Well the wandering Watson's are back wandering the country
side. I can’t believe that it’s been three years since we left on our last
journey, but here we are again a week into the latest adventure. This time it
feels less ‘holidayee’ more like an experience for our family. The excitement
is still there but the feeling of unknown and anticipation has been replaced
with the knowledge of what is ahead of us.
Five weeks ago in a mild panic I wrote this………
“So apparently in 4 short weeks we are leaving on a trip
around Australia…..4 weeks, the house isn’t packed, the house isn’t rented out
yet, the education of the children isn’t organised, I do however have beaut new hiking
shoes, new bras and undies to hang on the caravan park clothes lines, the kids
have new coats, new runners, new jumpers, I have ‘appropriate’ camping clothes,
a new low power kettle option and a kindle
to read a million books on. I have transferred all my cd’s to my computer and purchased
an iPad to use for ‘educational purposes’ (aka facebook)…. oh and apparently we
will get as far as Beaufort before we need to start looking for work as we have
spent all our savings preparing for the trip. Despite all this, in four short weeks we
will be departing on the next wandering Watsons adventure, broke, slightly shit
scared, not emotionally prepared for close confinement and not sure if the
feeling in my gut is excitement or a panic attack!!!!
In amongst all this preparation and packing, the thing that is pressing on my
mind the most is, should I buy new doona covers for the camper to make it fresh
and ‘holidayee’?????………… yep that’s the most important thing floating around up
in my brain keeping me awake at night. Not how much do I really like baked
beans considering we have no income to buy food, not can I make enough money
from busking to support a family of five?, but what can I decorate……hehe.”
Now five weeks later we are a week into our ‘experience’ we
were waved off by Ballarat family and friends, spent a lovely couple of nights catching
up with Mick and Jo and Andrew and Di before we made our way across to
Adelaide. We stopped in Adelaide for a few nights to catch our breath, to
organise ourselves and the camper a little better. To realise that everything
that wasn’t sorted a short 5 weeks ago is, it feels good to finally feel like
we are prepared to continue on, to get the last minute items we didn’t have
time to get and today it finally felt like we were on holidays!!! We got up and
the sun was shining so the kids and I rode our bikes along the beachfront, we
played at playgrounds and visited Meagan and Ruby in the morning, we watched
movies and relaxed at the camper and then I had a lovely evening with Adi
catching up for a drink after she finished work. I think today I finally felt like we were
ready for this ‘adventure’
Oh and those doona covers I was losing sleep over…..haven’t
got them yet but what a great excuse to have a little shop in every town we
visit!