Looking back a year on, I realise the significance of concluding my writing adventure in the NT with a tattoo, combining the ink of the writer’s pen with the ink of a needle.
I was booked in to have my first tattoo done on my last day in Darwin. A quill on my wrist, the tip pointing into my writing hand. The piece would forever mark my experience at the NT Writers Festival.
I decided to use the brown and white colours from the feather I found at the ceremonial site in Arnhem Land. The artist was kind and accommodating as I sat stiffly in the chair, my forearm exposed. He had lived on the Gold Coast years earlier. One of the other tattoo artists happened to be an avid birdwatcher. He too wasn’t completely certain of the breed, but suspected it was from the white-bellied sea eagle.
When it was finished, I took a photo of my new body art and sent it to Brett. There was no answer. Accepting the connection with him was over was challenging for my loyal heart. But if I have learned anything from dating, it is to detach from outcomes. Letting people come and go from my life. Brett worked seven days a week, had no social media, and didn’t seem keen on texting. It would have been hard to maintain a friendship when we were 2,000 kilometres apart, and Brett was surrounded by 20,000 square kilometres of wilderness. I understood why he might not want to pursue even a friendship with me. It was just too hard.
Still, I was grateful for my evening with him. On my first night in Jabiru, overwhelmed by the distance between me and my loved ones, I had longed for company. The next day, my wish had been granted. That evening, I had had the company I sought, even just for a few hours.
I had come to the Northern Territory thinking real-world connection was a thing of the past. And then, in the small outback town of Jabiru, I had been invited for drinks by my tour guide. The experience gave me a glimpse of what was possible, with the right person, at the right time.
The Northern Territory had reignited my hope for my love life. My mind had opened to the many pathways to love, and my heart had been opened to the unexpected. Dating apps weren’t the gatekeeper of my future happiness. Love could not be limited to a little icon on my phone screen, nor dictated by an algorithm. Some things were highly predictable, and some were not. I had had to come 2,000 kilometres to the Top End to find the answers I’d been seeking. These days, anytime I catch myself dismayed by the state of my love life, I remember Brett in Jabiru.
My last day in the Northern Territory also happened to be ‘Territory Day’. When I returned to my Airbnb I changed and walked through the Botanical Gardens to Mindil Beach for the fireworks. I’d never experienced anything like it– people were setting off fireworks during the daytime.
There was a stage set up on the beach. I watched support acts play as the sun set, and that night the Australian Rock Collective- featuring members of legendary Australian bands Spiderbait, Jet, Powderfinger, You Am I and The Wrights- performed the hits of their respective bands.
After their set, the fireworks display started over the water.
Back in the city centre, I waited for my connecting bus back to Stuart Park. All around me, the city was exploding with fireworks. My trip to the NT closed with a literal bang!
Thank-you for joining me for my blog series about my writing adventure in the Northern Territory. I hope you have been inspired to travel to this beautiful part of the world!
Kate Kelsen 