A little about the wayward walkabout wanderer

Me? Who am I? Well my name it be Shane, Im an Aussie if that wasnt obvious, I live in a place called Broome way up in the far northwest of Western Australia a region known as the Kimberley having moved here to create for myself a new life, to breathe again, to find life in all its forms, passions, emotions and creativity, after the loss of my 25 year marriage.

I packed up and went walkabout, first I went slightly troppo and took the biggest gamble on myself I could to that date, I jumped a plane and went to the states for two months. Trepidation, fear, worry, anxiety and panic were the norm for all my family during that initial period of walkabout over the deep blue, oh the media does fill our proverbial heads with such stupid thoughts, death, destruction, murder and mayhem, to be honest my elder sister and a couple of the children didnt believe I would return, they believed the media that Id probably get shot, murdered or something equally bad. But you know, Americans are fanbloodytastic people!! Of course there are the "ugly" Americans just like the ones we see here at home occasionally, but on their home ground? NOT ONE!!! Every single American I met while over there was totally respectful, hospitable beyond anything ever experienced and no sign of violence or aggression was felt... mmm well there was that one moment in Beale St Memphis when I realized there were A LOT of REALLY SERIOUSLY BIG African American young men with attitudes... but I got over that... mmm then there was that one town called Magnolia in Nth Carolina... okay it was there!!! But still even with those two things America was a beautiful place

So after 2 months of wandering down and around the east coast from Connecticut (hey mum and dad!! ;o) to Florida through Mississippi and Louisiana to Tennessee and way back up again I came wandering back home to Aussie.

Hoping that something had changed on the wife front... but nothing had... so I decided to simply upstakes and leave to give everyone space from the events that were destroying our large family (8 kids IS a large family!) and so I took off for a short 2 week holiday to Broome with my youngest son the intent being to come up have a break in the sun return him to his mother and head east to buy a mobile home or RV as the Americans call them, instead I found my home in the sun.

While sunning my bod in beautiful Broome breathing in the fresh clean air enjoying the company of happy people a park home (permanent onsite LARGE home) came on the market for a very good price so after a quick look with my son I decided this was it, and so I bought it and after having the 2 weeks here with my son returned him to his mother and moved what was left of my gear to my new place in the sun.

Now over a year later I am content with life again, I enjoy the company of good friends, a beautiful landscape, warmth all year round and can again smile and laugh at life.

In my many incarnations through life Ive been everything from a station hand (ranch hand) to a shearer to a underground miner to a counsellor for troubled people and now finally I am a tour guide. An amazing job by the way!!! Due to the nature of Broome being a holiday destination everyone who takes my tour is in holiday mode happy laughing friendly and relaxed so I wake in the morning KNOWING Im going to meet a couple of groups of up to 48 happy holiday makers and so my day begins with a smile and ends with a smile I wake looking forward to the coming day and at the end am pleased with having met and made their holiday a little better.

Life as they say is good

One blight on the horizon is that I live 2500klms from my 8 children and 7 grandchildren, a long 2 day drive or a 2 and a half hour flight from them, and I miss them all beyond words. But for me here I live breathe can smile laugh sing and enjoy warm days and nights and so can live and be here for them. They are my world and a simple phone call or text message will see me on the next plane south to be with them. The assurance of their love and my love for them is all I need to keep going in my new life.

Sadly I dont have such a relationship with my ex wife, there is no communication and no contact by or with her, which after 25 years is a shame for she was a large part of my life and I hers but its the way it is. I honestly have no real idea why she chose to end our marriage as she did nor even attempt to resolve the differences between us, it simply was her choice. I have no problem or issue with her and hope she enjoys and has a wonderful life. Acceptance of situations as they are not as you would wish them to be comes like a slow moving thing and once it arrives clear and complete and then life begins to move forward steadily into a bright future.

Alone I stand at the door of life, not lonely just alone by choice, one day a woman will walk into my life again and bring with her the passion, emotion, love, warmth, joy and happiness, but I am in no hurry, life is to be enjoyed and so I live and enjoy whatever the universe unfolds for me in the days to come, she will come when least expected and smile upon me and so it shall be.

I have my health, I have my life, I have the love of my children and a whole world of exceptionally good friends as to the rest? The rest will come whenever it comes for now its enough to LIVE!

So there you have it the wayward walkabout hisownself! ;o)