Sorry for the delay but it is now time we wrote our final blog and complete what has been a magical circle. To those of you who are reading this, thanks for keeping tuned and waiting.

We did arrive home on 31 July as planned but 2 hours late and miraculously we only had two delayed flights in all of the 19 we took - we also have to add 2 scenic flights to that. It has taken a few days to acclimatize and our sleeping pattern certainly was not on Greenwich Meantime! Being the other side of the world feels like we have been on nights for 4 months and have to adjust to days again. We are coming right slowly. Trying to get back to reality is really hard and thinking about everyone else and what needs to be done makes one's head fuzzy, it was easier just thinking where are we going today? Not the real world though and Ray has already started helping Ian for a few hours in an attempt to get back to normal. For me it has been domesticity - forgetting they have coped without me for 4 months - how will I have time to go back to work!??!!

In taking stock of what we have been up to, we thought it would be good to have some idea where the time (and money) went, so if you are interested here goes:

Total air miles 42485, miles driven 12503 (does not include being driven in China), fuel purchased 2538.69 litres, different hotels/motels 31, boats 18, fishing trips 5, fish caught not many, buses, trams, trains and taxis numerous, flat white coffee and muffins lost count, travelling round the world priceless.

Everybody is asking what was our favourite place but we can honestly say we enjoyed every minute but maybe the whale shark, fairy penguins and geysers/hot springs and mud pools just had the edge. We would happily do it all over again but think we could spend a couple of years roaming round Oz in a motorhome. There are perhaps places we would not go back to but will not upset anybody by saying where as we all have different expectations.

All we do know is that this time last year it was all a dream and a wild idea but for us it certainly was the 'trip of a lifetime.' So folks if you have something you really want to do get out there and do it - in the words of a song from 'Mary Poppins,' "Anything Can Happen If You Let It!" On that note we had better get back to work and start saving for the next adventure.

Thanks once again to all those who have left messages on the blog and to all those silent readers we hope we have provided you with some light entertainment over the past 4 months and you didn't lose the will to live looking at all the scenic shots - sorry some were a little repetitive.

Good to be back (for awhile anyway)

Jen and Ray