Made in Australia: Part One

When a person seeks out what they desire they follow a thread that takes them further and further away from the norm. Unless they desire the norm, of course, and this is not the case for Jebediah. On his great ship of travel, each change in current leads to a more exotic culture. Across the pond in Europe, language was a new song. Further into Eurasia, Christianity was still medieval without even the trace of a cross. In the Middle East, the womb of civilization, he found fellows who fell to and raised up from their knees in prayer. Far East and heading South from there, even basic life functions were new rituals to be learned. In Asia's dense sub continent worship was found where flowers floated on the surface of water, while frozen crystals of the Himalaya hold solid the fluttering offerings on the roof-top of the human world. Just a moment at that peak altitude is all Jebediah shared before heading back to sea-level and so far East that he stepped back into the West. After experiencing a life's worth of wonders, entering into something familiar seemed a bit strange.

Australia is a vast island with only a few plots of its' land occupied. Here the youth gather in the cities. After they have accumulated enough supplies and have begun to turn grey, they turn to the beauty that is this country. Respect and appreciation for the lands and waters of Australia is a deeply rooted ritual of this piece of Earth. The worship here is to go out to the back where the dirt glows ocher and is glorified as a giver of life.

Jebediah grew in independence and internal sustainability while in the East, however in the wild palace of Oz there is a local bird to show him the way. Rosetta nests when she needs to, soars when ever she gets the right winds and forages for a smile where ever her heart lands. This pair of warm-blooded creatures plans a road-trip and ignites the hum of adventure.

Rosetta and Jeb toast the moment with a look in the eye and sip in the commencement through grinning teeth. The compass spins around and the only plan is beneath them in the pavement. Slowly slowly, they move away from Australia's newly built-up cities. In a port town, that barley sizes up, there are veterans of the road and a rough weather front gives them all an excuse to get along for a while. In the creeping shadows they catch some stormy swells, cook some sup, and chat about a dash of the deeper things. It turns out to be the last fluent conversation with others there'd be for some time. Just before the rains fell their heaviest, an Osprey spread her wing tips wide, gliding in the shallow sky.

Little by little all the steel fades in the rear-view and the sun climbs. The sun peaks and the pint-sized caravan rests under some beach-pines. Resting is a source of life, but the day and tyres move on toward the rise of the stars. Just before the sun's final descent they rumble off the paved road into isolation. They find nothing but the most valued human contribution, footprints. From this moment they became embedded in awe for The Mother. This awe, our most primal instinct.

There's a sandy swamp, a salty grove of bush, and a camp-spot on the dune of a shelly beach. In a place just close enough to the high-tide mark Jeb and Rose lay looking out upon the scene. They lived and they watched.

Blue-charcoal clouds mask the sun and pink-pastel strokes reveal its ever presence. She focuses her eyes, unsheathes her talons and swoops into view. With sprawling wings she drops onto the ocean-world and lifts a motionless fish from its final swim. The pair drift to sleep in awe.

It could be that Jeb never woken after that moment; Rosetta may still be in a dreamy repose. The voyage continues and it is perfectly possible that they travel in a connected dream through natural perfection. The Mother lets down her hair and begins to show what gems are woven into her flowing locks.

....Continuing soon, unless this guy gets you...