Summer 2002
"The
three short days that I spent at Kakadu National Park have made
me want to put my life on hold for a year or so and backpack through
Australia. My time at this park encouraged me to stop and watch
the sun rise and set, listen to the birds sing, and not once think
about showering. The serenity of the outdoors reminded me that life
doesn't have to be rushed, not the chaos that we make of everyday
life.
My most memorable portion of this trip was our experience at Twin Falls. I stepped out of the water after the half-mile swim to the beach and watched the two waterfalls flow over the rocks. As I sat there watching, my eyes were diverted across the billabong where two members of our group were jumping off of two cliffs at the other end. It took around 20 minutes of convincing, before I re-entered the water and swam the extra distance to the cliffs.
I climbed up the rocky trail and made my way to this incredible natural diving board. Looking down 50 feet of space, I stared at the water below with intense terror. My knees were weak and my legs were jelly, but I closed my eyes and decided to take the running plunge into the waiting water below. My body was instantly numb as I frantically fought my way to the surface.
I had an overwhelming sense of pride as I realized that this one act defined my trip to Australia, trying new things and overcoming new fears.
My experience at Kakadu National Park changed my outlook on life, the environment and ways to create new boundaries for myself outside of my zone of comfort."
Dawn
Giorgiani
Summer
2002
Media,
Environment and Culture in Australia
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