My trip to the Antipodes

Thanks "Freewebs". I have enjoyed doing my blog and feedback from supporters has been great. I wasn't too sure when I started but despite several hiccups it seems to have worked very well. The Blog gave me something to focus on at the end of each day or adventure. It provided family with a means of easy communication and reassurance(!?) without pestering and above all, it remains a pretty comprehensive diary. I hadn't realised how much I had written until I started reading it again. A few people have suggested that it should be the embryo of a book but that is being too kind. I'm very happy to leave it as it is.

There may be a few more pictures to include sometime. I'm still hoping to hear from Jo the sailor with perhaps a few shots of my first day in The Bay of Islands where it all started back in mid January.

Would I do it again? Go back to The Antipodes... yes, tomorrow if I could. I did spend a lot of money, that's why I had so many adventures, so would probably have to pull in my horns a little on another trip......  Nah! "Can't take it with you". 

On my own? I became very apprehensive in the week or so before I left home. Had I got everything organised? What was likely to go wrong? I was going to be on my own. In the event I was far from ever being alone and when things went slightly awry I found friends and willing helpers. On the contrary, being alone made making friends so much easier. Going alone also meant that I could make spur-of-the-moment decisions to do things that a travelling companion may not have wanted to do. I "went for it" where the risk was solely my own. I didn't have responsibility for anyone else. I didn't have to go anywhere that I didn't want to and in the event managed to omit much of the tourist route stuff. I was able to literaly pitch my tent and eat dried fruit and boiled rice one day and enjoy 4* suite with jaccuzi and restaurant the next. And I would never have been able to spend hours on PCs and in internet caffs trying to keep a blog up to date! 

Whilst I would love to share the experience with a companion it could never be the same as the freedom of my solo adventure. Quite a dilema.

So what's next. Lots of golf and a bit of outdoor stuff through to late autumn. Dolomites, Rockies, Cambodia, New Zealand, Tasmania????????? Christmas in the sun???? Don't know yet.

bfn Take Care... love "Grandad"

Hi Everyone. Been back nearly a week now but still updating the Blog and Photos. Have added lots of new piccies to existing albums, eg see Able Tasman!

Many more additions and Albums still to come.

House, garden, desk and golf are taking up time!

bfn  Grandad

Arrived back home late last night. Now the sorting out starts. I reckon that there are nearly 2000 photos to edit and hope to create a few extra pages in Photos of more specific events and places.

I also need to thank so many people that I have met and/or had help and support from over the last 8 weeks. They really made the trip so memorable. Many have already been mentioned at times but perhaps too casually and a special Thanks needs to be created.

Otherwise, back to daffodils starting to bloom, cooler and damper, but England in the spring ain't bad is it. Home, grandchildren, friends and golf. I'll soon get back into the swing but also hang onto a great bundle of memories of a wonderful trip to the Antipodes.

Keep watching.

Best Wishes.  Bert

Boarding Gate 5, 11:55 Friday 6th

All done! About a fivers worth of Singapore Dollars left to put in the charity bag.

Soon back down to earth. About 14hrs!!!

See you later

love Grandad