I was officially abandoned at around 11am today because M had to go to work, and was then going to a friend’s place for a Party Pie Party. South Australia has two teams entered in our national Australian Rules Football competition - M supports one team, and his friend the other. When the two teams play each other, they have a Party Pie Party, where the only food on the menu is (you guessed it) Party Pies, and they watch the game and generally gloat when their team is winning.

So I was left to my own devices today. I went into the city and got my hair cut, then visited M at work, since it was only a small detour, and then went to the supermarket on the way home. Since it was a beautiful day, and I had a couple of hours of daylight left, I thought I’d go for a walk in the conservation park behind my house - beats a walk around the block!

So I set off, and after about 10-15 minutes, got to the section where it has the different marked trails that you can walk on. Since I only had 45 minutes until the park closed, I started off on the easiest one (which is the shortest), and thought that I’d walk for 10 minutes, and then come back so I’d have plenty of time to walk to the gates before they were locked for the day. So I walked along, and took some photos on the way back.

I was walking along the stretch of road that led to the front gates, and was thinking about the track that goes past the back of my house. I hadn’t walked back to my house that way before, and figured that now was not time to be experimenting with new routes, as the park would be closed soon, and it would be getting dark. So I kept walking.

I had the front gates in sight when I saw the aforementioned track. I thought, ‘what the hell’ and started walking up the track. And when I say ‘up’, I mean UP. It seemed to be a neverending uphill slope, and my legs were absolutely buggered. And still it went up. It seemed to be veering a little off to the left, away from the direction my house is in, but I figured that it would wind its way back in the right direction and all would be fine. In the meantime I was cursing myself for walking up the stupid track, thinking that if I’d just gone out through the gates and up my street, I would have been home by now.

The track finally levelled off (thank God for that), so I could catch my breath a little, but I didn’t want to slow down too much because it was past the park’s closing time (and I’d come too far up the track to go back), and I didn’t want to be stuck in there when it was dark. I kept walking and finally saw a house. HOORAY! I figured it was the one at the bottom of my street, but then noticed that it didn’t really look like that house, and the houses next to it looked a lot like other houses I’d seen further up my street when I’d gone on my walks around the block. I looked to the right and could see my street, and another street that came off it. Since my house isn’t near such a street, I knew I’d gone too far. D’oh.

So I thought I’d follow the fenceline, since I knew I had the right street, and I’d eventually have to end up at my house. So I followed the fenceline, down the hill, and down… and down… and down. This was no mean feat, as my legs were literally shaking from all the uphill walking, and I was getting a mild feeling of worry because my house is quite high on the hill, and the downward path of the fenceline was not looking promising. Have you ever got that feeling where you know you’re not actually lost, because logically you know how to get back, but even so, the surroundings are totally unfamiliar so you can’t help that little twinge of worry? That’s what I was feeling. All the while, I was still cursing myself for choosing to come this way, envisaging a night spent with the koalas and snakes.

Fortunately, however, I reached the lowest point of the fenceline, and it started going up again. I knew it would be a matter of time before I saw my house, and lo and behold, there it was. I have never been so glad to see my house. I climbed over the back fence (which was not easy because a. I’m short; and b. my legs were still shaking), and was finally home.

At least I got my exercise for the day. I so deserve the leftover pizza I’m having for tea tonight!