The Southern Cross in the eyes

Lire l'original en Français

Dunes moving in front of our eyes, covered by strange green tussocks hiding under melaleucas’ contorted branches. Year after year, these huge medicinal trees survive big storms by twisting their crown toward the ground, creating a canopy with ever changing forms. My eyes waltz from the green filtering in the window, to the road ahead, crossed by an emu or a wallaby, and then, they stick to the rear view mirror. In it, I look at the crow’s feet wonderfully adorning the driver’s sea-blue eyes. Witnesses of the Australian Sun, of the smiles given to his five children and of many perfect waves lifting up his surf board, the crow’s feet bring me reassurance for the second time. I relax, even if I have to hang on for dear life to avoid crashing on my neighbours during this off road rambling.

Mick is a real Australian, like you would imagine after having watched Crocodile Dundee. His flaxen hair enhancing the permanent sun tan hiding his huge constellation of freckles. In the sunlight, it looks like he’s beaming, with his casual smile and passionate eyes. I cross his path almost every day and it always seem to me I’m in front of a 10-years old elder kid. He pinches my belly or tells me a joke I understand every other time, since I’m still in the process of learning the Australian accent. I believe he owns the key to happiness and maybe, the secret for eternal youth.

Every day, Mick brings young backpacker groups to discover the beauties of Deepwater National Park. He must repeat the same old stories every week, but still, both times I accompanied him, his interest and physical alertness seemed renewed. Since I’m passionate about Mother Nature and its wonders, I drilled him with questions…

My new best friends are none other than… sea cucumbers! They emit a substance to blanket their small water plan protecting them from UV rays. Natural sunscreen! When assaulted, they squirt a whitish substance, which glues their predators’ mouths. This substance becomes a very hard thread resembling sinew. As a matter of fact, Mick has used it to repair his harpoon, probably like the First People of Australia did. If you stab a sea cucumber numerous times (?!?), it renews itself after only a few hours. Personally, I think it’s completely magic!

After our visits to the sea cucumbers, it’s time to regenerate. We swim in a river without anybody else, except, once again, the grandiose presence of the melaleucas. Here, they are in the water, making it antiseptic and really good for your skin. This water also tastes like eucalyptus tea. I look at Mick, he splashes me in the face with red water, we laugh and I’m just content to be in Australia.

See HIS view
See His and Hers Pictures
See His and Hers Video