Hello everyone. This is my first post here and I have something to get off my chest.

Growing up in Australia somehow we inherit a ‘perception’ of our default path for life. Many of us don’t walk this path but we all are aware of it.

It follows a formula something like this: Finish school, attend uni or pick up a trade, get a job, save some money for a year or two, travel abroad, perhaps live overseas and socially challenge yourself (not) by moving to London, return to Australia and work on your career, find a partner, marriage, mortgage to pay for the wedding, mortgage to pay for the house, children perhaps, occasional trips to Bali until you retire at which point you travel Australia in a motor home. Its not a dream per se but perhaps can be labelled ‘The Great Australian Default’.

In summary: We Australians travel internationally when we are young and only travel domestically later in life. I think the reason we have this view is that for all our national pride, young Australians find other countries more exciting.

Sure, we have amazing landscapes, unique flora and fauna, but there is also so much empty space that as young people we mistake that for vast amounts of ‘Nothing’. It’s easy to lose sight of the appealing aspects of Australia, and pine for the cramped excitement and depth of culture that places like Europe have to offer. The modern country of Australia is only about 200 years old, and has one of the lowest population densities in the world.  I mean it – of all the countries in the world we are only beaten in ‘low population density’ by Namibia, French Guiana, Mongolia, Western Sahara, the Falkland Islands and Greenland. Australia completely dwarfs these countries in both population and amount of ‘Nothing’ we have to offer!

So when my European girlfriend told me she wanted to travel the Australian outback, and drive around this country I love so much, my immediate reaction could only be compared to someone strapping you to a chair and proceeding to read you the entire set of instruction manuals required to learn the trade of quantity surveying. Not particularly exciting*

When I tactfully explained my enthusiasm levels remaining around the level of my socks, she asked me where I would travel to. “There is so much more of Europe I’d like to see – perhaps live in Switzerland?” was my response. “Boring!” was hers. Well. How can you argue with that? I explained the Australian population density… the NOTHING, thinking that would end the discussion. Her response was “That’s exactly what I want to experience! I want to SEE all that NOTHING!”. Her family shared that viewpoint, and was so excited by all the Nothing on offer they decided they’d like to join in!

This was a year ago. I’ve had 12 months to consider their perspective, and I’ve come to appreciate the way they see this country I love.

I now see the vast distance we are about to travel as a bonus – part of a huge challenge we have to overcome, complete with all the technical and logistical problems to solve. I see the low population density as a chance to properly frame our amazing landscapes, give the mind some time to appreciate our place in the universe, see some amazing stars at night and get in touch with the spirit of our land. I also feel lucky to share the trip with such amazing company – having these lovely Swiss people provide me with that changed perspective that will emphasise just how lucky I am to be Australian.

We have decided to buy a 4WD and drive around the country, to see all the Nothing that is on offer. This blog will detail this adventure we’re about to embark upon.

I’m actually kind of excited, but I’m definitely taking a book.

- Simon

* Unless quantity surveying is your thing, in which case please imagine being read the entire command list from the Microsoft DOS 3.0 handbook**

** Unless this is also your thing, in which case my imagination is unable to think of anything you’d find boring.