Scale - we are so small in size and so small in time compared to the vast and enduring landscape of Central Australia.
Determination and Tenacity - beauty does not need to be "normal" or easy. Some of the most beautiful trees in nature have fought hard for existence, sending roots down many metres through tiny cracks in the rock to find water.
Power - human powers fade into insignificance alongside the geological forces needed to bend and shape these rocks.
Respect to Traditional Owners - I need my sturdy boots and my National Parks supplied water tanks to enjoy this space. All respect to the people who walked this land barefoot over harsh, hot rocks and spinifex, knowing when and where to find food and water.
Magic - watching the way the landscape changes colour as the dawn light spreads across it, is replaced by sun, changes with the clouds, and again as dusk falls. No wonder Albert Namatjira and his colleagues have chosen watercolours to capture the magical shades that each fleetingly appear.
https://nga.gov.au/stories-ideas/albert-namatjira/
https://hermannsburgschool.com/artists/
Hiking keeps me in perspective in all the above ways. There is something I gain by walking a land that I cannot gain any other way.
Am I glad I walked the Larapinta? Yes
Was it easy? No, but with good planning and training it is very doable
Did I enjoy it? Yes, I had anticipated this hike for nine years before I got the opportunity to do it and it did not disappoint me at all!
Would I do it again? No, but only because my wish list of hikes means I already need to live to be 300 years old with good knees.
Are there things I would do differently? A few, but not many. I would take more snacks, I would change my itinerary slightly, I would take one more warm layer.
https://nt.gov.au/parks/find-a-park/tjoritja-west-macdonnell-national-park/larapinta-trail
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