A time for reflection

Well it's time to share my thoughts on this trip. It started as a far fetched dream of seeing more in life. It's been two years and 60,000 kms and we're still going.  Some days are fabulous, like we are living the dream, exploring this great country and growing as individuals and as a family.  Some days it's hard, we live in a caravan!! It's confining and small and everywhere is different. Which is amazing, the different part but for a home body, I sometimes crave stability and a normal settled life.

The kids are amazing, they are thriving with this life. I love seeing the little personalities and characters they are becoming. It's been a blessing to be able to spend so much time with our kids. As we tell people, we will never get these years back. Other days I just want them to go to school, 24/7 is sometimes a little much quality time.

For Mark and I we seem to be doing ok, our relationship works for some crazy reason! We love, we fight, we annoy the hell out if each other but we are stronger!

I have at times questioned the time frame/length of this trip. Some days I do want to go home but then Mark reminds me we have too much more to see. Not sure he will ever settle back to a normal life!!

So we reached the two year milestone, had a talk and I agreed to keep going until next year. A trip to Bali and going home for Chrissie were pretty good bribery!  One of the main factors to continuing was reflection on where we have come from and what we have experienced in the last two years.

We had a lovely new house, good jobs, and great friends and family. In essence we had a wonderful suburban life but it wasn't enough. We never left Tassie because we hated it, it's a truly beautiful place!! We had kids young and we'll never regret that but we did regret not seeing enough of the world. So our answer, pack up buy a caravan and see Australia!

People often ask what's been our favourite place. I never know where to start..... The beginning maybe!! The highlights for us are....

Tocumwall, a lovely little town and a fabulous free camp by the river. This was special because it was our first real camp since leaving home.
Canberra for the weather, just kidding it was bloody freezing!! We really enjoyed Canberra for Parliament House, Questacon, the Mint just to name a few things. Plus we met our mates the Ellis's here!
Port Macquirie, a great seaside tourist town. We had warmth and sunshine. Plus Mark went on a fishing charter and caught a lot of fish!
Lismore for the magic lantern festival. Byron, Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads and of course Nimbin ( an experience for sure!)
Gold Coast, for the kids and the entertainment plus we were lucky enough to catch up with friends from home, the Bell family.
Mount Barney for the epic bush walk were we tested ourselves and the kids. Got lost but found our way home.
Maleny for being a quaint crafty small town in the lush hinterland. We had a great week here exploring.
Fraser Island, what a beautiful place. We had an absolutely fantastic time camping there. The nature, the dingoes and fishing. And of course the grin on Marks face as he drove along the sand at 80kms!! Trip highlight for sure.  Then camping at Inskip point with the Ellis family, a great spot.
Hervey Bay for the whale watching. They are just the most giant majestic creatures and we saw so many and right up close too! And for the best Chinese we've ever had!
Townsville and Maggie island with my parents. The scuba diving off Maggie Island for Mark was fabulous. Then as a work spot and where we met the Hambrooks and the Beesons. And a place that changed our trip plans when we had the car crash.
Palm Beach for being able to spend so much quality time with my Sis Megan. I love you a lot honey :)
Carnarvon Gorge for the epically scarey drive in. The mud, the sliding and the caravan kinda floating a bit through one river crossing. The fabulous bush walk, the beautiful places we saw and the people we met around the campfire each night. Another trip highlight.
Cape York, I mean CAPE YORK!! What a trip of ups and downs but what an experience. And we met the Cronans too!! For the river crossings, the kids playing with the local indigenous kids on the beach, the 4wding and the beautiful beautiful waterfalls, magic!! Trip highlight.
The Great Barrier Reef was so special. The snorkelling and the squealing of excitement from the kids. Trip highlight.
Central QLD what a place. The magic of the outback from singing Waltzing Matilda by the billabong as the billy boiled at Winton, to the rodeo in Longreach and to the stay at Michael and Helen's farm. We love the country!! Oh and the dinosaur trail was awesome too!!
The Devils Marbles so spectacular, a very unique place. Plus we ran into Tom Lisa and Mily who we met at Carnarvon.
Alice Springs what a place so interesting. We worked here with lots of other families. We met the Furmigages and the Richards here. Working at the hospital was a really positive experience for me. The amazing rugged beauty of the McDonalds Ranges, especially Ellery Creek for the swim.
Uluru and Kings Canyon with my Mum. Such beautiful natural wonders. A pretty spiritual place. The beauty of the territory both surprised us and amazed us. We never thought we'd love it as much as we did. A definite trip highlight.
Rapid Bay for a week of relaxing and swimming at the beach.  A really great place and we caught up with Joel, Megan, Khai and Eden.

Wow when I list it like that. We have certainly seen so many truly wonderful places. We are fitting in a few decades of holidays in a couple of years. So no regrets, no what ifs and is what it is. The most amazingly special adventure with my family. May we have many more memorable times as we continue on this road.....