At last, we've found a 4x4WD, so we'll soon be ready to start our adventure - here is the new vehicle, standing on our drive.  It is a Mitsubishi Pajero that runs on diesel & is powerful enough to tow the caravan.  Bob needs a trial run at pulling a van, so we may spend a couple of nights in Portarlington, at one of our local camp sites (those of you who have been out here to stay with us, will have some idea of where I mean).

Several of our friends are about to migrate to warmer climes, to escape the Victorian winter.  Consequently, we all got together recently, at a local winery, to catch up with one another before the big exodus.  Again, those of you who have stayed with us, in Clifton Springs, will recognise some of those in the following photograph.  Where is Bob?  He's taking the picture!  Cheers ... !

Congratulations, Great Britain!  Four days of brilliant celebration for the Diamond Jubilee - we felt proud to be British.  It lifted the spirits & warmed the heart.  Can't think of any other country that could have put on such an impressive display.  And, not for any warrior, dictator, explorer or super star, but for a tiny, white-haired lady who commands more respect & affection than any of these & who never waivers in her loyalty & dedication to her people.  Well done all those who contributed in any way (apart from the pathetic small group of anti-royalists who failed miserably in their futile attempts to spoil the happy occasion).

We're still looking for a 4x4WD - it has been a long search, but we seem to have narrowed it down to 2 vehicles that we are going to view again today (fingers crossed that one of them will be suitable).

Will update again soon.  Love & good wishes to all - Liz & Bob/Emily & Peter xx

We've made it, after the usual long time in transit: Suffolk to LHR (thank you, Mike); London to Singapore (2.5 hours stop-over); S'pore to Sydney (bus from International to Domestic Terminal); Sydney to Melbourne (approx 1 hour flight with Qantas); Melbourne to Geelong (another bus ride); & car from Geelong to Clifton Springs, courtesy of our good friend, Judy.  Six changes of transport & a day "lost" in the process, but we are here to tell the tale, which is the important thing.  We are currently recovering from the journey & the jet-lag, as well as getting used to a very different Victoria from the one we are used to.  It is still dark at 6-7am., when we awake (a new experience for us, in this part of the world, where we are currently in the throes of winter!)  At present we are enjoying bright sunshine but temperatures are very low & I am spending the nights in my warm M&S pyjamas & a pair of socks - strange for someone who normally suffers from over-heating!  No central heating here, so we are having to devise other ways of keeping warm (a good test of our ingenuity - enough said!)


Thank you, Mike & Carol, Joan & Ken, for the delicious dinners before we left.  Thanks, too, for your emails & good wishes, Dave, Judy (Grant), Joan & Chris, Lynda and Eileen.  Will update again when there is more to report & will try to write a few individual emails in answer to any that I receive.


That's all for now, folks.  With our love - Liz & Bob/Emily & Peter xx

Welcome to our new blog site.  We've set this up to record our forthcoming travels and adventures in and around Australia.  We leave the UK on 28th May, arriving at our house near Melbourne on approximately 30th, where we will join the friends (Judy & Charlie), who will accompany us on the long trip up the centre of the country, to Darwin.  Thereafter, we will turn westward and journey down the coast to Perth.  More details will be reported on frequent future blogs.  The caravan, which will be our home for the four month trip, awaits us in Victoria but we have yet to acquire a 4x4WD vehicle with which to tow it.