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I'm sitting at my desk in Cheltenham, having arrived at Heathrow this morning at 5am. It is no longer snowing, but it has been. Warming winter soup is on the stove already and the heating is on.
So. We're back. A 7-week adventure is over. It's hard to believe it really because the time went both quickly and slowly. We have so many memories to look back on and as my friend Sarah said 'we're back to plan our next adventure'.
Our home has been well cared for by the visiting Australian family. It is funny walking back in here knowing other people have been living here but it's kinda nice as well.
During January, we've been doing all sorts of things. I'm about to upload a selection of photographs. Our trip to the red centre of Australia to visit Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon and Kata Tjuta was a highlight. The night before we left for Alice Springs, Mike had arrived in Sydney and he happily joined us as we headed for 40 degree heat in a campervan! We'd selected a van for two so we didn't quite know where Mike would sleep but hey, all sorted with a tent hired from Britz. So we headed off out of Alice Springs towards Ayers Rock, about 500km away. About that. A good long drive! We stopped overnight on the way actually and Steve and I had, well, no sleep as we battled with the heat in the van and a very noisy fridge! We kinda just led there cooking. Not good but we got it all sorted the next few nights and had long 8 hour sleeps! All good!
500,000 people visit Ayers Rock each year. 1% of those people will see it as we did - in the rain. The water falling off the Rock was incredible. Hardly anyone was there and we walked the Base Walk in splendid isolation, up to our knees in water at times! The next day was hot again and we walked the Valley of the Winds walk in Kata Tjuta in what felt like 35 degrees. It was an amazing place, like nowhere else on earth I'm sure. I felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie. The next night we spent at Kings Canyon ready for the splendid Kings Canyon Rim walk the following morning before heading back to Alice Springs for a well-earned dunk in a lovely 50 metre pool there. Each evening we gazed at the stars considering the meaning of life, the universe and everything. Personally, I was reminded how totally insignificant I am in the great scheme of things. A reminder to keep things in perspective.
The next morning, we flew to Adelaide and hooked up with a old work friend of mine who I haven't seen for a few years. Well, Sarah isn't old but I used to work with her if you know what I mean! It was lovely to visit her home and spend some time with her family (husband, 2 children and sheep!). She lives in the Adelaide hills - a splendid location and close to the home of nice wine! I will cherish my memories of sitting around the kitchen table with Steve, Mike, Sarah and Alan eating homemade cannelloni and drinking lovely wine. All to soon, we had to leave Adelaide and we just had time to see the team presentation of the Santos Tour Down Under. Lance Armstrong! That's all I will say! Well, apart from WHAT THIGHS! And wow! How inspiring!
So back to Sydney for a couple of nights and a couple of good long swims in two newly discovered 50 metre pools - the Andrew Boy Charlton pool being our holiday favourite (we definitely saved the best till last). Steve swam a mile on two consecutive days! Yeah! Progress or what? It wasn't so long ago that he was able to swim 50m and that was it! And all too soon, time to board the A380 home. Our plane was 2 weeks old! Amazing piece of kit. It jumped into the air with 460 tonnes on board (a light load apparently) and we didn't even hear the engines roar. Wow. Stunning. Qantas are amazing.
So, what have a trip. It's hard to sum up how we feel but I guess the right words are happy, excited (about future trips) and contented.
Look forward to catching up with you and thanks for reading this.
Ju x
- comments
liz savory Hi darling - this is a couple of years later but I didnt read it at the time. It all sounds amazing! Lovely that you both got back safely. Where will you go next - South Africa I think! Right, must go now. Speak soon darling girl. Mum xxx