If you’ve been following my blog you’d know that I was pulled (by an internal magnetic) to travel to North Australia.

And so I did…..

I had a great journey with the Indigenous people learning all sorts of things about myself and the culture as it is today mixed in mainstream. However, I’m curious about the Traditional culture of bush living and I hear that it can be found in Central Australia…. so I travel to Alice Springs.

(I will return to the North at some point).

Now, there are two routes to go to Central Australia – the North route and the South route. There’s no direct route there.

I chose the South route because I’ve already been on some of the North roads.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Travelling on the A29 (I think that’s the highway) …. the roads in Australia are VERY long and you can see nothing but bush, dry scrub and trees for hours before reaching a town.

It was one of those days when I was driving when – out of the corner of my eye – I saw pink Galahs sitting in a tree. Aw. How nice I thought to myself with a smile. I love seeing colourful birds sitting in dry trees.

shoe tree

A few more mind numbing minutes….

I thought I had switched into a mind numbing foggy mind and saw a mirage….

Out of the corner of my eye…..

Shoes…

In a Tree.

What the? I continue driving assuming that it was actually birds and I am indeed going crazy.

….but then a half hour or so my zombie self sees more shoes in a tree… and YES, this time it is indeed shoes.

Huh.

Shoe Trees.

shoe trees

I’m thinking to myself that, YAH, Australians are pretty clever people. Let’s say you’re driving along the road for miles upon miles – and say you forgot your shoe AND your car breaks down….

What do you do!?

These clever Aussies came up with an ideal solution SHOE TREES! So, you walk to the nearest SHOE TREE and grab a free pair of shoes and viola! You’re free to walk the next few days to get to the next petrol station (and phone reception).

SHOE TREES. Lol.

I really have no idea why people put shoes in trees in the Outback of Australia, but whatever the reason for them it certainly breaks up the monotony of driving those longs roads!