The Overland Track is ‘the Walk of Life’: My Epiphany

On day 5 of The Overland track, there is a section of the walk, after you reach the Ducane Hut, that our guides called ‘the meditation walk’. With staggered starts, one-by-one you walk solo through beautiful forest, whilst reflecting, meditating (but still watching your step) and just generally switching off.

It was during this meditation walk that I had a little epiphany, a realization. At the end of the walk, while we waited for everyone to re-group, I took out my phone and made a few notes about my thoughts. Our guides asked us if anyone had any thoughts they wanted to share with the group. I volunteered that I would share my little epiphany with the group over a wine at the end of the day.

Well, once I shared, everyone agreed that my thoughts should be recorded in the Windy Ridge Hut guest book on behalf of the group. I guess that means it resonated with everyone that had done the Overland Track with me. If you do the guided walk with the Tasmanian Walking Company, and I highly recommend that you do, you will find my entry taped onto the back page of the guest book.

For everyone else, here are my thoughts on why The Overland Track is a metaphor for life, in other words, it is ‘The Walk of Life’

I think Mark Knopfler must have walked the Overland Track when he penned the lyrics ‘Do the Walk of Life’. On our meditation walk today it occurred to me that walking the Overland Track is a metaphor for life.

The walk starts out beautifully and everything is lovely, but eventually you come across some mud – as in life, (the mud represents the shitty parts of life, the crap, the sad and uncomfortable parts), but you put one foot in front of the other and trudge through it. Eventually you come out the other side and life is good again.

Sometimes you take a fall (off the duckboard or trip on those roots!) and as in life, you stumble, maybe make a wrong choice, but you get back up, sometimes with a few bruises. The bruises will fade, you learn a lesson, and you move on.

Sometimes the path in front of you is blocked or you don’t think you can make it across, so you pause, look around and think of another way. As in life, there is always more than one path to get to where you want to go.

Sometimes your equipment fails (your boots fall apart!), so you MacGyver it and carry on. As in life, sometimes you have to make do with what you have in front of you until you can make changes.

You get to choose who you do your walk with, as in life, and if you’re lucky, you meet lovely people along the way who will lend you a helping hand if you need it or guide you in the right direction if they see you making a wrong turn.

In the end you can say you did it, at your own pace and in your own way, as in life …. you did it!

Quite deep and meaningful I know! It’s amazing where your mind goes when you let it wander. For anyone that has walked the Overland Track, would you agree with my thoughts?

Regardless, when I finished the Overland Track, I felt quite proud of myself. As a 56-year-old, semi-fit woman, I found the hike quite challenging. I realized I am stronger than I thought I was, both physically and mentally. Look at me, making more realizations …. I should write a book! 🤣

Deb

Deb Morrow is a wife and mum of two in her 50’s, who works in education. She has a passion for travel and through sharing her travel experiences, tips and recommendations, wants to encourage other women her age to start making time for themselves, grab their besties, and go see the world!