a journey, so any advice is greatly appreciated. I am sure that I will learn a lot during my travels, and part of the enjoyment of this journey so far has been the learning. So please do not hesitate to offer me some advice!

Oh and before I forget: a computer with a connection to the internet! I cannot share my story without internet access, and I shall be relying mainly on internet cafes along the way. Anyone who can offer the brief use of their computer in order to access the net would be greatly appreciated.

The 'Beginning'

2004-12-07T14:29:00.000+11:00
One of the reasons I have hesitated starting this blog was that I didn't know where to begin. I started making diary entries on the 20th October, and much of what I have written is rather raw, emotional, and perhaps not ready to be shared with the world yet. Some of it consists merely of notes, and needs to be written or rewritten before it can be shared. Thus far I have documented many instances of magic, which I shall share in good time.

Whilst out bushwalking nine days ago, I started a 'beginning' of this tale, so that is where I shall begin. I was sitting atop a rock which I have aptly named The Writing Rock for its inspirational qualities. I returned there recently to have a photo of taken of myself sitting atop it. Here is the direct link.

Without further ado, here is a beginning of my tale, as penned whilst sitting atop the aforementioned rock:

29th November, 2004

I shall begin this story not at the beginning, for to do so would be nigh impossible; but rather somewhere in the middle. I predict that this tale shall also come to a close somewhere in the middle as well.

Why in the midde, you may ask? I would answer such a question with another question: where did it begin? With a revelation or self-realisation? I think not, as that is also somewhere in the middle.

With my birth? I think not as well: for what is me? Or perhaps I should ask 'who am I?' I am the sum of everyone that I have ever met; everyone who has ever touched me in some way; everyone who has ever taught me to be me. I probably do not know a good many of you. I probably do not recognise your names or faces, but I have still learnt something from you.

So if that is the case, why does this story not begin with my birth? Because those people who have helped to teach me who I am were also taught to be who they are by others; without those others, they could not have taught me to be me. Those others were also taught by more others, and ad infinitum.

[Note: there is a water dragon sunning itself next to me, and watching me whilst I write.]

I am not intending to sound philosophical or pretentious, but merely wish to suggest that even though I am both the narrator and central character of this tale, that it is both about and not about me.

It is about people, of which I happen to be able to categorise myself as one on most days. People are a fundamental aspect of this world, at least in this day and age; I would like to share tales of the people I meet, as well as of the places I see. People often make a place so much more interesting, at least to other people. They give a place character, often literally 'a character'.

So sit back and hopefully enjoy some tales of people; tales of Truth, Love and Courage; tales of the 'magic' that binds people to this wonderful world we live in. Magic, coincidence, fate, destiny, miracles: to me these are magic, a very real force in all of our lives, and one we are often oblivious to.

This lizard keeps starting at me with a look which is both sagely and inquisitive, so I shall stop writing, continue walking, and leave it to enjoy this rock in solitude.

Walking4TLC Blog Finally Unleashed!

2004-12-07T14:00:00.000+11:00
The idea to start walking to find tales of Truth, Love and Courage was born on the 20th October 2004, when I decided that I needed to travel. There have been many developments in the story since that day, however I shall have to release them slowly, as I have time, as I have so much to do still before departing. I have written some twenty thousand words of notes and diary entries, which I did intend to share via this blog much sooner. One thing that I am learning about life, is that everything happens for a reason, and I shall share them in good time.

My purpose with this blog is to document my journeys in search of tales of Truth, Love and Courage. It is intended not only to document my physical journey walking, talking and meeting people, but to also document the journey within myself. I would like to be able to inspire others to live their dreams, they way that I have been living mine recently. Life is so much more enjoyable living and breathing waking dreams, rather than merely enjoying sleeping ones.

If this blog is of interest to you, then please pass word of it onto others. Share the stories contained within if you appreciate them, and by all means share any that you think would be a worthy addition to the blog.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy!