"An Around-the-World-Ticket for Two, Please."

I can’t believe almost two weeks have flown by since I last blogged! We have been very grateful to have the caravan as the weather had not been great! We have had a few nice days and have tried to make the most of them, but sadly they have been weekdays while Ben has been working and I have been volunteering, and come the weekends, it has all gone a bit tits up! On one of the nice days last week I picked Ben up after a long day at work, handed him a santa hat and told him we were driving out to Bribie Island for a Christmas photo for our Christmas cards to the parents! It had been a glorious day all day, but as I went to pick him up there were some ominous looking clouds over the way, so we chased the clouds to the beach, and they were close behind the whole way! We did manage to get a good pic, but if you looked the other way it did not look good as you can see from the pics! As we drove back it rained and rained!!!

We had some lovely cosy evenings in front of the TV while it rained, we were so grateful not to be in Gunther! At the weekend we got out and about a bit while it was dry! We went to the Glass House Mountains nearby and drove up one to a great lookout point. The view was spectacular, and you could see how flat it was apart from these odd mountains sticking out of the ground! We went on a 800m circuit walk, and about half way around it began to rain!!! We stepped up the pace and made it back to an undercover lookout point to shelter! Headed back to the caravan after that as it came in for the rest of the day!

On Sunday we decided to try the markets again as long as it was not raining! Luckily when we got up it was dry, so off we went. The market was huge and we moseyed around for a while, and then you’ll never guess what . . . it rained! We ran back to Gunther and headed back to the caravan to get into some dry clothes as we got drenched! Ben downloaded a computer version of ‘Settlers of Catan’ a game we got a bit addicted to at home with my family! So we played as a team against the computer and won! Then we headed to the mall to do our ‘Christmas shopping’! We have set a $10 limit to get each other something little to open on the day, there is no point spending a lot, our bags are full already and we’d rather spend the money adventuring! That evening we went to see Tron 3D which was very good. We also saw Love and Other Drugs earlier in the week, so we have now seen nearly every film presently out! Waiting for boxing day when ‘Meet the Little Fockers’ is out!

I really enjoyed my last few days in the old people's home, although sadly Grace passed away on Tuesday. I was sad to leave as I have really enjoyed spending time with the people there, and the staff have been so friendly and welcoming! I had a great morning in the Sunshine ward on Monday doing 'Healthy Ageing', where they do very small exercises sat in a chair. When the lady who leads it had gone, Jenny and I played catch with them all in a circle with a sponge ball, it was soooo funny! They all had a great time and so did we! My English friend Charlotte was not well on Monday and Tuesday with high blood pressure, but she saw the doctor and was told to stay in bed. I think she will be ok, she seemed much better on Tuesday. I am going to write to her and Vera about our adventures!

On Wednesday I spent the day packing up Gunther and picked Ben up from work and drove back to the Gold Coast. Sam and Kelly were kind enough to have us back for a little bit while Ben works in Southport there. Kelly is actually back in the UK now and Sam is spending Christmas at his uncles, so we will be in the flat on our own. We are so grateful to them for giving us somewhere to stay! Ben is working until 4.30pm today (Christmas Eve) and is not back to work until 28th. We were really hoping to spend Christmas day on the beach, have a BBQ and have a completely different day! However, the weather is not good! It has been raining most of this week, and the forecast is more rain, and even possibly a cyclone! Haha! I kind of assumed we would be on the beach, so the realisation we won’t be is sad! We have both felt homesick for the first time since we left, I guess it’s the time of year!!! We were hoping to something completely different, but looks like we will be having a more ‘traditional’ Christmas day inside with games and TV due to this terrible weather! I am looking forward to Skyping with our families tonight and tomorrow! It will certainly be a different Christmas this year! Hope everyone who reads this has a great day! Love you and miss you all!

Sarah x