Now is the Time to Say Goodbye!

Palm Cove, Queensland, Australia
Friday, January 24, 2014

Now is the time to yield a sigh!! - to quote Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.
In our case and at this point, a truer phrase was never spoken.
It scarcely seems possible that our 3 month Grape Escape is nearly at an end, it has all gone so quickly. Tomorrow, we fly back to Hong Kong for two nights, on the first leg of our homeward journey. We are going to spend our final day at Sha Tin races, which will I hope be a fitting conclusion to Peter's retirement trip. When I think back to our outward stay at the beginning of November, it does seem a long time ago and of course such a lot of water has flown under the proverbial bridge since then.
We have had a quiet last couple of days savouring the warm weather and the beauty of North Queensland. Supper tonight was a final visit to Vivos, our favourite dining spot at Palm Cove and a glass of Villa Maria Sauvignon sits at my elbow as I write this last Australian episode. Nadal has just beaten Federer in the Australian Open semi final (sorry Lesley) and would you believe England have finally won a cricket match down under, in the latest ODI. Wonders will never cease! Thank goodness we were not relying on the cricket to be the highlight of our trip.
Talking of highlights, it is almost impossible to isolate one or two from this journey, because there have been so many and I am deliberately not going to try. All I can say, is that a year ago when planning this Antipodean Adventure, I don't think either of us could have imagined just how spectacular it would be. We are simply so grateful to have had the opportunity to make the journey and to have been able to share it with you all at home.
My nightly appointment with the IPad is soon to be over. I will pen you one further edition from Hong Kong and my book will then be closed. What will I do with my evenings?!?Read more