Léa St. Arnault

Léa Like Leia

A Quick Note

I am not the best writer. This is a personal blog and collection of travel stories, personal quips, thoughts and ideas.

Most of what you are about to read is very informal, and some very raw (I’m not keen to proofread and edit my work). I’ve never been one for journalling as I don’t always have the patience to sit down and write, but I do often have a never ending thread of thoughts running through my mind. And at the very few times I remember to write anything down, I feel that it barely captures everything that I am thinking of even while typing.

Some items you can peruse may be personal ideas, inspirations, or even troubles that run through my mind that I try to type into my phone while sitting at the beach or walking through the park.

Please be patient and kind.
Hopefully you find something to enjoy :D

MAX

Finally, I hit the road with my own wheels and only me to decide where I was going to sleep the next night.

I know on the outside I look like a very decisive person to most people. In reality there are thoughts that are constantly running circles in my head about the decisions I make, the effects they have and everything in between. To say the last few days leading up to my departure from Melbourne were smooth would not be the most accurate representation of my internal chaos.

Back in mid January I had told myself that I would leave Melbourne on February 9th. The day my second house sit of Eevee ended, which lined up perfectly with the end of a pay period as well. This was the plan and the ONLY plan. I have always enjoyed having a bit of a goal or deadline, this gives me a timeline to work with so that I don’t aimlessly wander around, especially staying somewhere longer where I don’t want to be.

As February 9th was getting closer, I still hadn’t found a vehicle, and apart from the February 9 date, getting/buying a vehicle was the only part of my plan. Most days I have been allowing myself to do what feels right, go with the flow, and try and be in the moment as much as I can, something I’ve often struggled with. But as the date approached and the car search was looking grim, I was definitely getting anxious and uncertain about what that meant for my future few weeks, in terms of where I will be and where I want to go and how I will get there if I stick to my timelines. Now only a week away I had finally been able to inspect a few cars, but many times I missed out because people were putting down deposits or offering more than I was willing to spend. So that meant my vehicle options were dwindling. I was starting to have to consider the possibility of extending my stay in Melbourne to find a car, or move on and fly somewhere; fully skipping the road trip I was hoping for, but would allow me to get out of Melbourne and maybe look for a car elsewhere. Maybe that would be easier?

As patience and timing would have it, I found a vehicle! With less than a week left, I inspected a Honda MDX on Saturday, he told me he wasn’t quite ready to sell, but on Sunday I reached out asking if he would part with it that week. To my surprise he said yes! This car had both the REGO and RWC that I was wanting in my search, as well as is a full size SUV, allowing me to lay down seats and put a bed in the back for myself. Additionally the same Sunday I made an offer on the SUV, I also submitted a warranty claim for my 9 year old Blundstone boots that had just tragically broken across the sole, and within less than a day they replied and said they would send me new boots! Good things coming in at the same time feels like a beautiful gift. I had also gotten a free pair of steel toed boots from a friend that left hers behind at the hostel. Within the span of a few days I got free steel toed boots, a car within my budget and with the requirements I was wanting, and brand new Blundstones valued at $200 for free! Good things come in waves, things do come together, everything is going to be alright.

Because I wanted to still gather some items for the car, I decided to extend my stay in Melbourne by a few days to give myself some time to run some errands and buy things for the car before hitting the road. So yes I did have to stay a few extra days, but it was all part of the new plan with CAR being the driver behind it.

So in the late afternoon of Tuesday February 13, 2024, I departed from Melbourne and drove towards the Great Ocean Road with the town of Apollo being the goal to stop for the night. Not only would this be the first night sleeping in my car, but it also happened to be the first night that I stealth camped in the car in a town. It generally isn’t allowed to sleep in vehicles but people will do it very discreetly and blocking the light from their cars in order to park somewhere safe and get a decent nights sleep in.

Like so many backpackers, I had the urge to name my vehicle. I was originally thinking of naming her Robert, after my uncle, whose passion for travel inspired many of us in the family to travel more ourselves. For some reason though I couldn’t shake the feeling that my new vehicle had this beautifully strong feminine energy, or at least that is what I told myself since I keep calling her she. I thought maybe Roberta, but nah even though I call her she it didn’t fit. And then it hit me. MAX, I will call her Max, and so her name is Max. Funny enough it wasn’t until a day or two later that it dawned on me that she is a Honda MDX so naming her Max isn’t that revolutionary or clever even, just swap a few letters.

So I continue to hit the road with Max.

TravelLea StArnaultTravel, Roadtrip, Australia