“Incidentally, there was a crocodile living in that water.”

Location - Australia: Sydney, Cairns, Whitsunday islands, all over the place.

The Frontier is proud to present it’s first guest contributor - Sean ‘Danger Man’ McLaughlin. Here's a quick intro on him before we start:

Sean is a unique soul. When he believes in something, he undertakes it with absolute commitment, sincerity and energy. This white knuckle attitude is applied universally in endeavours of great magnitude - such as moving to a new country, and also in the smallest of tasks, like cooking a tray of breadcrumb chicken.   

Ask to hear a story about him, and it will not include words such as ‘half hearted’ or ‘uneventful’. You’re far more likely to hear something like - ‘and then he leaped down into the hedge and broke his teeth’

He is also a deep thinker, with many unique perspectives on philosophy and the world we live in. If you ever meet him, he’ll turn up with a big handshake and something important he must tell you all about. The people who can call him a friend will say that our journey on this path is decidedly more interesting, and exciting for having him share it with us.

In early January he set out on a mission. The mission… didn’t really have a name, or an exact goal, or a plan beyond the first week - it was a true open adventure. I asked him If he would let us know how it's been going - he said yes:

So, describe the trip so far in 5 words.

“Overwhelming. Guiding. Expressive. Belief. Beauty”

Is it difficult or liberating, to live from only what you can carry around in a small bag?

“Liberating. Choosing my most valued clothes was easier than I expected it to be. The experience really taught me about what I actually value in my possessions. I questioned the practicality of everything I owned, and whether bringing it to Australia would really serve a purpose. Now that I have only my most necessary tools and wares, when I have a decision to make about what to wear or bring - the solution presents itself very quickly.”

Any daring stunts performed yet?

“Plenty. I practiced my front and backflips into a freshwater lake in the Daintree rainforest. (Incidentally, there was a crocodile living in that water. It was placed there by a local who couldn’t keep it as a pet any longer, as it was too big.) I also nearly paralysed myself attempting pull-ups on the roof of my hostel. Lost my grip thanks to the rain, and fell right onto a row of small wooden posts. I now have a scar on my forearm, and my coccyx didn’t feel right for about two weeks after the incident.”

What do you need to get through an 11 hour layover?

“Willpower. I’m not going to lie it will be boring. Whatever you do to entertain yourself won’t be able to take your mind away from the sheer depression that exudes from the being of Beijing airport. I saw 3 films during my stay, those collectively saved me about 8 hours of boredom. But even when they occupied my mind, I couldn’t escape the sense of unease the airport made me feel.”

What was something unexpected that happened, that turned out to be fantastic?

“Arlie beach, a town on the east coast. I wouldn’t be staying with any friends I had made, and I didn’t have any activities planned or booked. I was expecting my time there to be very boring, and truth be told I wasn’t looking forward to it. But the days and weeks I had spent in Australia so far had been breakneck with very little time to centre myself and truly appreciate the moment. So when I had 5 days with no rush or urgency to do anything, it allowed me to properly unwind - which was very much needed.”

“Only my most necessary tools and wares.”

How was that Yacht?

Sh*t. The experience was sold to me as a party boat with no time for sleep. A full throttle adventure to Whitsunday islands with nothing to live on except drink and dance. And for everyone else I knew who did this trip, it was. So when I arrived with 4 litres of the cheapest box wine available, I was disappointed to say the least when I saw who I’d be sharing the experience with. There was a woman who had brought her mother, and another woman who had also brought her mother. Needless to say, not much partying was done on the boat.

Jellyfish?

“Unproblematic. Every experience I’ve had that would put me at risk of jelly’s was entirely negated by the stinger suits we were made to wear before going in the water. I think my experience with wildlife has so far been incredible actually. No encounters with venomous snakes or man killing spiders (yet).”

Many people talk about doing a trip like this, but never go. What was the moment you decided this had to happen?

“April last year. Almost a year ago now. I was at a stage in life where I was comfortable but not happy. Every day was the same. The same work, the same routine. I was seeing people around me excel and achieve, and I was working in a job I didn’t like but was convenient. I also couldn’t find any meaningful work in the field of law. I took a look at the circumstances, and decided I needed a great change. Something exciting, where I can reconnect with what It means to appreciate life, where I can meet people who have stories to tell - so I decided to leave.”

“Live to

fight another day.”

How does traveling in an unknown place with no plan test your mettle?

“It can be lonely. There have been many times I’ve thought about home, and going home. I have made friends here, good connections with good people. But everyday is a test. Some days the test is easy, some days it’s hard. Other days the test doesn’t even feel like it’s possible to answer. But in every test I have a mental rock, a true north to stabilise my turbulent thoughts. I think about home and what I’ve left behind, why I have chosen to come on this adventure. I have to think about my goals and what I’ve achieved so far, and if I can keep hold of that, I can persevere - and live to fight another day.”

If this trip was a film, what would the title be?

“Lazy Nomads.”

And so closes the adventures of Danger Man - for now. Some say he’s still out there… somewhere amongst the trees and mountains, living off instant noodles and meals you can prepare in a frying pan I presume. This conversation happened in March, so perhaps he’ll have more to report to us soon.

I believe we would not go far wrong, if we asked ourselves some questions inspired by our guest: do I need to make a change to improve how my life is going? How can I apply more vigour to my day to day tasks?

How many wonderful stories can I extract from this life - while I still walk this earth, and whilst I still feel the sun, shine on my face?

By

Arun Kirwin

Sean McLaughlin

17/04/24 Kirwin Continental All Rights Reserved ©

Opinions and statements of guest contributors are their own.