He was no stranger to getting out in the bush. He found himself enjoying his own company as mush as enjoying the company of others. Often taking solo camping trips and bush walking alone. He had thought about what is something went wrong but decided it was just a bad thought and to just make sure nothing does.
Growing up in the suburbs of Sydney in Australia, but still often going to the bush doesn't make you a bushman at all. Never claiming to be a bushman just enjoying being away from the push and shove of the city.
Setting off from the car park, there was only 1 other car there when he arrived and there was no sign of a person.
There are 4 different bush walks from here, he knew at least 3 of them and they 4th actually requires special equipment and needs another person to help getting down the cliff face to the mountain stream.
With lockdown due to COVID, its likely to be the reason why there isn't many others here.
Picking the track he had done the most, which is not the easiest walk out of the bunch he felt a little more confident that it was less likely to be the track the other person had taken. The track is only around 3-4 km long and does wind up and down through 2 shallow valleys while following a deep cliff edge to the east. After recent fires around a year and a half earlier, the bush is a little slow to grow back leaving open areas. Nevertheless beautiful.
It's a late spring day and beginning to warm up quite a bit, walking along the track there were many foot prints in the dust making it impossible to see if he was going to be alone at the summit. Also keeping an eye out over the more open parts. No sign of anyone else so the decision was made.
Off came the shirt, then the shorts. Sun bouncing off his pale skin, pale from the winter just past. The feeling of fresh air on his skin and warming sun was casting a spell over reality making him feel he is the only one around. As far as he knew, he very well was. So off came the Tradie undies. They were placed with his clothes in his back pack....... The only thing he had been wearing for the next kilometre or so.
Nature is a funny yet beautiful thing. It can give clues and hints. Or hide things completely, luckily for him, the birds had given away that there was something up further. So with heart racing and lump in his throat, he darted out of the clearing and threw his clothes back on. Then to press on to the summit.
Now on the steeper but more picturesque part of the walk with rocky escarpments, scattered trees and low lying green grass returning after the fires. All of these offering great views across the adjacent valleys. Also offering great areas for pictures and selfies. He often thinks about taking some pictures.