Now I’m back in the UK after my two month trip to Australia to see my daughter Abigail I’d like to share with you the highlights of my amazing journey through some of the most awe-inspiring and sublime scenery in New South Wales and Queensland, along with birds, animals, flowers, art galleries, cafes…. and a few tourist selfies thrown in along the way!
I flew back to London on Qatar Airways on 15 October 2022 and said goodbye to my sister Julia and her husband Bruce, and to my lovely daughter Abigail, at Brisbane Airport.
Niw I’ve arrived back in the UK I’ve been looking through all my photos during the past 2 months. The perennial question we ask travellers is: So what were your highlights?
Let me show you my highlights then during the course of my next few blog posts here on scskillman.com. The theme? A Travel Diary. (And fortunately I did keep one!)
I’ll go back now to the beginning of my journey 16 August 2022 with a few views from my window seat. Actually, these are views as we landed in Doha, which was the transfer point.
Then we drove to the village of Samford, via Dayborough. Samford is like an early colonial settlers town, and has a beautifully landscaped park with a gift shop, art gallery and garden centre. It also has The Store of Requirement – all things Harry Potter. Samford is distinctively different from an English village, with places like The Slab Hut: and, of course, rainbow lorikeets in the melaleuca trees. We had a delightful lunch at The Flying Nun Cafe.
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I have loved following your journey in Australia and seeing your incredible photographs. Some of them have a similar colonial look to those of New Zealand. It might have been hard for you leaving your daughter and family behind after having such a great time. But great memories to cherish too.
Thank you Sheila. I’m so glad you have enjoyed seeing the photos, and yes, there are resemblances to New Zealand (or at least some of the things I saw in the North Island). Yes, it was hard leaving Abigail but so good to know how well she is doing out there, working for the ABC and with many contacts and friends. As I left, the weather was improving, becoming brighter with blue skies, as Queensland moves deeper into Spring, and all the beautiful Jacaranda trees were just coming out.