Post Script on the Southern hemisphere!

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As I prepare to leave New Zealand and the Southern hemisphere and make my way to meet Al and Lucy in LA , I am excited. It has been over three months since we left one another in Hong Kong. He was not well and I was so worried about him. Things have moved on, he is recovered and now I am about to experience the last leg of my tour with him and Lou

I do feel a little sad at leaving, it has been awesome , as the ozzies say. But I have some amazing memories and the pictures to go with them! My time with Anji ( & Les) in Malaysia ( not all south of the equator but just as hot !) was grand we had such fun . The term “flash packers not back packers” was so true and has rather stayed with me . We ate well and drank loads , I blame Anji, she took the lead in map reading - just as well as I dread to think where we may have ended up if it were left to me!! And even the leeches in places that they should never have been ,conjure up a big smile. Keep the cameras rolling girl !!

Australia welcomed me, wooed and mesmerised me, and that was unexpected.. Family and new friends were generous with their time and I am very grateful for that - I was a long way from home and missed the kids and the little uns. Part of my heart is still on the west coast , that for me was truly wonderful.

My time with Sue Jules and Hannah in Cairns Brisbane and Sydney was fantastic, Sue and Jules are now home - just , we shared a lot and will have many happy hours reminding ourselves of what we did particularly drinking in the opera bar on a perfect summer evening watching the sun sink over the bridge and the sky turning red behind the opera house. What more could you ever want?. Hannah continues to live in Melbourne and has now got her work visa to stay on for a further year. Blimey pimey , we all might have to be reunited somewhere foreign!!!

Christmas in Brisbane well that was something else. Mark and Tans were wonderful hosts and looked after us in true Ozzie style and with gusto. There was plenty of good will in their house and much more besides!. Huge amounts of wine were drunk and many interesting conversations faded well into the warm nights fuelled by that grape stuff. And then there was the exercising in the mornings before 8am - the least said about that the better!! Christmas wouldn’t have happened without tan’s mum and dad, their house was the venue and what a party we had, they worked so hard to make it right and were very sweet in helping us share our first warm celebrations so thank you all you guys, keep the beds warm Tans we may be back!!!

NZ is still as fresh as a daisy in my head , the glaciers dazzle me still. While you know my feelings about the tour , it is such a beautiful country nothing really could spoil it, I have had a magic two days this second time around in Auckland , The weather has been hot and today was spent sampling some of the wonderful wines that are grown on Waiheke island nestling with lots of others in Auckland bay. And the Cooks- paradise itself - a memory to be savoured and perhaps repeated who knows

So with my tan topped up , my tummy full of yummy NZ wine I am off to the great US of A, California Nevada and Texas - can’t wait!!!

With love
Caro
xxxxx

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