Because it led us to the wonderful week we just spent with Darren Sebire and his family, who now feel like part of ours.
Once upon a time, in February of 2012, we were playing a trivia game on a cruise and struggling with an answer when a voice from behind me - Darren - says “boron”. I said “well get over here and sit down!” and that began a friendship between our two families that has been just incredible.
Darren spent Christmas with us in 2012, his mother Shirley and her sister Coral came and stayed with us for a week in May 2013, and we’ve just spent the most amazing week with all of them at Shirley’s home in Gisborne, Australia!!
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| The view from Shirley's back deck! |
They were fabulous hosts and tour guides! Great food, fun adventures, and SO much laughing!!
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| Shirley and Warren |
It just does not seem possible we’ve known them for such a short time, because it sure does feel like being with family.
We arrived on Thursday, January 29 and had a lovely welcome dinner with the family on Friday.
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| Carli's kids - Jack, Mitchell & Charlotte |
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| Darren and his sister Carli |
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| Molly |
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| Patrick |
We took off on Saturday for our first adventure - a trip down the Great Ocean Road for an overnight stay at Apollo Bay. Fabulous!!
Great views of the Twelve Apostles (rock formations along the shoreline), Loch Ard Gorge, and the Gibson Steps.
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| We went down the Gibson Steps to the beach. |
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| Where Shirley and Lorraine were very surprised by a big wave! |
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| The Twelve Apostles in the mist. |
On Sunday we went to Otway Fly for a treetop walk - I made a point to never look down, but everyone else said it was very cool.
Then came the SuperBowl, which you watch live on Monday morning on that side of the world. Darren and Burr and I all went into Melbourne to watch it on a huge screen set up in Federation Square with 100’s of people. It was incredibly hot, and there was no seating, so we adjourned to a nearby pub with plenty of seats, beer, and TV’s. The company and the setting were both certainly better than the game, being Peyton Manning fans, but we had a great time.
That afternoon, we went to the Anzac Memorial - Australia New Zeeland Army Corp - which was very movingly presented.
Shirley and Warren met us for dinner - and a surprise walk in the cold rain. Apparently it isn’t a true Melbourne experience if you don’t have a drastic and sudden change in the weather!
On Tuesday, we drove up Mt Macedon, which is the mountain you see from Shirley’s deck.
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| Memorial Cross atop Mt Macedon |
That evening, we drove into the countryside to spot Kangaroos in the wild!!
We left on Thursday the 6th, and flew to Sydney where we will board a cruise headed for Singapore - our undoubtedly tearful goodbye won’t happen until next week, as our cruise makes a stop in Melbourne for the day on the 13th!
This is why I love travel - the people we meet and especially those we get to keep.
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