Homeward bound

Hi everyone that is still logging in to read this!  This is my last post as we are expecting to be home at the end of the weekend.  We have had a very quiet week at the coast getting used to being back on the East Coast and seeing very many ACT number plates again.  We haven't done anything much this week except go for drives each day (we are all so used to being on the move) and walks on the beach and to the local shopping centre for daily supplies.  We have caught up with friends who have a baby due any day now and it was a real bonus that they were able to spend some time chatting with us as they twiddle their fingers and wait......There are so many jobs for us once we get home - everything needs cleaning from the trailer to the trailer contents to the clothes and towels to the roof top tent.  That will keep us all occupied for some time next week.  And there is of course, unpacking, shopping, housework (hmmm, there are definate advantages to living in a tent - a quick sweep out each day and you're done) and the girls will need to be trying on uniforms for school that starts in a week or so.  Sigh.

We have had a tremendously wonderful time away and have seen and experienced so much more that we ever thought was possible in a 3 month time frame.  We were busy every day and had very few days of sitting around doing nothing.  This meant that when we did big travels in the car, we were all happy to sit still for a while and watch the scenery whizz by - except when I had the car brought to a halt for a photo opportunity!  When we left we promised each other that we would not do over 500kms per day unless we had all agreed to the extra km's and we also agreed that if the weather was bad, we would bump into a cabin till the bad weather passed. In the end, we did all agree to travel over 500km's a day when we wanted to and in fact, 750km's became our new yardstick.  500 seemed very short after a while.  We also managed to stay in the trailer many more nights than we thought we would - it is so much more luxurious than tenting it.  I don't think I can ever go back to tent camping again like we used to do - and if I ever get a van, then it really will be the end of camping for ever.  There is just no going back......

Just before we sign off for good, we thought we might share some last thoughts with you.
1.  We have travelled 20500 km's since we left home on July 2.  The car hasn't missed a beat and is an awesome piece of machinery that has taken us to some incredible places over some equally incredible roads/tracks/bush scrub.
2.  Anyone who does a trip like this can very safely forget about their gym membership and get dance lessons instead as preparation for the trip.  The limbo must be practised everyday as one takes a shower in camp sites where the shower heads are attached so low on the wall that one is left wondering who the pygmy people are that use the showers that end up leaving amazonians high and dry (literally).  Then after perfecting the limbo, you need to use your quickstep skills to run around in the shower cubicle searching for the water that comes from 4 holes (if you are lucky) out of the shower head.  Then there is the contortion act after the shower of holding, drying and putting on clothes ensuring that nothing gets wet or hits the floor!  Not all van parks are like this but many are so if you are inspired to take a trip, make sure you are fit first!
3.  None of us are able to identify a "best thing".  Too many to choose from.
4.  All of us can identify a "worst thing" - losing the photo USB stick and the dolphin cruise out of Bunbury - the one where there are no dolphins......
5.  Food prices in WA are horrendous - your food budget will blow out there no matter how hard you try to keep it in control.
6.  It is wonderful to travel with your children.
7.  It is probably wonderful to travel without your children.
8.  Rain is annoying.  Internal tent condensation is worse than annoying.
9.  It is actually possible to have withdrawals from not travelling in the car.  This can be eased by sitting in the car and pretending to drive somewhere.........
10. If the people who live in WA are enough to swing the next election, Julia doesn't stand a chance of re-election.  There are 2 main gripes in WA - the first is that the boat people need to be stopped (there are lots of Immigration Detention Centres all down the WA coast - which is not surprising really) and the local populations are completely over the whole boat people situation.  Secondly, her Carbon Tax is most unpopular with a State of people who have no choices but to travel huge distances to get anywhere.  Then there's the fact that there is a multi million dollar broadband rollout over in WA when most places do not have adequate, if any, mobile or phone connections.  Julia is on a slippery slope in the state of WA.
11.  If you are directionally and/or map reading challenged, travelling 20,000 kilometres won't change a thing.
12.  Australia is a vast country with a life time of holidays to offer which means that you will never have to worry about your passport application or your passport being out of date before you jump in your car and drive.
13.  Time passes - which is a good thing.  As sad as it is for good times to end, it means that bad times will end too.  We are now at the end of a 14 week trip that was 2 and a bit years in the planning, which at times, didn't seem like it would be a reality but with a bit of juggling, determination and good preparation, we've done it and have been blessed along the way by some of the people that we have met and been blessed by the folk at home that have stayed in touch and who care about what we are doing.  Grateful thanks to those of you who kept an eye on us either by phone, blog, text, email or prayer.  We have returned safely and are all well!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for this last week.  The Good was being sensible enough to program in  4 days at the coast to get used to  "semi real life" again.  The Bad is that Long Service Leave takes several years to accumulate......and the Ugly - that will come when we unhook the trailer and start to unpack and clean the rig.   

Over and out,
Mal, the Handbrake and the Singing Sisters