I often plan unattainable events - designing property to live in if I had £mega-millions. What charities to give chunks of that money to, etc, etc. I don't try to win that kind of money nowadays, too scary! Recently I started another dream - going to Oz, meeting most of my lovely Bloggers, then settling down near one of them. This dream is crazier than any others! For the simple reason that I cannot travel more than 2-3 miles!
Where to start? Having the money safely in a Bank Account (or three), the next step is to arrange for my very first passport at age 63. That means a journey to another county!! After discussing my plans with Australia House, I am given the appropriate visa. The next step is consulting a Blogger in the area where I'd like to have my 'forever home', and arranging to buy a property there with basic furniture, not taking what I have already - except for some crockery, cutlery and cookware. cushion covers, bedlinen, curtains, lots of books, electronics, dvds, cds, cassette tapes, videotapes, cat bits & pieces, photos, pictures and special ornaments. They will not travel with me, have a very busy time before emptying the boxes at my new home.
I didn't want to fly to Oz, know there will be lots of flying once there, so planned to take a liner. Easy, no! No current direct liners from the UK, could go to America, transit that country then board another liner to Oz! Don't really want to go by freight carrier, but am not a cruise person so that may be the only option. As long as I can get to Perth! There eventually and after grillings by Customs and Immigration, my first port of call is an hotel, where I regain my land-legs for several days before contacting a special Blogger - Peggy of cake crumbs & beach sand. After a few meetings over several days as and when convenient - marvellous coffee and cakes, cute lunches - we take our leave of each other, and I 'jump on a plane' and visit with another Blogger. Then, back to Perth, for the last time. Goodbye Perth!
Off to Sydney, thank goodness the wildfires are over, it is terrible to see the damage they have made as the plane approaches Sydney airport. Still have the palaver of getting through Customs and Immigration, especially because I am not carrying lots of clothing, etc! No quick meetings with Bloggers here, flying is still a new form of travel for me - and I shall be very happy when I alight from the final plane in a few weeks' time! I contact some family whom I've never met before, but 'know' from Facebook. Making the most of the shops in Sydney, meet up with with a special Blogger - Sonia of Life, Love and Hiccups! We are both nervous, so it takes a while to get past the initial pleasantries and 'warm up' to each other. There is another Blogger, who is a very busy woman, to meet, but I decide to go to Melbourne first where more lovely Bloggers await my call from the Hotel once I've recovered. Am shown some lovely parts of the city, and I'm so happy I decided to spend more than a week here! Back to Sydney - gosh I've put a lot of flying behind me, and pleased I only have one more flight! Decide I must take the opportunity to visit Bondi Beach! Have seen it so often on tv it is all very familiar. I'm not swimming, surfing or paddling - just enjoying the vibes from this iconic place. Also visit that other icon - Sydney Opera House, nothing on the programme I'd like to see though.
I'm taking my time in Sydney, need to get furniture and other items for my new home, and love shopping with Sonia, an avid home-maker, who shows me lots of lovely shops. Once we've finished shopping, and I have met up with the busy Blogger - another special person, as they all are! - it is time to say goodbye to Sydney and head off, by plane, to Brisbane. Last airport, thank goodness! A bit too old to get used to all of this, glad I decided to hire car and chauffeur for the last part of my journey! The penultimate Blogger is just as lovely as the rest, and I'm so very happy I've taken the opportunity to meet so many! Final shopping, including food for the drive to Cairns, and for my new home. Yes, I could have flown instead of taking two days - no more planes, too fast for me really. Want to savour the countryside at a decent speed!
At Cairns I receive a very big, warm greeting from Alicia, of 365 Moments of Gratitude Project and her lovely family. We have been in regular contact for some time now, she even assisted me in finding a suitable property nearby, acting as my Agent, and arranged some basic furniture, plus every item I need in the kitchen - good, a dishwasher! which I am delighted to see - although not as nice as finally meeting this remarkable woman and her family. There is even the opportunity to foster-to-adopt a kitten in the near future. Luckily I kept some of the items I had in England, and had them shipped here. Once all the purchases in Sydney have been delivered and unpacked and I'm feeling very much at home I shall go to see the kitten - the perfect way to meet the new feline in my life! No doubt there will be others - I'll be the Pommie Crazy Cat Lady in Cairns! It has been an incredible journey and I am so very happy I was given the opportunity to enjoy the rest of my life in this beautiful country.
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Off to Sydney, thank goodness the wildfires are over, it is terrible to see the damage they have made as the plane approaches Sydney airport. Still have the palaver of getting through Customs and Immigration, especially because I am not carrying lots of clothing, etc! No quick meetings with Bloggers here, flying is still a new form of travel for me - and I shall be very happy when I alight from the final plane in a few weeks' time! I contact some family whom I've never met before, but 'know' from Facebook. Making the most of the shops in Sydney, meet up with with a special Blogger - Sonia of Life, Love and Hiccups! We are both nervous, so it takes a while to get past the initial pleasantries and 'warm up' to each other. There is another Blogger, who is a very busy woman, to meet, but I decide to go to Melbourne first where more lovely Bloggers await my call from the Hotel once I've recovered. Am shown some lovely parts of the city, and I'm so happy I decided to spend more than a week here! Back to Sydney - gosh I've put a lot of flying behind me, and pleased I only have one more flight! Decide I must take the opportunity to visit Bondi Beach! Have seen it so often on tv it is all very familiar. I'm not swimming, surfing or paddling - just enjoying the vibes from this iconic place. Also visit that other icon - Sydney Opera House, nothing on the programme I'd like to see though.
I'm taking my time in Sydney, need to get furniture and other items for my new home, and love shopping with Sonia, an avid home-maker, who shows me lots of lovely shops. Once we've finished shopping, and I have met up with the busy Blogger - another special person, as they all are! - it is time to say goodbye to Sydney and head off, by plane, to Brisbane. Last airport, thank goodness! A bit too old to get used to all of this, glad I decided to hire car and chauffeur for the last part of my journey! The penultimate Blogger is just as lovely as the rest, and I'm so very happy I've taken the opportunity to meet so many! Final shopping, including food for the drive to Cairns, and for my new home. Yes, I could have flown instead of taking two days - no more planes, too fast for me really. Want to savour the countryside at a decent speed!
At Cairns I receive a very big, warm greeting from Alicia, of 365 Moments of Gratitude Project and her lovely family. We have been in regular contact for some time now, she even assisted me in finding a suitable property nearby, acting as my Agent, and arranged some basic furniture, plus every item I need in the kitchen - good, a dishwasher! which I am delighted to see - although not as nice as finally meeting this remarkable woman and her family. There is even the opportunity to foster-to-adopt a kitten in the near future. Luckily I kept some of the items I had in England, and had them shipped here. Once all the purchases in Sydney have been delivered and unpacked and I'm feeling very much at home I shall go to see the kitten - the perfect way to meet the new feline in my life! No doubt there will be others - I'll be the Pommie Crazy Cat Lady in Cairns! It has been an incredible journey and I am so very happy I was given the opportunity to enjoy the rest of my life in this beautiful country.
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Virginia Kop/Kop's Kattery
26 October 2013
My Mother's Birthday 1925
My Mother's Birthday 1925
Love it!! I hope your dream comes true - even part of it!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you. Currently working on another story in this series "The New Blogger in Town". Shall PM you.
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