Farewell to Australia

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Happy Anniversary, David and Karen

And Happy Wedding Day, Catherine and Kevin (sorry to miss your special event)

As has become our pattern, our Saturday morning began with a group of friends for coffee at The Glen. Prior to getting coffee, I had made a quick pass through a couple of shops and purchased two shirts to take home. I have been disappointed about not being able to shop the way I had planned when we arrived in Australia. This purchase salved my soul a bit.

Today there were about 14 people gathered for coffee and conversation. It was fun to touch base with all of them one more time before we had to leave. Following coffee, we returned home and Jim spent the afternoon resting. He has been under the weather for several days and needs to get better before we fly. Resting will certainly help with that.

It was the Grand Final Day, the penultimate event in the Australian Football season (Footie as it is called) so I decided to watch the game. The Hawthorne Hawks and the Sydney Swans squared off in what turned out to be a thrilling and action-packed game. It is a game of amazing athletic skill and team strategy and these two teams were well matched. In the end, Sydney won the game by a very slim margin, much to the chagrin of some of our Melbourne friends.

Jim was feeling well enough later to go out for dinner to the home of Deb and Bill who live just around the corner from Morgans. It felt good to walk, even if for a short distance. We enjoyed a wonderful evening in front of the fireplace and around the table, sharing, chatting, laughing and making plans for the future. Alas, the moment arrived though and it was time to say goodbye.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Jim was still not very well so we decided not to go to church this morning. Instead, Jim rested and I began the process of getting us organized again for travel. Over the course of the month, we have acquired yet another suitcase so we now have four large cases to transport. (We had planned to ship one of them home but it was going to cost us $418.00!!) I managed to pack two of them so they do not have to be reopened at all until we arrive home. The other two will be our current things. Since I will be transported around the airport in a wheelchair, consolidating carry on bags was also a consideration and I managed to get one of my bags stashed into a suitcase and minimize what I need to carry to one small shoulder bag. Of course, my toothbrush and a change of clothes will now have to fit into Jim’s carry-on luggage. We are not known for travelling light …. as you may have guessed.

I made restaurant reservations for Morgans, Hursts and Robinsons at Sette Bello for Sunday dinner. We wanted to take the others out for dinner as a way of expressing our appreciation for their assistance, friendship and kindnesses while we were here. Sette Bello is a highly recommended Italian restaurant and it lived up to what the reviewers had said. The service was superb; the food delicious; and the wine list substantial. We especially enjoyed the Stuffed Zucchini Flowers as a starter. It was a great evening, enjoyed by all, and a wonderful way to complete a shared adventure that had begun fully two months ago in Tahiti.

Monday, October 1, 2012

We left Glen Waverley reluctantly on Monday, October 1 about lunch time.

We had a busy morning – last minute packing, returning all the orthopedic equipment we had acquired (walker, wheelchair, crutches, shower stool), and packing the car for the final trip to the airport. Jim also attended the Gomers coffee gathering while Barb, Sue and I went to Café 57 for a final Australian coffee outing. I am going to miss the fine coffee that is available everywhere.

After a brief reunion back at the Morgan household, Jim and I put my cane in the car, gave final hugs and waved farewell as we drove away. We headed toward the airport, our Australian adventure completed for another while.

It was time to look forward to Singapore and Turkey!!