Life is good on holidays

primek
primek Member Posts: 5,392
I've just returned from a holiday with my husband. 2.5 weeks on a motorbike tour around Victoria. It was a holiday we planned on my 51st birthday to do the next year but bloody breast cancer had other ideas.
Just beforehand I was worried it wasn't going to happen again. My nipple reconstruction had some hiccups and I was still doing dressings 7 weeks on. It only healed the week prior. My husband also hurt his back and it was touch and go if he was going to be fit for a bike ride. I booked a stay through Otis just in case. 

But the nipples healed. The back improved and off we went. We had a fabulous time on our 4468 km journey. (Including Mt Gambier and Naracoorte as I'd never been there)
We still had our stay at the Otis retreat which gave us a lovely 4 day rest in the middle. It was beautiful and so peaceful. We managed to be ahead of the rain on all but 2 days. 

Being on such a long trip does allow the mind to wander though. Trip of a lifetime I thought. Well at least if the cancer comes back I had this....those bloody intrusive thoughts that just pop in your head from nowhere. Maybe my stiff hips and aching knee are really mets. Survivorship ...it sure can be hard at times. But...whatever the future holds know this...Life..I'm embracing it. 


Hubby and I at Blue Lakes



St Judes - Otis


At Port Albert having a fabulous meal and some Stout.


An unflattering pic...but very happy on The Great Ocean Road


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Comments

  • Mira
    Mira Member Posts: 678
    Welcome back Primek, it looks lovely  :smile:
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974
    Looks fabulous @Primek! And you look so happy and relaxed. Awesome! K xox
  • tigerbeth
    tigerbeth Member Posts: 539
    Looks lovely @primek glad you had a great time! 
    My hubby was born & bred in Port Albert also rides motorbikes!
  • Zoffiel
    Zoffiel Member Posts: 3,372
    Lovely. Bless the Otis Foundation, it's a grand thing they do. Mxx
  • LMK74
    LMK74 Member Posts: 795
    You look great @primek and hubby too. Fantastic you were both able to enjoy yourselves.
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,960
    Looks fabulous @primek I'm so glad you could do it and the photo is great.  Tell hubby he's got a great beard - love the plait!

    I was listening to the speaker a couple of weeks ago about Shame & Vulnerability and we each had to quickly name something that we believed in - straight off the top of my head (maybe because I was so looking forward to going the next day) came "I believe that the beach can fix everything".  It may not cure your ills but it certainly improves your outlook.

    Is that photo from the Otis stay?  Which place was it?
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974
    @Sister Have you booked an Otis stay?
  • Kiwi Angel
    Kiwi Angel Member Posts: 1,952
    Gorgeous- u look so happy!! xoxo
  • primek
    primek Member Posts: 5,392
    Yes it's the otis retreat @Sister it's St Judes which is a Mandurang...very close to Bendigo. This one is for couples. There are 2 properties like that with a shared court yard and not far away there is one for families. If you have grown up kids and sizing suits the 2 couples properties can be booked as one @SoldierCrab has stayed there with her family like this. 
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,521
    WOW!   What an Awesome trip @primek.  How wonderful that you were both OK to do it - that really was a close call!    Well done both of you!  And with the good weather for most of the trip as well ..... even better!

    I LOVE hubby's beard!  :)  

    Double Wow!  The Otis holiday sounds terrific!  I've never heard of them before.

  • primek
    primek Member Posts: 5,392
    edited October 2018
    Here is a link describing the organisation.
    https://www.otisfoundation.org.au/

    @arpie
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,521
    Thank you so much for that link, @primek  -  how generous of so many families to make these places available to us & others who have been ill!!

    I'll have to look into it!! It would be wonderful to have a few days away in an area you may not normally visit!!  The Snowy Mountains is looking 'good'!  ;) 
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,960
    So many of the Otis places look great - our problem is timing and co-ordination!
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974
    @arpie I had a glorious week at an Otis Foundation property in June. Simply marvellous. All you need to worty about is food. Everything else is all set up for you ready to go.

    The view from the Otis Foundation house I stayed at. Soul food!



  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,521
    OMG ... which one was that @kmakm?  That is GORGEOUS!!

    I bet there would be fish in that river, somewhere!!  ;)