Well where has the time gone ? My last full day in Australia today as my trip of a lifetime draws to a close.
Tomorrow, I (and Jessica) will be on a plane heading back to United Kingdom, arriving in London on Saturday 4th January 2020 – 287 days after leaving London in an expedition truck on 24th March 2019.
Today Jessica and I did the Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach coastal walk which took just under 1½ hours. This is my third time doing the coastal walk and the scenery is still as beautiful as ever and you can always see something new or notice something you may have missed on previous occasions.
I still look at the sculptures that form the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition along the coastal path and think, what were the artists thinking of when the design came in to their heads.
Jessica and I with Coogee Beach in the background.
Chilled and relaxed.
And then ………
I think we could be taken for sisters !
Part two of my last six weeks was about watching Jess enjoy some of the places I’ve been to and some we enjoyed for the first time together.
Meeting her at the airport was lovely. I’d missed her so much.
We stayed in Auckland the first night and then the adventure began.
First stop the bay of islands and a trip over to Russell where during our first of many walks (whatever she says she loved them) she got burnt to a cinder !
A fantastic and emotional trip to Cape Reinga saw us at the furthest north you can go and where the Pacific meets the Tasman sea.
The coach getting stuck on 90 mile beach was an experience as was the body boarding down the dunes.
After a short but lovely stay over with Bernice and Mike in Whangarei we found ourselves in Eden park and after a photo op at the stadium we walked up mount Eden.
Next stop a wet and windy Raglan. Enough said.
Our trip to coromandel saw us stay at creekside cabin which was in a beautiful location in coromandel town which was lovely.
Two nights in Tauranga included A trip to Hobbiton, the place she had been looking forward to going to since she knew it existed. She was so excited to be there.
We climbed up mount monganui which was followed by massage and the hot pools.
Two nights in Napier where Jess bought a lovely dress which she looks beautiful in.
We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in a rainy Taupo. Had a Asian/British fusion Christmas dinner. Very odd but at least we were together.
Two nights in Rotorua where for the first time in my whole trip our food bag which included my insulin was stolen.
We queued and did the tree walk through the Redwoods By night it was spectacular so different to the next day.
We treated ourselves to Polynesian Spa which was glorious.
Back to Auckland for our final stay in the Kiwi Homestay a great place.
But not before we did our final crazy activity Sea Kayaking. They put us in separate kayaks which lead to the usual competition between us. Oh how I’ve missed that. It was great but knackering !
Up at stupid o’clock in the morning for our flight to Sydney where no sooner had we arrived we were showered and changed and off to the Sydney Opera House to watch Cirque Extravaganza. It was brilliant.
The obligatory walking tour the next day didn’t help with Jess’s sore throat. Thankfully the antibiotics I bought in Vietnam did the trick and she was well in time for New Year’s Eve.
What a spectacle. They certainly know how to put on a show !
Our final move saw us head to Coogee and our final day took us on the Coogee to Bondi walk. Although she moans I know Jess has enjoyed the walking.
Well she finished how she started going a bit red today. Was a lovely final day and final leg of my trip.
See you soon. Stay safe xxx
