Today was epically awesome. My sister booked into a 4 wheel drive training course and was allowed to bring an extra person along… So guess who got a fantastic day out??

Dave, the guy running it, was from Adventure 4 Wheel Drive and he was a pleasure to see in action. As someone developing my own small business in art and mental health, I soaked up a lot from a day in his company. He was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and personable. It was a joy to be in the company of someone so competent, who clearly loved his work. I learned a lot!

The driving itself was brilliant! Scary but so exhilarating! It was so much fun! We would walk these mad tracks first and see some mud pit or step incline or crazily eroded path and just gasp in horror at the notion of driving into it. Dave would drive it first and teach us how to decide on the best route, speed, gear etc. And then, heart in mouth, guided over a radio, we would DO it! The sense of triumph coming through this seemingly impossible terrain was fantastic.

Even better, while hanging around watching others try it, my heart would slow back down again and settle. Far too much of my life is spent on a kind of chronic low grade stress where the anxiety kicks in but never quite goes away. Getting a good jolt and then calming down again throughout the day was kind of brilliant, felt like it was kicking my system back into a normal rhythm.

Being out in the country all day was almost as good as going camping. I felt the same coming home from Murray Bridge after talking to carers about supporting people with psychosis too,  I just feel so much more at home out of the city. I feel so chilled out now. I love it. Best antidote to a stressful week isn’t always nurturing or comforting. Sometimes it’s gumboots, adrenaline, and enough mud to keep a few hundred hogs very happy indeed. Sometimes adventure is what makes it all worth it. 😀