Yes I am back in the country. And reflecting on a hectic three months.
Firstly a trip to Perth Australia to visit family. Home for four weeks then away again to the Northern Hemisphere.
I have been to the UK and Europe four times in my lifetime.
The first was the summer of '69. They may well have been the best days of my life - but there was no doubt it was a good summer. London was sweltering, we were so young and ready for adventure.
My friend and I had emigrated to Canada, worked there in northern British Columbia for a year and were now in Europe and heading home to New Zealand.
Canada and America we had explored by Greyhound bus - before leaving New Zealand we purchased an open ticket for three months travel and we made the most of it, touching on 42 states in all.
After a stint of hitchhiking in the English countryside we joined a bus in London that took us overland through Europe to Greece, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal. We then flew to Singapore, train through Malaysia to Thailand, Cambodia, then flew to HongKong and home. Three months of hilarity, partying, and amazing sights seen and people we met along the way.
My next foray to the northern hemisphere was in 1998 to accompany my daughter as she took up a university exchange for a year. Another hot and sweltering summer. We journeyed to Italy where we stayed with friends, then back in England hired a car and wandered around exploring the countryside.
2006 was my next summer in the UK and France,this time our journeys were mostly by train. I donned a backpack and did some more wandering. This time staying in Bed and Breakfast places, unlike the Youth hostels and backpackers of 40 years earlier.
And now, 2010, again in the summer, another trip. How the times have changed. B and B's again and we took a rental car to travel around in. This time the trip was as much about visiting friends and family as it was seeing the sights. In France we hired a canal boat and experienced a slower mode of travel.
While its good to be home etc etc - I am finding it hard to settle down. Its the middle of winter and wet and cold. Friends have 'flu and colds and all is gloomy.
Oh well - the cat is pleased to see us.
