Mr Hendry reporting to all of you bored enough to be reading it.
Since entering Northern Queensland in Nov we have had a fairly fast scuttle down to Brisbane missing out loads in between. The reason for this is all based on us returning our camper for refurbishment and re-sale. This leaves us the decision to buy something else to continue in Aus and then ship to Europe to tour there, or not. All this sucks up an enormous amount of time. To see any campers we had to get to BB, hence the quick shift down the coast. We poked around loads and eventually left Aus with our limited brains burling. So, the decision has been stalled for NZ while we rest up from these awkward decisions.
We had our most unusual experience 2 weeks ago when we went to stay with my cousin Sarah and husband Darryl . They live 2/3 hrs south of Brisbane and 400m up in the hills with a great view from their terrace. We suddenly realised that we were inside a house, quite a novelty, the first thresh-hold that we had crossed in 3.5 months. We took 4 strides and stopped not appreciating that suddenly we had gone from our travelling box to infinity for strides. We also had a great thrill of a “real” bed, our 2nd experience in 3.5 months. J&K were too overcome with the transition and immediately moved into a cupboard under the stairs. They remained there with the dogs whenever possible. We got them out with ice cream and sealed the entry. We invited ourselves into S&D's for the maximum time limit which was flying out to Auckland on 12th. They helped us enormously and let us leave all our kit around their house and garden until return. Little do they know we aren't returning for the valueless pile.
We attended a Christmas carols concert in a wildlife park that Sarah works with one night. It was probably 15-20deg and very odd. It did occur to me at that point that in fact it is Christmas. It is very avoidable when you are doing what we are however, the Aus types like the Brits do cover their houses in some very bad lighting combinations. We have seen some bad enough to turn around and re-visit.
We are currently in NZ on the Bay of Islands in Russell where Jen and I almost bought a house in mid 90's. We luckily managed a house swop for France 4 weeks ago and here we are FOC for 10 days resting our weary brains and attitudes. There is no question that constant moving creates a potential crabbit environment. On day 3 in a house in Russell it's already obvious that the daily traveling tensions have gone and Jen and I are lighter hearted. We only have a domestic 3 times a day now, quite superb.
Jack and I have had 2 days sailing now and Jen and Kate 1. Our house swoppers are professional sailors and are living on their 40' yacht while we have the run of their house. Oh, we have invited them up to their own house for a BBQ Tuesday night. An interesting evening to come. The B o I has 144 islands so superb sailing terroritory. We had dolphins 3' off the hull yesterday jumping right beside us for 10-15mins. An excellent experience, they were a lot larger than the Aus dolphins. Kate and I saw a pair of them jumping 12' out and somersaulting.
We move to Tauranga(Doug and Ange's) for Christmas on 22nd and are there for 2 weeks. We do have my niece Conor flying in tomorrow for a week with us as she is off school.
While we are here we will head to the most northern tip of NZ where there are huge dunes. You can rent sand boards and then surf the dunes picking up a fair mouthful of sand as you go I expect.
We clear NZ shores on Jan 7th back to BB and currently we don't know what after that. We still intend to be in Trevignon February for a bit before moving on again. We will be back in NZ south island continuing on our original tickets when we clear Aus.
Pics. Kate with a large stick insect that Jack found on a tree.
Jenni and I with Byron Bay lighthouse in background. Australia's most easterly point.
J,K&I on the pontoon out on The Barrier Reef.
Bay of Islands lunch stop. Our yacht showing between the two islands.
Gary