Lost on Foot

So, this is the account of the first time I got stuck in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, in the dry Australian dessert air with no water, no sun shelter, and no transportation but my own two feet.

So I was going to my volunteer location at the prison that hot, dry, and strenuating afternoon and had no way to get there but the bus. Now let me explain this "transportation issue" involving prisoners aid. At this point I only need to be at the prison for about 15-30 minutes... depending on when I get there. The problem is that the prison is in the middle of nowhere. It's about 8 kilos to get there (about 5 miles) and to take a bus, it takes about an hour. Plus, if I took the bus then I would have to take 2 buses, and I'm done at the prison by 1:15 but the bus doesn't come til 4:50, so I'm waiting there for over 3 hrs at the bus stop. It's just so much easier for someone to take me there, but on this particuarly hot, dry day I didn't have a ride.

What was a girl to do... needing to be at the prison with no one to take her? Well, the solution I came up with was to take the bus. So I took a total of 2 buses, it took over an hour because of traffic, and eventually got to the prison. I did my 15 minute duty of introducing myself to the visitors of the prison and telling them about prisoners aid. Then the gaurds brought in the dogs and everyone went into the visitors center which left me alone in the waiting room with one police officer. It was awkward just sitting there... doing nothing, looking pretty stupid. And I had over 3 more hours to go until the bus came. I waited about 20 minutes and thought to myself "forget this, i'm walking!" Stupid, stupid girl. What was I thinking?

So I walked out of the nice air conditioned prison and into the hot, dry heat and it seemed like immediately Ii was drenched in sweat. You would think that would have made me think twice, but no. So i'm walking, and walking, and walking, and walking. I'm walking a long time, just me, walking along the highway and on the other side of me just plain feilds which is too dry to grow anything so it's just dead grass all around me. Nothing but brown. No water, or shelter. The best part about that was that I knew what it was like out there before I left the prison since I had biked there two weeks before that. That was a failed mission may I add, but I wont tell that story, my mom might be reading this (Hi mom). Eventually a car pulls over and offers me a ride. I look into the car and see that it's two men, and there are at least four beer cans in the car. As tempted as I was, I used my better judgment and lied, "no, I'm alright. Thanks for the offer!" As they drove away, I was thinking to myself "stupid, stupid girl!" Anyways, I eventually make it home. It was a 5 mile walk that I will never be walking again. Next time I'll wait for the bus.