Australian Adventure

I am no sooner back in Brisbane than I am off again. This time only a very short drive to Bulimba, a very nice suburb of Brisbane right on the river. I am here to meet up with 2 second cousins on my mother's side of the family. Their mothers were  my mother's aunts. First Richard and I collected Anne, and husband Wain, from the airport. Anne is my cousin and lives just outside Melbourne. I have never met her although I have been in touch with her several years ago when my mother died as she had kept in touch with mum. Richard took us for a quick drive round the city to see all the main buildings and places of interest before he had to collect the children from school. Anne had booked us 2 nights in an apartment just a minute from the river. Once we were settled in we had so much to talk about and to catch up on what the family had been doing over the years. Then off to a pub for a very nice supper. The next day my other cousin, Bernadette (known as Berni), drove down from the S...

 As I leave Sydney I am feeling very proud of myself as I have actually managed to check in on-line and download my boarding pass to my phone without any help! A big achievement for me!! Early morning taxi for the next leg of my journey as I move on to Cairns to meet up with Kerri’s mum, Cheryl, and her two sisters, Judy and Rhonda. Also Rhonda’s husband, Dennis. Dennis and Rhonda’s complete family were at the house to meet me. The last time I had seen any of them was 2001 so they are all grown up now with partners and two with children of their own. The hot weather I had expected in Cairns (it had been around 27C for the past couple of weeks) did not materialise. In fact it was chilly when I arrived and it stayed at a temperature that was very comfortable for me but not hot. A day at the Botanic Gardens exploring yet a different landscape. It all felt a lot more prehistoric and more of a rainforest feel. In fact Daintree Rainforest is only about 60 miles north of Cairns and is ...

                                                 Flying into Sydney at sunset. I am staying for 3 nights in a place called Erskinville with another friend’s son and family who moved to Australia from Suffolk several years ago. His wife is originally from Sydney. Their daughter had made me a lovely welcome banner. Obviously likes her art and crafts. Their son is a very keen footballer and seems to be showing great promise. The children are a similar age to Josie and Elliot. The train line into the city is just a few minutes walk away which is perfect. They have made me very welcome with plenty of suggestions of things to do in the city and apps to help me find my way around. First day is the train to circular Quay to meet my school friend, Mary, in Manly. This meant taking the ferry across Sydney harbour with views of both the Harbour Bridge and...