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The Crossing

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The Crossing

By: Sophie Matterson
Narrated by: Sonya Kerr
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About this listen

An inspirational an amazing memoir about a woman who gave up everything she knew to start her own camel saddlery and do a camel trek across the Australian Outback.

In April 2020, as the world began to lock down due to COVID-19, Sophie began her own form of extreme social distancing. From April 2020-December 2021 she walked with her five camels from the most westerly point of Australia to the most easterly, with a six-month break in Coober Pedy when the conditions grew too hot to continue.

Along the way she met hundreds of kind strangers—she required permission to cross every single piece of land, and often they'd make the effort to meet her with additional supplies to support her journey. The red dirt of the outback seeped into her pores and her appreciation for the beauty of Country and the ways we can observe and better understand its subtle changes only grew as she walked.

She sometimes went weeks at a time without seeing a soul due to the movement restrictions in place for COVID-19 prevention in Central Australia. Halfway through the trek, she fell in love with a baker called Jimmy in the Flinders Ranges: some of their first dates involved him driving her to drop-off points, and delivering food and supplies every four or so weeks. Jimmy walked the final section of the journey with her, marshalling traffic to allow Sophie and the camels to cross roads and highways as they drew closer to the coast.

©2023 Sophie Matterson (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd
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Inspiring, engaging, moving. So easy to listen to and to connect with. The next time I see a camel I will have a lot more respect.

Inspiring

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An amazing read. A journey not for the faint of heart. Truely inspiring and my heart hurt for Sophie. Read to the end to see why.

Inspiring

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Thank you for sharing your story and experiences, the vulnerability, innocence and ignorance at the beginning of the journey was amazing, what was also amazing of how, in your openness, you allowed the universe to support you by coincidences and your stubborn determination- I am a senior now and loved your writing - Sonya Kerr as a narrator was a great choice - well done!

Extraordinary

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Really enjoyed this book, it is well read, and a proper Aussie outback yarn. Sophie is an amazing young woman to take on such a massive walk solo. Thanks for sharing your story Sophie.

A ripper yarn

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I could not love this more. Consumed my every thought until I finished it. Just magnificent. What a story. What an inspiration. Loved it.

Just beautiful

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.