Home Safe and Sound

Holidays are fun, but its always good to arrive home safe and sound.  Our last flight, from Brisbane to Auckland, went smoothly.  After being squashed in cattle class on four flights recently, we have decided that next time (if) we go overseas, we just might splash out a little more and get a seat in the front of the plane, for comfort’s sake. 

We stayed in Parnell, Auckland for two nights, just across the road from the quaint and cobbled Parnell Village.  This unique shopping centre is set in lovely old vintage homes, all merging together along cobbled pathways and pretty gardens, with businesses ranging from restaurants, coffee bars, jewellers, and other assorted posh shops.  We had an absolutely delicious  meal here at one of the restaurants to celebrate the last night of our holiday.

Parnell Village

Travelling home by train – why not?  It seemed a fitting conclusion to our holiday, and we really enjoy train travel.  The Northern Explorer has undergone quite a major update since we last travelled on it, and the carriages were looking very grand indeed.  It was pouring with rain when we boarded in Auckland, and settled back to enjoy our trip.  There is always plenty to see, farmland rushing by, hills covered in native bush, passing through towns, travelling over bridges, rivers, and ravines – it is certainly not a boring trip.  After our Aussie Adventure, the country looked so nice and green.

Stretching our legs at Hamilton Station

Then the train pulled into Palmerston North in the late afternoon and our journey was over.  What a welcome we received, thunder, lightening and torrential rain!  Just as well that our friends Geoff and Eileen were waiting in their car to collect us and take us home.  We paddled through deep puddles, loaded the car, and headed for home.  Our journey was finally over, and it was great to arrive back home.

Over the last day or so we have unpacked the cases, and done several loads of washing.  A trip to the supermarket to replenish the fridge is a real necessity, a visit to The Big Egg to get some more free range eggs, and we are in dire need of fresh fruit and veggies!  Then we need to visit the travel agent to sort out  the debacle we had over the hire car.

The District Nurse has been to see me this morning and given me a clearance from her care.  She was visiting me after I finished radiation treatment to help me deal with the issues of radiation, to help heal my skin, and loaded me up with ointments and dressings to take away to Oz.  I’m pleased that all my “war wounds” eventually healed up and I am practically as good as new now.

I’m looking forward to washing and ironing the small amount of patchwork fabric I bought in Alice Springs, fold it up nicely, and putting it away.  Or maybe I’ll decide to make something with it straight away?  A little bit of fabric fondling goes a long way!

My Aussie patchwork purchases