Epilogue Tuesday 26th November 2013

Hi All,

I have been attempting to update our blog for some time. I have lots of things I want to say, they are all competing to be written first, so please bear with me as I try to make sense of the past 6 months.

I have often times been perplexed when reading the blogs of others to note the last entry was some months even years earlier, which always prompts me to wonder what happened?

I guess there are “rules” or “conventions” to blogging though I admit I have not researched this topic. Blogs are more like diaries than books. Books usually have a beginning, middle and end, where as diaries are kept for notable periods in ones’ life and may end abruptly........ This is the case with our blog.

We had returned home to catch up with family and friends, purchase backpacks and camping stuff for our Heysen Trail hike. We had even joined the Adelaide Bushwalker club and picked their brains on a new members hike at Kuipto, and pronounced ourselves happy with our choice of gear.

On the weekend of May 15^th we undertook our first conditioning walk of 3 days and 2 nights and enjoyed a new freedom of tent camping. We were planning to hike the first leg of the Heysen from Cape Jervois as a day walk on Monday 27^th May, after a weekend of work with the conservation group down at Lands End, a project we have been involved with for 10+ years.

THEN DISASTER STRUCK AND MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER, AT 0530 ON SUNDAY 26^TH MAY TO BE PRECISE.

My darling Simon decided to sleep in the car after an uncomfortable night with indigestion, so at 5am he trundled out of the swag with his final words to me “won’t you be cold Honey?” “No I will be fine” I said.

Well I am not fine and I am cold. Cold to my core!

My darling didn’t make it to the car, I heard unsettling noises and found him on the ground, and witnessed his last breath. I couldn’t save him, I tried and tried.

The ambulance and doctor couldn’t save him.

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Six months have now passed, to the day of this post, and I am still not fine, probably won’t ever be again, and the chill still permeates.

How does one pay tribute to the life of ones’ soul mate?

And in this digital age how does one protect their virtual presence?

How can I express the wonder and joy of the years together, especially the last 3 years when we became wanderers?

I am forever grateful that we decided to blog our adventure, as I have not only my darling’s witty words (and at times expansive ramblings) but many photos and video as well, such treasured memories.

When we set out I had several goals one being to encounter “the meek” and to perhaps write a book about them. After 3 years of travel I discovered to my amazement that we had become the meek in the sense of “showing mildness or quietness of nature”.

We lived simply, helped others, took pleasure in nature and would express gratitude to each other most every day about our decision to take to the road and share simple joys. It became a way of life, the best experience I could ever have hoped for.

Simon, thank you.

Rest in Peace.

Evermore love...............

Susan