Lonely for that country

I arrived back from overseas having decided at some point during those three months that I will go back to the desert next year. I thought this would free me up to enjoy my six months in Melbourne. To some extent it does. I still seem to spend a large part of everyday feeling 'lonely for that country'. Here's what I miss:
1. The quiet (that may be reflective of the fact that I am living right on Hoddle St at the moment!)
2. The stars
3. The cold nights and warm, clear days
4. The sunsets
5. Sharing a joke with the women at Mulga Bore
6. My job
7. The pattern of my days up there - a walk first thing, simple breakfast, full day of work, yoga, a walk at sunset, cooking good food for dinner and knitting in front of the TV before bed
8. Going 'out bush'
9. Sleeping in my swag
10. Talking Anmatyerr
11. Knowing where everything is in Alice and not having to spend 40 minutes in traffic to get there
12. the big sky and the perfect combination of colours
13. Not being identified as different or strange for what I do for a job - up there it's actually a common job to have!

I'm sure the next few months will pass quickly and when I'm back there I'm sure I'll have moments where I will wonder why I missed it all so much. But still, it's nice to know where home is.