It seems hard to believe we have been back in Gero for eight and a half weeks! It is lovely to be safely home and back with family and friends. But......if you enjoy caravaning, there is a still a yearning that overcomes you when you see a caravan on the road! Well that is how it is for us anyway!Christmas was just lovely. We had the Christmas lights up again and enjoyed a few evenings with the grandies dressing up and handing out lollies! There were so many cars that drove around the 'Bluff Point Estate' at this special time of the year. Last year the van was parked in the yard and only a couple of lights were put up. They definitely had to come down on Boxing Day, so we were ready to hit the road on the 28th! Over the last few days, we have found ourselves very much 'Reflecting'!On the 30th of December 2013 we set off from Norseman for our first trip across the Nullarbor. On the 30th December 2014 I have had Delma, Donelle, Heather and Jenny for afternoon tea. I have edited my blogs of the 'First Five Months of Travelling Oz' (still finding mistakes) and purchased the printed book through TravelPod. Both Peter and I are really impressed with the book. I was keen to show it to those dedicated friends, who are in Geraldton at the moment, and who I knew consistently read my 'blogs', or 'waffle' at times, and consistently commented! So I asked them for afternoon tea. We had a lovely afternoon together. "Thank You".......You were my encouragers. You kept me blogging. Something I am now very pleased.....'Did Happen'. I still have another five months of blogs to edit.....and that will happen.More of reflection.......Twelve months ago, where were we on New Years Eve? Will we ever forget? Eucla of course! Dealing with unbearable heat. This year Kevin, Val, Coral, Julie and Gary are together in Albany. I'm sure it will be much, much cooler for them down there! In fact daughter Tammy and family are down there too and Tammy said "It sprinkled rain today"!We will enjoy Gero this year on New Years Eve. We will probably be the 'Pikers' this year and not see the New Year in. We will see! We are definitely going to enjoy the oysters we were given as part of Pete's Christmas gift. That will be out on the balcony and I think Wally and Clara will have to join us as well. And we will toast to the amazing holiday we had 'Travelling Oz in 2014'. We've crossed the Nullarbor and played the World's Longest Golf Course of the way back.We've been to the Tamworth Country Music Festival.We've travelled down the east coast of NSW from Coffs Harbour to Eden.We've crossed the Great Dividing Range a number of times with some exhilarating moments!We've been to Canberra, Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial etc. etc.We've been to the Sydney Opera House. Troy and Adam were awesome!We've dined with Kevin & Val for our 44th wedding anniversary and had so many enjoyable meals together, always with plenty of laughs.We've climbed Mount Kosciousko and learnt more about the Snowy Mountain Hydro Power.We've been to the MCG and a couple of AFL matches. We will continue to ask ourselves "How did the Eagles lose to Carlton"?We've been to Phillip Island and the famous race track. And seen the 'Little Penguins'. We've travelled the Great Ocean Road. A wonderful experience and we had a fantastic helicopter flight over the "12 Apostles" as well.We've spent some time on the Murray River and just loved it!We've photographed 23 of the 50 'BIG Aussie Icons' featured in Craig Scutt's 'Little Book'. Less than half photographed, so lots more to find in Oz sometime!We've been up the centre of Australia on the Stuart Highway from Port Augusta to Darwin. The only time you have to make a turn off it, is a left turn just before Alice Springs. This was a question a tour operator asked. It did get us thinking! You certainly are driving up the centre of Australia on the Stuart Highway!We've been to Ayers Rock and the Olgers. We've seen both from the air and had a helicopter flight over Kings Canyon.And we took a flight to William Creek and Lake Eyre from Coober Pedy.We've had a roll of bowls on a number of bowling greens. Our night game at Batchelor was one to certainly remember! We've spent 9 weeks in Queensland doing so much! Fossicking, standing on the wing of a Quantas Jumbo, riden in a Cobb & Co Coach, cruised on a Paddle Steamer, hung upside down on a flying fox in the world heritage rain forest, snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef, taken the 'World's Longest Scenic Flight' to Cape York and walked to the tip of Australia and. .....photographed a 'Cassowary' or two, in the wild.We've visited lots and lots of Museums and other places of interest. Been on tours, checked out waterfalls, tree walks, zoos, had a photography lesson, had many a pedicure and Pete a massage, or two or three or lots! He had to keep that leg moving!We've travelled the Fleurieu, Yorke and Eyre Peninsula of South Australia and found some nice wine to sustain us during our travels!I did a little Family History Research, that was so very rewarding.And 'Yes' I took lots and lots of photos! I wasn't going to disclose, but for the record I have 21,490 photos in my folder 'Travelling Oz 2014'. And...Pete drove all 38,749 kilometres of our trip and most importantly.....got us safely back home. "Thank you Darling". It has certainly been a year to 'Well and Truly Remember'.And by the time I put a photo or two to this blog, it will be nearly midnight and I will see the new year of 2015 in! Will I wake him? Maybe!!

Happy New Year everyone. May it be a year that brings good health and much happiness. We very much pray, that the season will be far more rewarding for farmers in this area, than 2014. 8 photos