Doing what you LOVE to do - before, during & after BC! What's YOUR favourite?
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Yep @sister it’s a wonderful spot as is the bakery. Whales are usually at Crockery bay in August having their young not sure atm.We head for chips to Goolwa day one as the crowds in Victor are too much but sure miss the old days of hand cut chips at Pt Elliot.
Can understand your reluctance for a bigger drive to Yorke Peninsula as well as dealing with a tribe in a small space esp if wet.But there will be other times.Do what you enjoy with whom you want to be atm that’s more than enough.You are entitled to some time for you.xo1 -
Hey @ sisiter the walking/bike trail at Pt E is great - my favourite is towards Victor as sea views up close all the way.2
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OK .... a bit of an inspiration story here ....
Not so much a BC story ..... but for my husband, who had 3/4 of his stomach removed due to Stomach Cancer back in 2010 ..... he was an accomplished runner & triathlete, having started Triathlon late in life - in his 50s, after mainly only running previously - all distances from sprints to Marathon - he even did the Comrades Marathon (ultra distance race in South Africa) and was leading it when run off the road by a bus & injured
...... these days it is a closed road race!
We thought the Stomach Cancer & surgery would be the end of his sporting life ...... but he is a tough cookie! Only 25% make it to 5 years even AFTER successful surgery & chemo. Bryce Courteney, the writer was one who didn't even make it to the 5 year mark. He had identical surgery & treatment to Keith.
A bit of background .... he was born an identical twin in the UK in '36 .... with war about to break out in Europe. His mother died when they were 6 months old & their father's unmarried sister agreed to help raising them in the family home. The father left for war & was gone 6+ years. He'd sold the family home prior to leaving for the War, so the sister had to find accommodation for her & the twins where she could, all over the countryside, often doing midnight flits to avoid paying the rent as she was their full time carer - and they were a handful too of this tiny woman!
Their Dad came back from the war in '45 & didn't want a pair of 9 year olds under his feet (or their older brother - who was living with the father's parent's family during the war.) The older brother left for the USA shortly after the war ended as a teenager, being 9 years older. (Keith & his brother wouldn't see him again for 40 years.)Keith's father (he never called him 'Dad'!) saw an advertisement for sending young folk off to Rhodesia, Canada or Australia to attend 'boarding school' and learn to be Farmers (for the boys and Domestic Servants for the girls) ...... and decided a one way ticket to Rhodesia would be the way ahead for them. So they were wrenched away from their beloved Aunt (who they had always known as 'Nan') and put on a boat for Africa with 20 other young lads & ladies, some as young as 5-6. They were the Child Migrants that everyone has been talking about in recent years - where the UK had been offloading it's waifs & strays since the 1600s on a one way ticket to another country half way around the world - to fend for themselves!
Keith and his brother actually LOVED living in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and thrived. They were both excellent runners & Keith represented South Africa in later years, before moving to NZ for 35 years, then Australia, where we are now.
SO .... being diagnosed with Stomach Cancer in 2010 was a real shock - he NEVER ate anything fatty, or too much sweet stuff, he never smoked or drank alcohol - he really considered every little thing that he put into his mouth .... and continued to compete at high level in both running and triathlon, representing both NZ and Australia over the years, breaking many records. At age 50+ he took up triathlon - and did his first Ironman on just 3 months preparation (most people take 12 months preparation!) He qualified for & competed in Ironman Hawaii World Champs twice (coming 2nd and 4th) and had been crowned World Champion Triathlete in Olympic and Aquathlon distances just months before he was diagnosed - so had actually competed whilst having cancer - just not diagnosed.
We thought that was the end of his competing days!! He had 3/4 of his stomach removed - his small intestine was re-attached to the bottom of what remained of his stomach. Slowly he regained his strength, then he started a regime of really strong chemo, which knocked him backwards again. He was only 50kg. His surgeon was adamant he not fall below 50kg or he could die. By the end of the year, instead of eating a cup of food per meal - he was back eating a plate full - as he is today and his weight stabilised at about 57kg.
So basically for all of 2010 - he was a 'write off' - a strong puff of wind would have knocked him off his feet. We flew to Perth for a holiday in Nov (he was supposed to compete in Ironman there, but we couldn't get a refund on our flights, so we stayed at a buddy's place whilst they were away.) He would hop on their bike & go for short rides. Slowly he figured "I can do this!" By the time we got home in time for Xmas - he was planning his first 'come back' triathlon. He did his first triathlon in the January of 2011 - just over 7 months after his surgery and 3 months after finishing chemo! He has only stopped competing this year!!
2 years after the surgery, he did another World Champs in NZ & won both races and again just 2 years ago in Mexico - he won 2 races and came 2nd in the other - just 2 mins behind the winner - and was the best performed Aussie in the whole Team!
SO ..... from a very ordinary start in life, with many obstacles, the biggest being the Stomach Surgery ...... and now, dementia - he has had an extraordinary life.
Even now, at 82, he is still out there running, swimming & cycling (even if he DOES forget how to get home every now & then!)
