Sunday 31 August 2014

Give Me a Home Among the Gum Trees...

So, yesterday I finally got out of the house and went for a bush walk.

We went back to the You Yangs and did a 5km walk, which seemed to take forever at a little over 90 minutes. Last time we did a shorter walk, but it was nice to do an actual walk again. It's the first time I've walked more than a couple of kilometers in god knows how long.

For those of you who mightn't know, I have agoraphobia, and don't really leave the house except for appointments. I haven't been to the supermarket (the last place I went regularly) in nearly two years, and I haven't been for a seemingly 'simple' walk around the block in even longer. At the start of the year, I set myself the goal of going out once a month. I made it out in January, February, March and May, but I hadn't been out for the three and a half months since.

Anxiety aside, most of the walk was nice, but getting to the actual track involved rocky stairs, steep slippery paths, cliff faces, and lots of scary stuff considering my lack of balance and fear of heights. I handled it okay but I by the end I was really puffed and panicky and just wanted to teleport home. Recently I've been doing 1.5-2hrs of step aerobics, two or maybe three times a week if I have the energy, though last Wednesday I went for three hours straight (which I haven't done in aaaages).

Anyway, now for the pictures. I'm still really drained and just flat from yesterday, so I'll try to catch up on comments tomorrow.



The stairs from hell. They don't look as steep or uneven as they really are!


Obligatory selfie - proof I went out

We came across the Bunjil Geoglyph, which was a sculpture installed in 2006.
From the ground it just looks like a pile of rocks,
but from the sky it forms the shape of an eagle.

Golden wattle, the floral emblem of Australia.



One of my many Nightmare Before Christmas bags



xxBella

12 comments:

  1. The You Yangs really are beautiful, I don't think I've been out there myself. The spring time weather means it's really nice for walking. I'm glad you enjoyed it despite anxiety. I also understand feeling drained after a lot of activity or a very long day. Resting afterwards though always helps.
    I like the photos too

    ReplyDelete
  2. The walk sounded nice and the place looked nice! I hope that the anxiety didn't affect you too much to the extent that you weren't able to enjoy the walk.Get some rest dear it's natural to feel like you're drained of energy, happens to me on walks too :P
    You look beautiful, loving the eyeliner!
    Is it not cold to wear so little out?
    Your bag is so cool! Sort of gothic I guess?

    Love,
    Christie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just popping up to say I am so so proud of you Bella <3

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad that you managed to get out, and in such a beautiful place too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. So proud
    So delighted
    So happy you managed to get out dear Bells
    I know how hard that is for you
    I hope this trip inspires you to get out again some time

    Always rooting for you

    (And damn, 3 hours of step aerobics?
    Girl, that is insane)

    Love you x

    ReplyDelete
  6. So happy you finally got out!! Your walk looks beautiful, I love all of the pictures!
    & you look beautiful of course too! I just love your eyes.
    Hope you get out again sometime soon, I do have a question.
    Is it the leaving your house part that gives you major anxiety or is it people? I'm not quite familiar with agoraphobia & was curious, what scares you so much from leaving? or maybe it's both lol.
    I quite hate being around groups of people honestly, but mine isn't a fear, as more of an annoyance for idiots and I live in a college town full of them hah.

    <3

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey Bella, wow babe! What a grandiose and large place Australia-land seems... just sky, sky, sky, and rocks for contrast. Gorgeous.
    You too, Frecklepuss. ;)
    I'm glad you made your excursion this month, you're a tough cookie in the baking and I have every confidence that you're going to end this year stronger than ever. Be well, love. *hugs*

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bella, you are so absolutely beautiful. And I remember when you made the goal to go out, you didn't think you could do it. But I am so proud of you for getting out as much as you have this year. You are doing great.
    XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bella love! So proud of you! This is really great to hear!! xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow, you live in a really beautiful place! I would be scared of all the rocks and stuff too, that's why I generally just walk on roads around the park >_>
    I'm so glad that you got out! Hopefully soon again

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't think those can properly be called stairs. More like snaggletooth death-trap. I'm proud of you lovesy.

    Also yesss I want to see your intake journals. Do u remember when u started using one? Mine get pretty mangled and I almost always manage to spill coffee on them, but I'm a sucker for a pretty notebook... so I get fancy ones anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yay I'm glad you had a good time :) such pretty photos too x

    ReplyDelete