Reunions

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December 19th 2008

Published: January 5th 2009

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Jicky

Bobby & Toni

Botanical Gardens

I can't believe that the time had come for me to see my son Bobby again, and to meet his new girlfriend Toni, for the first time. As I stepped off the plane and got my luggage I looked around for Bobby as he was due to arrive about an hour earlier. I walked outside and immediately saw Toni, sitting on her luggage (I had seen photos of her). We introduced ourselves and I knew immediately that we were going to get along. We got a taxi to our respective hotels then met up for a coffee at Starbucks and caught up with all the latest gossip. Over the next few days Sharon and I did a lot of walking and sight seeing throughout Sydney, including the obvious Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Everything seemed reassuringly familiar here in Oz, I felt instantly at home, but in a weird parallel-universe kind of way, something I just couldn't put my finger on it, it felt so different to home. The trains were double deckered, the money's all funny (but surf proof!!!), the roads are really wide and its so clean.

The Aussies love beer, hanging out on beaches and drinking

Bobby & Toni

Waiting for the ferry home

in the sunshine - why not indeed? They definitely work to live - unlike us Brits who seem to live to work! The sun is such a powerful beast here, which is made even stronger by the critically thin ozone layer. The motto here is "Slip, Slop, Slap" - slip on a t-shirt, slop on the sun screen and slap on a hat! Due to what happened with Brian, this sounds like good advice to me.

On Tuesday 16th December it was Bobby's 21st and Sharon's birthday so we all had a wonderful breakfast at a place called Petrol. Then Bobby & Toni had a romantic dinner in the Sky Tower. Sharon left for Melbourne whilst I stayed in Sydney to see Bobby & Toni. We had such a wonderful time, we had long walks, picnics in Hyde Park, a day trip to Manly Island and in the evenings they would both come and sit with me in my hotel room and have a glass of wine, so I didn't have to walk back anywhere at night.

My very dear friend I met in Sri Lanka, Karen Bradley, joined me for a day and a night in Sydney

Aboriginal Man

Sydney Harbour

which was fantastic - It was so lovely seeing her again after what seemed like a lifetime!! We had a great time doing the touristy bit, we even managed to squeeze in a 3 hour film, Australia (naturally). It was a brilliant film and would highly recommend it.

It was so hard saying goodbye to Bobby again, but I felt happy knowing that I had now met Toni and she is a really lovely girl and they seem to make each other really happy - which at the end of the day is all I want for my children, their happiness. As a mother, I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that as long as your children are happy so are you?

I didn't want them to take me to the airport so they came with me on the train where I had to change for the airport then left me, I just hugged them both and the tears came.........happiness, sadness - very mixed emotions really. I have had just the best time ever spending quality time getting to know my son again, and I have to say, I like what I saw! He has matured so much,

Manly Island

he's had to with working and keeping a flat etc,

I think his move to Australia was the best thing he could have done - for several reasons, including and not forgetting, meeting Toni.

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