AND TO THE MOST ROYAL SEND OF WE COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED!!!

BACK TO MELBOURNE

And so... two weeks and counting. I say it but it isn’t real, not in the slightest. Just as it wasn’t real that we would be flying from the UK to Australia for a year away except, once we were in the airport on the way here it was very real, it was the escape we had needed for so long. On the return I have the feeling even the airport won’t bring a sense of reality. I doubt we’ll find a sense of reality for some time, but what we do have is a strong sense of ourselves, of where we have been and where we are now, wherever on this little planet that may be.

Two weeks to condense our belongings into two suitcases, to find a new home for Vanny, to say goodbye to some of our closest freinds. So as a last boost we worked out just how far vannie has taken us in the last three months.....10560km!! Now that does put a smile on our faces!!! 

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NYE AT PARADISE BEACH

Ok so it was nice to have a cold, wintry Christmas, it just felt right, as did N.Y.E in the sunshine, on a beach, with all our best of ozzy friends, feasting and frolicking. A far reach from a Bristol warehouse in the frosty early hours. A little piece of life at its best. Blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful people in such a magical corner of the world.

DUE SOUTH

Two days to new years eve and we’re heading south form Canberra on the coast toward the Melbourne coast, we’re about 600k away from all our Melbourne people, waiting eagerly for our arrival at paradise beach, and a massive party. We’re also 600k from an event, exciting as it is will mark the end of our three month road trip and the run up to our return to the UK on the 16th of January! Heavy.

CANBERRA

Canberra is the single most German place outside of Germany we have ever seen. We arrive as the completely contrived, grand (and a little soulless) capital city celebrates its 100^th birthday!!!

We catch up with my cousin Stafford who I haven’t seen in over a tenth of the capital cities age and his wife Ali. Fresh from the mountains we welcome the offer of a solid (pre-made) bed for a couple of nights. We spend a couple of days getting to know them and getting a little help fixing Vanny up. Splendid folk, lovely couple of days!

THE JENOLAN CAVES

Enchanting, mystical,  absolutely bloody amazing!!! Well the Jenolan caves, situated in  the Blue Mountains are the most expansive cave system that we have ever seen. Apparently they are some of the Oldest limestone caves in the world and as we have become quite fond of our cave explorations, this is one we just couldn't miss. 

From the hair raising single track that wound back and forth miles down hillsides that ended up in driving through the mouth of  one of the caves, to the busling busy booking system we encountered on arrival, stricken with excitment and nervous at the prospect of tickits running out , Janolan sure does absourb you.

we managed two tours of very different caves, both magnificent in there individual way, the Imperial cave, the first we entered was filled with white stalagmites, stalegtaites, columns, and even helectites! This being one of the larger in the cave system, the size and formations were astonishing. To the untrained eye they look to be honest seemed fake, yet nature can create bizarre and wonderful sights. The most famous of the formations the broken column as shown was almost like a farytale and a broken piece of a magic castle.

The second cave was called The jewels of  orient cave, and dazzling it certainly was. Lit with an array of colour light the white limestone crystal became almost translucent with vibrant colour. 

To our amazement the Jenolan caves national park worker who took a liking to our travelling spirit, unofficially told us were we may park for the night in the caves car park, he also mentioned a free point to use for power and even were we may find hot showers, and all for free! so we bedded down and set up vannie for a night by the caves, which included an after dinner, rather terrifying walk through the open caves, lit up yet absolutely alone!! or were we?

CHRISTMAS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

Beach or mountains for Christmas? Well the beach was the obvious choice for an Australian Christmas but then again we've had our fare share of beach recently and are in need of a little seclusion which is not so easily sought at the beach, specially not in the holidays. 

The mountains are stunning. We park up perched on the very edge of a gigantic canyon (second only to the Grand Canyon) and we set up just in time as blue skies quickly turn grey and the rain sets in.

The rain and heavy storms don't stop for three days, not quite the Christmas in Australia we had envisioned. Far better! Locked away, just us, thick mist rolling through the canyon valley, nothing to be seen but dense white mist, an alternative white Christmas! Luckily the awning we knocked together stands up to the elements well and provides extra sheltered space, enough to get a barbecue going and cook us a sword fish dinner. Dramatic, mysterious, romantic and strangely homely. Damn near perfect Christmas.