Departure Day is finally here!

It's been a big 6 weeks!

I (John) retired on 1 March, and in the less than 50 days since then we've

• Sold our house
• Bought a townhouse 
• Sold a car
• Packed up the house to a storage shed in Singleton 
• Organised renting out the new house
• Stored plants there
• Moved all my tools into a cage at the new place
• Sold and given away fridges, lounges and other furniture 
• Given away our box trailer that we bought in 1987 to move to Adelaide. 37 year's service... it doesn't owe us anything!
• Moved the dog to my brother's house
• Tidied the house to pass final inspection 
• Made a last minute trip to hospital for stitches for Robyn's finger (!)

As a result of all this busy-ness, we are definitely ready for some R & R!

And so, after 40 odd years of hoping and dreaming,  this morning (Thursday, 18 April) we leave our house of 24 years to travel. We're a little surprised we are less nostalgic about leaving. This is the house with most of the memories for us and our children and family. It's hosted 18th and 21st parties, a wedding, our 50ths, COVID put a stop to our 60ths. We've had family Christmas celebrations with more than 40 for sit down dinners, mother's and father's days... lots of great memories. 

But it's time to move on and let someone else mow, clean the pool, empty the gutters, do the regular maintenance and fix the cracks in the walls of this old girl. 

We had initially thought we'd start travelling on about 16 March, but that plan centred around renting out our existing house rather than selling and buying. 

Because this house was older, on a big block with lots that could potentially go wrong... gardens, chickens, a pool, big trees etc., we decided to sell and buy something with less maintenance. 

This put us about 6 weeks behind schedule, so the plan now is to get to Rockhampton or thereabouts in 6 or 7 days and start the slow travel from there. 

First stop is Forster, driveway camping at friends for a couple of nights and a chance to breathe. 

We think we're ready. 

If you've read this blog from the start you'll know we made a lot of minor modifications to the van and car, and so with great excitement, and I must admit a little trepidation, we depart. 

Buon Viaggio!