Discovery - Area of Study 2015-2020: Feature Article / Memoir

I wrote this article, while battling seasickness, on a large ferry bound for Denmark from Iceland. Of course, there are pills to ameliorate the worst effects and the ship was very stable but it had me thinking about the life of my ancestor, Jane Carroll (1804-1879), who with her husband Henry, voyaged from England to Australia, arriving in December 1852.

I was never particularly kind to my grandfather. He was my mother's father, and he lived with us when I was a teenager. I remember him coming into the lounge room one night, and when he went to sit down, I said to my brother, "I hope he doesn't sit down." I didn't think my grandfather understood much English, but he understood enough, and as I watched, he straightened up again, and without a word, returned to his room. I was 12 years old.

When I look back upon the arc of my life, I realise that my times in nature have led to moments of self-discovery. Through being outdoors, I have stumbled upon a few gems about myself – and this probably wouldn’t have happened within the confines of my home, office, or elsewhere in the built environment.

A youthful and naive Linda Neil arrived in India with plans for adventure. But a chance meeting led her to experience something much more profound.