Memories of a country road trip
After a long and cold winter, spring is finally here, and the weather is starting to warm up. Generally, we are lucky with the weather on the Gold Coast, as it doesn’t get too cold, but this winter was an exception. So we’ve decided to take a country road trip and explore places we haven’t seen before. Southern Queensland Country has always been on the cards, but with the lockdown restrictions over the last couple of years, we could not travel.
Since we have a little doggy, Shani, we wanted to take her with us and see how she behaves. We planned a three-day trip to visit places in Scenic Rim and Southern Downs regions. We started with Beaudesert, a gateway to the Scenic Rim. Shani got car sick, and we took a long break in beautiful parkland in the centre of the town.
The next stop was Boonah, where my friend Lynne moved last year, and I was keen to visit her. The town is small and quiet. My friend’s place is beautiful and peaceful. She spends lots of time in the garden preparing to plant vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers. She is blessed with a stress-free, healthy, and relaxing lifestyle.
From here, we drove to Killarney, where we booked an Airbnb and where pets are allowed. We took the main road, which was the fastest, as Shani was still adapting to the long drive. There are plenty of waterfalls and lookouts, and the whole area is hilly and very picturesque. Because we had Shani with us, we couldn’t visit national parks, so I took the opportunity to do a short hike by myself and explore Queen Mary’s Waterfalls next to Killarney. The fall is magical, with approx. 40m in height, and water is falling all year around.
Killarney is a small town with about 1,000 population. People are laid back and friendly. We stayed at a ‘farm stay’ surrounded by animals, which was interesting, particularly for our little dog, as she hadn’t seen goats, sheep, rams, horses, or geese before. The views from this place were amazing, and the sunrise and sunset were magical. It was beautiful energy there. I felt like time had stopped, and was no need to do anything, just relax and be. The host was great, and we had a good ‘yarn’ about life in general and learnt more about this place.
The next day we drove to Stanthorpe. Shani started getting used to being in the car for longer periods. All I knew about Stanthorpe was that it is the coldest place in Queensland, and in winter, the temperature can get to zero degrees or less, and sometimes it is snowing. I discovered that Stanthorpe is known for apple plantations, wineries, and crafted cheese. I was surprised to see so many tourists in town. We arrived there on a sunny day, and everyone around was happy, relaxed, and enjoying the sunshine. We stopped for a coffee and a delicious apple pie.
From there, we drove to Warwick, another quiet and laid-back town, where we had a short stay. The last place we visited was Toowoomba. I’ve been there before and was excited to see the Carnival of Flowers. It is held every year in September and attracts big crowds from all over Australia. We visited the botanical gardens and enjoyed the colours, fragrances, and beautiful flower arrangements. It was stunning! Toowoomba is called the ‘garden city’ and has more than 240 parks and gardens. It is a major inland city with a population of approx. 120,000 and it can get pretty cold. We enjoyed sightseeing and learning about this old city.
So, after spending three days away, we returned home joyful, optimistic, energised, and with lovely memories. I didn’t use my phone much during the trip, only for taking photos. My hubby didn’t watch TV, and l was happy with that. It allowed us to chat, relax, enjoy the scenery, and embrace the country experience. Being away from the hustle and bustle of Gold Coast’s lifestyle was nice, and we loved having Shani with us. She became pretty good at being on the road and learnt to rest between stops.
What did this road trip offer us?
It was an opportunity to get away from our day-to-day routine and recharge. We had fun and enjoyed the freedom to choose what we wanted to do and see. It was relaxing away in the country, looking through the car window and letting the imagination go.
We had the opportunity to visit new towns, each with its magic; discover hidden gems; connect with Mother Nature, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy beautiful sceneries. We learnt about country life and how people live in small communities, relaxed, friendly, supporting each other and creating a life for everyone to enjoy.
It helped us slow down and look at life differently. There was no time pressure on things to do. We travelled at our own pace and without a schedule. It made us appreciate every moment and understand that is more to life. There is always a choice in how to live. Choosing to be in the flow is an option that gives us a quality of life, freedom, and peace.
If you want to quickly escape the rat race, rebalance, and ground yourself, take time off and go away on a road trip, even for a day. You’ll quickly reap the benefits and return home full of energy, happiness, and enthusiasm. It is healing you on all levels and restoring your health and wellbeing.
******Daniela is a Spiritual Teacher & Mentor, Intuitive Guide and the founder of Heart and Soul Expansion an exquisite spiritual healing solution. She runs regular online and in-person courses on Personal and Spiritual development and loves being of service to others to bring more peace, love and compassion into the world. Visit Daniela’s Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/danielagodfreymentor/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/daniela__godfrey/
