Paws and Reflect

(this wasn't even on the official Trail....it should be!)  A few weeks ago we became aware of the latest book written by Julia Baird, "Phospherence - on awe, wonder and things that sustain you when the world goes dark". She is an Australian TV presenter and Historian and had actually written the book in response to some quite hefty life challenges. It was pure coincidence that the book was released at the beginning of the Covid19 Pandemic and, as a result, has flown off the shelves. I persuaded Von it might be a good read, and has proved thus far to be so. In the book Julia talks about how do we achieve inner light over things we have no control of. Amongst the writing one of the things that resonated with me was 'seeking awe and wonder daily'. She goes on to say that:- 'we take 'awe' for granted. Awe makes us stop and stare. Being awestruck dwarfs us, humbles us, makes us aware we are part of a universe unfathomably larger than ourselves...... w onder...

Crikey! I can't quite believe we have been back on the road for only 7 days. The 1st June marked the first day that the State Government of New South Wales declared we could travel within the State (well, all people, not just us, that would be weird). The announcement was made in the last week of May and this meant that a number of places, which had been shut for almost 12 weeks, had very little time to get themselves ready for tourists albeit domestic ones. So we've had to be fairly flexible as to what is open or not. This hasn't, in any way, prevented us from finding an abundance of interesting things to see and do; in fact quite the opposite, so I've had to edit considerably and bring you all the highlights! I am happy to report that Australia is still providing many BIG Things and statues of people and horses, and people 'on' horses. It was a bitter sweet moment leaving Kangaroo Valley, having been cocooned there for 12 weeks but we are back in Augu...

      Dr Seuss makes a good point......everyone is just waiting. Waiting to be let out of lockdown, waiting to be allowed to visit friends and family, waiting to travel again. Australia and New Zealand have gradually been relaxing restrictions as we have all behaved, in the main, and the new case figures are reflecting that. Within Australia we have to now wait for all the different States to deliver their criteria. Queensland, Victoria, South Australia,Northern Territory & Tasmania are still not opening their borders although allowing some travel within those areas. This morning New South Wales (where we are) announced that from the 1st June we will be allowed to travel within the State and that some campsites should be opening in a bid to try to improve the huge losses suffered within the Tourism industry. That said we have two weeks to run before then, and it will be interesting to see whether there is a second wave of cases from the relaxation of rules last ...

I’ll do the next Blog, says I, I’ve got a few ponderings to share. Mmm, now I am sat in front of the keyboard maybe not so much.  You see, I have had my visions of writing grandeur somewhat boosted by having a piece published in the ‘Valley Voice’.  Yes, I know, not quite the Pulitzer arena but it made me recognise that I quite like writing, I quite like the challenge of sharing an idea, a thought, a picture, a feeling in words.  It’s ok, I won’t get all poncy on you, I know my limits! We have now been isolating for just over 6 weeks.  Blimey.  For me, it brings to mind the 6 week point in a 6 month deployment; the realisation there is no escape, that your mess mates can be bloody annoying and that there are so few crosses on your ‘days to go chit’.  And, in this instance, we can’t even have a ‘days to go chit’ because we don’t even know what the end date is… Unlike being stuck in a 200m by 14m metal box, we can, at least, get out...