Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Auld Reekie was living up to its name this morning. Often mistaken as a reference to smell, the reek refers to the old Scots word for smoke that used to hang over the city in days of old. While the smoke may have gone, the haar still drifts in from the coast from time to time and shrouds the town in much the same way today. When I wandered up today you couldn't see the castle from Princes Street.

Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.
~ Francis Bacon

Today, I booked my holiday. I'm really looking forward to this experience, although even at my age, I'm sure it will be every bit an education too!

I can honestly say that I'm really glad I did the planning I did too. I have no idea how long it would have taken had I not. As it was, I was there for three hours. In that time, I outlasted two soon to be newlyweds planning their honeymoons and another family. Two groups entered, sat and waited and left unattended and another took my place as I walked out the door.

So, time to reveal the details.

I fly out from Glasgow on 31st July and arrive in Melbourne in the early hours of Friday 2nd.

The first leg of the trip is a three night stay in Melbourne itself. My first blip meet takes place here too, with Mr Rosewarne. Part of my Melbourne experience will be to take in a game at the MCG with his beloved Hawthorn Hawks.

The second leg sees me take to the road, on a circular tour along the Great Ocean Road (with overnight stays in Apollo Bay and Port Fairy) and up through the Grampians National Park (with a two night stay in Hall's Gap), before turning east to Ballarat (and it's old mining town living museum of Sovereign Hill) and back to Melbourne.

A really early (6am) flight starts the third leg of my trip, a three night stay at Australia's Red Centre. I've still to decide whether this will be a guided tour or self-drive to see Uluru, The Olga's and Kings Canyon. Honestly though, if anyone knows anyone involved in the tourism industry, they really need to get better at timing flights and tour times. Haha, I know they probably want to keep you there as long as possible, but really, it's impossible to do any of the ATT Kings guided tours without adding a day on at one or both ends of it. And on my tight schedule, it's an extra day I'd have loved in Sydney. I can't complain though. It's really been the only planning glitch I've had in the whole trip.

Arriving from Alice Springs, the fourth leg of my trip is based in Sydney. Three nights in the capital of New South Wales and wandering around the streets and visiting some of the most iconic sights in Australia, before I head off for an overnight stay up the coast to Newcastle and my second blip meet with Jensphotos. My early morning flights will be good practice for sharing in one of her sunrises, which are just as iconic on blip.

Then it's back to Sydney for a couple of nights before the fifth leg of my trip; on the road as I head north towards Queensland. A side trip to Katoomba and The Blue Mountains begins this leg with nights in Port Stephens and Coffs Harbour as I travel up the Pacific Highway. Leaving Coffs Harbour, I'll have my third blip meet with OzBeachcomber in Yamba and along the banks of the beautiful Clarence River. If that wasn't enough, even more treats await this lucky, lucky traveller as I go from there to Byron Bay and the start of a three night stay at the most eastern point in mainland Australia, in the company of another blipper, the lovely Gitama, who has most generously opened her home to me for my stay; thanks so much to you and the family Tina! ;-)

The final leg of my trip takes me across the state border and into Queensland. Driving through Brisbane, I first head to Hervey Bay for a two night stay where I hope to take in a tour of Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world and of course a trip out to the bay to visit with the migrating humpback whales. From there, it's back south for my final three nights in Brisbane. I've struck extremely lucky again as I'll be staying with J & D who I met last year when they came over to Europe with CB. Looking forward to meeting up with you guys again and seeing a little of your adopted home town. Talking of our MIA blipper who is currently a busy, busy bee out in the back of beyond in WA, I'm hoping to meet up with her somewhere along the way too. At this moment in time though, all I can say it'll definitely be in Australia... somewhere! :-)

From Brisbane, it's back to Glasgow. Leaving on Saturday 31st August and arriving back at lunchtime on Sunday, I should get across the road in time to iron a shirt to snooze my way through the first day back at work!

Hahaha... if you made it this far, bloody well done!

Before I sign off tonight's tome, I'd just like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all my Aussie blip pals. Your generosity of time and spirit and your wonderful kindnesses before I've even stepped onto Australian soil are most humbling indeed. I thank you one and all and can't wait to meet you in person. To the Brissy "Internationals", start up that tab. Your promised Hogmanay pints are on their way! :-)

Oh yeah! One final thing...

73 sleeps!