Home from our travels.

Hello,

I last spoke to you just before Christmas, from Toowoomba, Queensland. Catriona, my granddaughter, and I had been there for two weeks.  We were visiting my brother Ian and his wife Alison and my niece Valerie, her husband Mark Chesterton, Laura (13) and William (10) joined us from Sydney for Christmas week.  Catriona, Laura and William had great fun piling more presents around the tree, playing boule and getting to know each other.  Both Laura and Catriona are keen dancers and had plenty to talk about.

We all went to Queen’s Park, where the illuminations were simply unbelievable – what a show……  On Christmas Eve we and other residents in Blue Hills Drive made lanterns to glow up and down the roadsides.  They were made with brown paper bags weighted with sand and a tea light, bedded in the sand, flickered away for hours.  That was very special……  I do not think such a decoration would last a minute in Plockton – I might try!  Do you know that tea lights with little on/off switches, can now be bought – they are wonderfully colourful and probably thought up for windy wet corners!

Christmas Day was marvellous with everyone round the lovely white-lighted tree, a beautiful Christmas dinner – yes, outside in the shade, in shorts and T-shirts! –turkey roast, a big ham which lasted a week, veges and roast potatoes, followed by Alison’s pavlova (made under supervision by Catriona).  Catriona and I had cooked a Xmas pudding, but it waited till we were next hungry!  Later we phoned Moira and the family in Edinburgh – having a lovely Christmas morning, but in appalling weather which lasted most of the near six weeks Catriona and I were abroad.

Alison and Ian had bought a table tennis table and so everyone played a lot – outside on the new patio, where the BBQ and outside dining table were.  That was such a thoughtful thing to do.  We had some lovely meals outside, where the noise of the cicadas at dusk was quite amazing.  Ian’s new gas BBQ was a big success!

In the week that the Chestertons were with us, Catriona enjoyed some family outings, the most memorable being to a “Wild  Water “ theme park.  At Dalby inland lake she also learned about catching “Yabbies” – in a container like a prawn creel with bait of prawns and soap -  and did a little kayaking.  I am not quite sure what a Yabbie is – I know it is black…..Alison , Ian and I went to Brisbane to visit Alison’s Mum one of the days – lovely to see Marg. again.

On New Year’s day the Sydney family set off on their two day journey home.  It had been very good to bring in the New Year with them and our hosts, Alison and Ian.  I had not been away from Plockton at New Year for more than forty years.

We had a great day in the Bunya Mountains, in which the Bunya tree exclusively grows – an impressive very tall straight tree with almost candle/fern like symmetrical foliage.  Catriona’s day was made when she got close to two wallabies, each with a baby in her pouch!  The ice cream coolers were very good too, Ian!  While on the food subject, you would really go for Alison’s pizzas – very special!

There is so much that I could recount!  One amazing thing is that the Toowoomba buses take you to your door, if asked!  They will collect you too, if phoned.  What this means is that buses meander through many streets, popping off happy passengers, when asked – what a service!

On January 7, having done our best daily to water the new lawn (there was only one heavy shower in our whole time in Australia), having done not enough gardening – sorry – having enjoyed every day of our stay in Australia, Catriona and I were deposited at the International departure area in Brisbane by Ian and Alison – a sad farewell……

We flew to Singapore and had three nights there, while we saw the sights, visited Raffles Hotel, China Town, went on a night safari and visited Alix Burrell and her daughter Heather, who is a Plockton friend of Catriona’s each summer!  That was fun for the girls!   By the time we boarded the plane for London Catriona had mastered chopsticks and had bought each of the family a pair!

Some seventeen hours later we were on the final lap, to Edinburgh, where Moira was waiting.  We were early to bed that night, as Catriona had school next day.  I left for home the day after that and am feeling a bit lost still!  It was wonderful having Catriona’s company for so long and being with Ian and Alison and their family too. 

Catriona and I thank all the relatives and friends who made certain that we enjoyed the holiday of a lifetime…… we have the many photos to prove it!  I’ll add some shortly.

Ann