Thinking back on Australia

I woke this morning thinking about my trip to Australia.  I've been home a month now, the jet lag has finally said goodbye and my body clock seems to have reset to Central Daylight Savings Time at long last.  (No more staying awake until 4am just because my brain still thinks its in Australia!)  All the flights, (16 in all), all the waiting in airports snd struggling with luggage, the train rides (8 of those), Boats (3),  and driving on the left (not to mention Tasmania's terrible roads!) where worth every minute! So many things I will always remember.

The incredible beauty and vastness of Australia, everywhere I went was gorgeous. 

The incredible kindness and generosity of the people, from Concierges that pointed me to the best harbor cruise and taught me how to use the train app, to Uber drivers who were mostly talkative and always friendly, and the guy at Apple Adelaide who charged up my phone. Most especially all the ladies at Scrub Stitching who welcomed the United Nations with friendship and gifts, To Leah and Ann for showing up and taking me around!  To Janice and Mick for lunch and so much more(but not Covid which I never got), to Jo and Tony, to Sylvia and Archie and most importantly to Donna and Brian (aka Chookyblue and Mr Chooky) for opening their home and feeding me while answering a million questions and letting me stitch in the Chookshed.  I will never forget! (I currently have tears in my eyes.)

Meeting Sylvia on the train! And Chooky at the Station!

Sea Turtles, Kangaroos hopping in front of Chooky's car, Galahs, Cocatoos, seals, pelicans. Feeding Emus and KI kangaroos.

Beaches, Coastlines of cliffs, COLD ocean water, steaming tropical weather in Cairns, Amazing night skies complete with satellites and shooting stars.

Wonderful conversations with total strangers from all over the world.

All in all is was fabulous! 

I learned a lot both about myself and about traveling.  I'm old but I can still travel even on extended trips internationally.  So many of my friends would never travel like that and they are missing SO much!  Many people have said how brave I was-I don't feel especially brave! Australia is not Africa or Antartica-I didn't climb K2, bungee jump or parachute.  I just got on the first plane (that only took 10 minutes of outrageous courage and a paid for plane ticket!) From there it was relatively easy.  My daughter says we are supposed to do the things that scare us the most!

It pays to be flexible with plans.  Things I'd thought I'd do didn't always work out but something else always presented itself.  That said if I had dwelt on disappointment maybe I wouldn't have done absolutely everything on my list!  

Book a hotel near the airport (with a restaurant ) for the first couple of nights as you don't have two brain cells to rub together after that flight!  

Always stay in a brand name hotel (If possible) because I suck at picking hotels.                   Get a sim card for the country you're in and skip the international phone plan.                      Pack lighter.

Take more pictures and don't get behind on the BLOG!

So the suitcases are stored away for now and normal (boring) life has taken over. 

Next year Scandinavia!