Yes, there IS a lesson in this .....
DON'T GIVE UP!! Keep doing what you LOVE TO DO BEST ..... or at the very least, the BEST THAT YOU CAN DO!
All the best for those doing it 'tough' just now ...... it WILL get better! xxx12 -
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@arpie might be a good idea to leave the kayak at home when you visit the Kimberley.
This advert appeared in the local paper this week. It is not only aimed at tourists but locals as well. The guy in the boat is a local.
Kayaks, Crocs and Kimberley Tides don't mix well! Dingies and crocs don't mix well!
The photos were taken by the Mary Island Fishing Club while out in the King Sound catching mud crabs for the Mud Crab Races.
Thought of you when I saw the advert.
Take care
Annie
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Before BC it was all about work & mortgage & kids. Since BC diagnosis I pushed hubby to get his 4wd with a bit of inheritance from his Grandad instead of reducing mortgage. We would never go get a loan for a truck !!!! I was not particularly interested in 4wding. Slowly I came around to it. He is a very careful & meticulous person & doesn't go out to break his car doing boy stuff ! We like to see the country & some out of the way places.
When I went back to work after treatment, it became all about saving for the next big trip. Kids are bigger, the eldest is in his own place, the next is nearly finished apprenticeship & youngest is in Yr 10 now. If we could afford to retire we'd pack the truck & be off (we're only early 50's !!) I feel we may become grey nomads as soon as we can......I can't wait !!
We are heading back over to WA via Qld & NT next year. Honestly I am already getting excited I loved being there in 2015. We saw a lot, from the southern coast zig zagging to the Kimberly via the Canning Stock Route.
WA was the most suprising place for me, I didn't go with any preconceived ideas but I didn't know how beautiful it is. Next year Derby (& Broome) are on the list as well. We won't have the child with us so are very much pleasing ourselves (& the other couple we travel with)
Love it !
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@Joannie ... thank you - he never took a backwards step & even now .... still going forward!!
@Annie C - what a F**CKING IDIOT!! EVERYONE knows about the croc problem!! It almost looks like he's reaching out to it .... baiting it, encouraging it to attack!!
He won't be a local for much longer, if he keeps behaving like that!!
Hey @CarmelS - I hope you are able to retire as soon as you can - I thoroughly recommend it! I was lucky enough to 'sort of retire' at age 50 - and have had surgery after surgery for 2 shoulders, and BC cancer as well as other medical incidents - so wondering if I'd ever have been at work!!! Get out there & have fun whilst you still can!!
You can even catch up with @Annie C up in the Kimberley - and I am sure we have more members elsewhere where you are travelling ..... always good to meet up with locals!
Maybe we should start a 'travel group' where we can network our members?? 0 -
@arpie
You are right about the guy likely to be an ex local! There are idiots every where. 3 months ago we were picnicking at our favourite "secret spot" on the Lennard River some 100 kms up the Gibb River Road
( best picnic spot around) when we came across a tourist camped at a bend in the river in his caravan (how he got it into that spot beats me). We were gobsmacked that he was throwing a stick into the river for his little dog to fetch. He didn't get the reference to "croc bait"!
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.....We were gobsmacked that he was throwing a stick into the river for his little dog to fetch. ....
Thick as two planks, some people! Hope they aren't still parked there after the 'wet' starts ...... GORN!!
We'll never actually know how many people get taken by crocs etc over there, as I recon there may be more than we think! People that haven't advised families & friends of their travel plans .... people are only 'reported' missing or taken by a croc if someone else is already there to see it happen!!!
I'll get up there one day .... and catch up with you!
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Oh dear @Annie C - we may be twins .... the other half is on at me EVERY DAY about clearing out 'my stuff' .... he is currently giving away HIS! I've suggested we wait til I am more sure of my medication & effects!! He keeps forgetting! He tells everyone I have a sore shoulder!
Hmmm ... Maybe we should just move downstairs and live there - leave 'our stuff' upstairs! LOL ALL of it will come in handy, 'one day'! LOL xx0 -
I would dearly love to go travelling again. I can't see it happening, though. My husband has an aversion to camping now and 3 kids in school for a few years yet. Back in our early days together, he pulled the back seats out of his Pulsar and we went up the middle to Darwin and then a loop of the Kimberleys and back down through the Hammersley Ranges, south and across the Nullarbor. Almost all of it in a 2-man tent (fly cover off so we could see the stars at night. We did hire a tiny Daihatsu 4wd (all the big ones were taken by the mines) at Kunnunurra to do the Gibb River Road and the Bungles. Oh well, one day, maybe...1
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Nothing beats travel in my book @Sister hope you get the opportunity again .
Broome & Darwin are on my wish list , hopefully our next adventure will be Southern Spain in October !!
Photography is a big part of my travels & I love my photo books ,they take me back to great times !
Here a couple of my favs from Tanzania
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I live to travel. It's the thing that makes me feel most alive. I have perpetually itchy feet.
Here's one of my all time favourite shots from Jodhpur, India.
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