In the beginning

In the beginning

14 August 2026

Since some person, I think a fellow strength class member, told me about TT line's loyalty program and I ticked the box, the company sent me an offer too good to refuse for my birthday last year, so I booked a 2026 road trip to visit Jonathon and YuRong.

There were a few things I had found in 2025 that I wanted to do on my mainland road trip that year, but didn't, because of availability or cutting my trip short to return early for Sanne's funeral, or weather events, or trying to plan too much on one day, so there is quite a lot of that planning I can revisit.

Plus visiting friends.

And, amusing myself with TV one night, I watched a program about diving the Kilsby Sinkhole - which seemed a delightful option. While I have inquired, a rotten cold has impacted my enthusiasm to jump in with an advance booking, but definitely keeping it in mind.

The strong desire to fly in a Tiger Moth, prompted looking at options to 'fill in time' and visits with friends and Werribee Zoo experiences sneaked onto my radar.

So, at this point, my first week is worked out, my last week and a bit is worked out but a couple of weeks and around 1600km, or more, still needs to be worked out.

And of course, the best laid plans of mice and men... One of the friends I was going to visit on my return trip from Sydney will now still be travelling so rearranging a few days.

And I leave Devonport on Monday.

But the potential interest, and in some cases thrill, of what I have planned so far is a more than little bit of excitement.

Nothing like new experiences as I head towards my three score years and ten.

The camper car is almost ready

And the view from the front seat - cosy!!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Channelling Amelia and Amy

Image
22 August 2026 This fabulously exciting experience was a long time in the planning but it was worth every moment of it.  I came across the tigermoth flights when I was planning my 2025 road trip. The possibility looked rather thrilling. I was disappointed to find that I could not book a flight in August as their plane would be off being serviced, but I might be able to book a flight in September.  As it turned out my trip was cut short so there was no question of the tiger moth flight.  I revisited the idea as I was planning this year's trip and my initial enquiry resulted in the response that it was possible that they would be running at the beginning of my trip.  And more correspondence closer to the time established that I needed to aim for a Friday or the weekend, so I was finally able to book for Saturday morning today! The initial schedule time was 10:00 than a couple of days ago. I had phone calls saying could I ...
Read more

Holes in the ground - and getting into some!

Image
25 August 2026  In Kilsby Sinkhole My first stop is the Umberton Sinkhole, another sinkhole that was rather magnificently landscaped in the late 19th century. Of course in includes all those exotic plants, many of which have subsequently become a problem, but it is rather lovely with its terraces and the native birds fitting around quite a few honeyeaters and little wrens.  Umberton Sinkhole Umberton Sinkhole I call into the visitor centre to see to ask if there's any must-see things that I have missed in my planning and apart from one lake near Blue Lake there's not much at all.  I do get a suggested diversion for my journey tomorrow though.   I go through their little discovery experience and sit and watch the cave diving video. Pure insanity in my view.  Scrambling over rocks that would daunt me in walking boots in a pack. Except cave divers do it with full scuba kit and dive booties And diving through gaps with as little as 50cm clear...
Read more

On my way

Image
18-19 August 2026 Pencil Pines at Pine Lake As I was working my way through my list of things to do before I left home, and creating another list of messages to send and people to contact while I'm parked and waiting to get on the ferry later this afternoon, I am reminded of when I was heading to Bhutan in 2015 and needed to get a heap of stuff done in Bangkok airport before I hopped on the plane to Paro. It was a fine day and I very much enjoyed the scenic route North, heading over the top and stopping at Pine Lake for a little wander to admire the Pencil Pines and assorted other alpine plants. A few of the pepperberry bushes had the remains  of their fruit crop. Just a few pepperberries Once at the ferry terminal the queues to check in and then to board were tedious. But finally I was parked right down in the bowels of the ship and established in my cabin, which I'm pretty sure I've been in before.  Sunset over Devonport A diversion to the bar procured me a gl...
Read more