Less than seven weeks till we fly

I'm excited. I'm going to see my Mum in, well, let's count . . . about seven weeks, give or take a couple of days. Not your most usual Mother's Day sentiment, but that is unfortunately the lot of missionaries. We're so often not there on special family days.

But let's focus on the positive. We're going to Australia next month and I'm excited, and not just because we're swapping a good portion of Tokyo summer for a mild Queensland winter! We're flying on the 29th of June to Australia for five and a half weeks. We'll be spending about a week in Brisbane, our "adult home town" and several days in Toowoomba (100km west of Brisbane, my childhood home and the base of my family. Then we're picking up a six-berth motorhome and driving up to see David's family for a brief time and then into the unknown — a trip to the Red Centre of Australia, Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock).

David and I haven't previously been much further inland than a couple of hundred kilometres, so it is truly going to be new turf for us. As will be travelling in a motorhome. The total journey will be a round trip of 7,000km (from the Gold Coast)! Hopefully it will be enjoyable, though after being parents for 13 years we're under no illusion that all will be rosy all the time. It will certainly be memorable.

One thing that is appealing about this trip is that where we'll be will be the total opposite of Tokyo. No buildings, people, or even much vegetation. No internet access either! We'll be able to see the horizon. It's been a long time since I saw the horizon without it being obscured by buildings. We'll be able to drive for hours without seeing traffic lights or pedestrians or bikes or trains! It's going to be an amazing experience and one that, we hope, will give us a mental break from the stresses of living in one of the largest metropolises in the world. Not to mention, helping us and our kids reconnect with the country of our nationality.

We're looking forward to lots of good Aussie barbies too (BBQ). It was one of the first Australian things that grabbed us when we came back last time: the smell of a barbecue!

After we get back from our long trip, we'll spend a bit of time with a supporting church south of Brisbane. Pop back to Toowoomba for a few more days and then to Brisbane before our departure back to Tokyo.

But for now, I'd better finish up this post and see if we can raise our mums on Skype on this special day!