Winter Sun

[msconduct]

On Monday I'll be leaving Auckland for a month in Western Australia.

Although I've been to Australia's east coast (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide) many times, I've never been to the west, which is a far more expensive trip. Australia is immensely vast. On a trip home long ago from London, we stopped briefly for refuelling at Perth Airport - the sun and bright light as we walked across the tarmac was a stunning contrast to the endless dull grey of a London January, and it felt like I was almost home, yet I still had another eight hours' flying to do.

Perth is probably the world's most isolated major city. Since I live in an island country thousands of miles from anywhere, that's absolutely up my street. I'm not so interested in Perth itself: except for a few days seeing the local sights and (obviously) dropping in on Uniqlo, Costco and IKEA, I will be spending the rest of the time in the far more sparsely populated areas to the north and south. All going well, I'll be driving a total of 3,000 km (around 1,900 miles) in small stages over the course of the month, with the only long driving day an eight-hour drive back to Perth at the end. It's pretty exciting, because thanks to Covid, this is my first overseas trip since I got back from Seattle/Vancouver in late 2019 juuuuuust before Covid hit. Although we've picked a destination for first post-beginning-of-pandemic travel that has limited people interaction, because I'm a good candidate to get long Covid thanks to an autoimmune disease I'm beyond nervous. But to travel again I'm willing to take the risk. Any good thoughts and offerings to the Covid gods would be appreciated.

Other than Covid, rural Australia of course always has its own dangers. There are no crocs where I'm going and although there are plenty of sharks it's not the right time of year for swimming. Since Australia has eight out of the world's ten most venomous snakes, I plan to be careful on rural paths, although I'm aware most Australians never even see a snake. What I'm most afraid of is a kangaroo leaping onto the road and crashing into my car, which is a very common occurrence and a potentially serious one. Dusk and dawn are the most dangerous times for this, so I'm going to be trying to avoid those times for driving.

There is at least one thing I don't have to worry about. Within the space of six months (a month ago, and just before Christmas), I've lost my two lovely seventeen year old cats. They both had ridiculously happy and long lives and brief illnesses at the end, and they both passed away peacefully at home purring in my arms, so I couldn't have wished any better for them, but it's been a pretty rough six months and the house feels so empty. The upside, however, is that I'm deeply grateful I don't have to worry about how they're getting on while we're away. I have a wonderful cat feeder who they loved, but I know they missed us a lot when we were away and it was impossible not to worry about them. It's very strange to know that's not an issue this time, but at the same time such a relief.

Comments

[echomyst]

Sounds really fun! Camping, AirBnB type rentals, hotels/motels, or friends' home(s)?

I didn't know that about your cats. So sorry for your losses. Can completely understand the relief too at not having to worry about them during your travels. Our Neechee died at 17yo too... it really is like losing a family member.

Have a wonderful adventure!

[msconduct]

House rentals! T and I are too princessy to share a room and we find a two-bedroom house or apartment is about the same price as two hotel rooms but gives us shared space as well to hang out in. Easier too where we're going as small country towns aren't exactly full of hotels.

Yes, I didn't want to talk about the cats before because I was too sad. I'm still too sad, but at least it's a bit further away now. Sorry to hear about Neechee too. Seventeen years is a long time to share your life with a pet, isn't it.

Thank you, we'll do our best!

[echomyst]

House rentals are more cozy than hotels too :-)

Did you have your cats since they were kittens? Neechee was barely weaned when he came to us and he was a dog-like cat :'-( Still having Timbo is what got us through the hardest months afterwards; hopefully your adventures in western Australia will help too <3

[msconduct]

Yes, we had them from five weeks old, because we were supposed to be fostering them. That lasted four days and then we decided we couldn't possibly give them back. It was embarrassing because they'd asked fosterers to please not adopt your first batch of kittens, and so I was determined not to, but there you are:). It was only two weeks after the death of my previous cat, also at 17, and I thought I was fine for fostering but in no way ready for new permanent cats, but you can't fight the Cat Distribution System:). Thank you, I'm hoping the travel will help and I think it will. I want to try fostering again when I get home, but this time I'm going to ask them to only give me male cats as I prefer female and so it will be easier to give them back. I'd like to do a longer spell at fostering this time, because it's so needed, and I don't want new cats yet because we're going to be away for another month, in Japan, next January.

[echomyst]

Ahhhh I don't know... Neechee and Timbo were/are the bestest boys, and your foster males' personalities might win you over ^_^

Still, fostering is a great way to go! I'd like to foster both dogs and cats someday, or maybe dog/cat-sit for others :D