A New Year

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Over the past few months, a series of events had prevented me from finding time for my blog. Travel, rehearsal's of our local musical, a heavy teaching load, being locked out of the blog and our internet down due to heavy rainfall, had all contributed. Perusing my hiking notes just now, I'm stunned at just how many have been
  bi-passed. Where to start?

Musical - I belong to a fun choir attached to our local, amateur, theatre group - BTG. Anyone is welcome and encouraged. Many members love to be on stage, but are waiting for their next role. Others like myself,  are not confident vocalists, but love to sing. In October, the producer of the musical, "Calamity Jane," bravely asked the choir to swell the chorus numbers and actively participate in the show. It was rather daunting at first, but after the opening weekend of this full house, record breaking show, we were  thrilled to have been a member of the cast.

Travel - Our youngest son moved to WA in February and for the very first time we had no one at home to celebrate Christmas with. My husband spotted a deal too good to resist, that would see us departing 19 Dec, spending Christmas with Matthew in Bunbury, 5 nights in Perth, and 4 days and 3 nights on the Indian Pacific train, across the Nullabor to Adelaide, Broken Hill and on to Sydney.

Flight - 6 hours in total awe of our dramatic, empty continent.

 Endless meandering, dry, creek beds like veins across the desert.

An isolated town - one of only few settlements in the 5000 km.

Vast salt lakes

Near Ceduna we crossed the coastline and flew above the Great Australian Bight.

Perth - Time was spent revisiting favourite haunts, discovering new places, hiking early to the incredible King's Park and its two challenging climbs, wildflower spotting and enjoying molten sunsets.

 Kododa Trail - 150 steps, vertical rise of 62 metres

 Jacobs ladder - 242 steps, vertical rise of 43 metres.

 Glorious early morning view over Perth City.

Discovery - recently modernised St Mary's Cathedral - stunning blend of traditional and modern.        

                                 

Wine cruise on the Swan River.

Bunbury - A very special time celebrating Christmas with Matthew and discovering new places with him.

Early Christmas morning

Busselton

Mt Wellington National Park

Avoiding pesky flies

York - Once Matthew had to return to work, we took the train to York, 1 hour east of Perth, to again visit Frank's long term friend and his wife. I just love to be on their farm, but instead of the lush green vistas of our previous visits, the land was clothed in tones of summer brown.

morning walk

York views

New Year - At 6.30 pm New Years Eve, we strolled 1 1/2 km through the olive groves of a friend's farm. Kim had gone ahead and set up chairs, eskies and nibbles on a high point overlooking the fields and the west. The setting sun filled us with awe and hope for good things in 2015. A waxing moon guided us back to the farmhouse, where we enjoyed delicious food and convivial company for the remainder of the evening.

Definitely my kind of way of seeing the new year in!

http://flipagram.com/f/P0o75pCZXw  Copy and paste may be necessary for I-pads.

Indian Pacific - Our amazing 3 weeks culminated in the Indian Pacific Rail journey home. 

25 carriages 600 metres in length, travelling 4000 km across flat, brown, empty horizons. 352 km of green, undulating, populated vista, but I wouldn't have missed any of it!

 

 View into the distance at Cook, SA, situated approx halfway along the world's longest stretch of STRAIGHT line - 478 km.

 

Announcement - It's confirmed!!! So excited!

                           September 11 will see my 3 friends and I, commence walking Wainwrights Coast to Coast in the UK. 18 days, 17 nights, 300kms, 6995m of ascent and descent, St Bees to  Robin Hoods Bay, Lakes District - Yorkshire!

Can't wait!

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