Well here we are on the 'figurative' eve of our family's epic adventure to New Zealand and Australia! In less than a month we will depart Ontario's ice-cold climate in search of summer Down Under.
I will be home-schooling our two boys, eight year-old Brody and twelve year-old Jack, while hubby Bill works remotely. Working from hostel lounges and small one-room cabins will be a challenge for Bill, but so will keeping the boys busy for those 8 hours each day! Me? I am a high school teacher taking a self-funded leave for a semester. No, we aren't really the adventurous type, but we do love to travel and it's never too late to change. I would describe us as outdoorsy though, so we hope to take full advantage of all that both countries has to offer.
People keep asking, "Why NZ and Oz?" No, I haven't always had a burning desire to go to either place, and believe it or not, the truth is our decision was far more practical. Originally we had planned to visit Europe, but the realization that we would be escaping our winter for a winter of a different sort was less than appealing. I also realized that the history of Europe would be fascinating only briefly for the kids and language barriers of any kind could turn them off completely. In the meantime I read a book set in Australia's Outback, and started to become intrigued. (Aren't books magical for that very reason?) The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the wildlife of NZ and Oz alone would keep the boys entertained, and language wouldn't be a problem! It took no time to convince Bill that this was where we needed to go!
The more I've read and planned, the more excited I've become about our epic adventure. I'm now completely consumed! I feel pretty comfortable with our New Zealand plans. Most of our accommodation has been booked, and I have a sense of what to expect everywhere...more or less...kinda... Australia, on the other hand remains completely unplanned! We know we are arriving in Adelaide on March 15 and we're departing from Cairns on 31 May. In between? Who knows! I'll get to it eventually!
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| The Whitsundays in Australia! |
