Looking forward to getting back home to “Mahoose”, I’m planning to do some renovations when I get back, but of course I’ll need to get the old Ford back on the road first. Because the car runs on LPG the process of getting it registered is a bit more complicated and expensive but nonetheless I will get that done as soon as possible.

I’ve been with Catherine and Stuart in Armidale since I returned to Australia on March 15^th and I’m now hoping to get to Queensland on the 18^th June and then I’ll stay with a friend in Cleveland until I can return to “Mahoose”. My friend Peter will help me get the old Ford back on the road and once this is done I’ll have my independence back.

At the moment the tenants can stay until the 15^th August which is still two months away from the time I arrive in Queensland but I am hoping that I can return to the house a bit sooner if we can come to an agreement. As I said, I have plans to do a few renovations when I get home and the main one being downstairs. I plan to enclose the stairs leading up to the front door and then partitioning the garage so that I can use the downstairs area. The summers in Ipswich seem to be getting hotter every year and so if I can spend a little bit of time downstairs then I’m hoping that this summer might be a bit more bearable. I might also get another air-conditioning unit for the other end of the house as having one is just not good enough anymore. The old one will need to be serviced and re-gassed before the summer returns.

I’ve spent the afternoon trying to source materials and to work out quantities, and I’ve got a figure of around $2000 for materials. This of course is a very rough figure and I’m hoping I might be able to source things a bit cheaper. I should be able to do most of the work myself apart from some electrical which I will need to get a qualified electrician in to do, but other than that this should keep me busy for a month or so.

Before I begin my renovation I will have to move the furniture back in and get the house back in order and I’m hoping that the current tenants leave the house in good condition. If all is OK I will have to have the curtains and carpets cleaned before I move in. I might also have to hire a couple of gorillas to help me bring my furniture back into the house. There is no way I would be able to move it myself and I really don’t like moving furniture.

So what else have I been doing since last week? Well not a lot really. I’ve been out on the bike a few times and usually I’ll go for a walk after breakfast and then I come home and spend way too much time on the computer. The walk to Dangars Gorge was good and next week we’ll go somewhere else.

It’s been a mild week but tomorrow brings the first day of winter I believe and the temperatures’ are also set to drop, but it will be a lot warmer up in Queensland. Before I head up there I will need to apply for an entry permit. Due to the borders being closed I’m not sure of the reception I will receive when I get there but as I am a Queensland resident and have been for many years I should hopefully get in OK.

I’ve enjoyed my stay in Armidale and still am, but I’m looking forward to the next part of the adventure.

So today Catherine, Stuart and myself went out to Dangars Gorge to do a bit of bush walking, I cycled here last week but it’s much easier getting there when sitting your arse in the car.

We went on the trail to McDirty’s Lookout and I have no idea why it’s called that but the trail follows the ridge line around the gorge and it is relatively easy and only around 6 km’s.

Saw a few birds along the way but was only lucky enough to catch the Crimson Rosella, most of the birds were just too small for me to photograph. The weather was lovely with just a hint of a chill coming out of the gorge, the perfect day for a short walk in the bush.

The other day Catherine, Stuart and I went to Bingara for a wee jaunt and picnic. It’s about 200 km’s from home but it was good to get out for the day and see some different scenery. As we travelled west you can see the effects of the current drought. After passing through Inverell we passed by the Copeton Dam which was looking very low indeed and in fact the dam level is currently sitting at 12% as of the 22^nd of May. Yesterday it rained for most of the day so the dam levels would have been a bit less than the current 12%.

We headed for the lookout where we stopped and had our picnic consisting of egg and tomato rolls and we even had coffee brewed onsite, only complaint………..too many mosquitoes. After a short stroll and the obligatory photos we headed down the town centre and went for a stroll along the main street. Some of these towns are over 150 years old and some of the old architecture is really stunning. Art deco seems to be popular and it’s great to see that they are still here for all to see.

On the way home we spent an hour or so on gravel roads as we cut through farmland and skirted national parks. The sun was getting low in the sky, which is when the kangaroos are at their worst as they head for home and are completely oblivious to cars, no look right or left for them as they bound across the road. They are absolutely unpredictable and so you have to be very careful and take it easy at this time of night, one of these large kangaroos could write your car off or at least modify it quite a lot if you hit one.

I’m looking forward to getting up home and getting settled in and then maybe I can go for a road trip or at least go to a few of my usual haunts, after I get a new car of course…………

I’ve been getting out and about on the bike lately because I have plenty of time and of course the weather has been quite good even although we are heading into winter.

The other day I went out to Dumaresq Dam, but it was a cold and windy day and not very nice once I got there and so today I thought I would challenge myself again by going to Dangars Falls which is a bit further out.

What I didn’t realise of course was that I would have to cycle on a gravel road for half the journey and I nearly turned round but as I had no where else to go so I decided to carry on.

Riding on the gravel road was challenging and a little bit dangerous at times due to the ruts and the thick layers near the side of the road which I went into a couple of times and I nearly came off. My arse wasn’t very happy either.

When I reached the falls I went for a short walk to the lookout and was not surprised at the trickle of water running over. Because of the drought everywhere is dry. You’re up a fair height when you’re at the top of the falls and if your lucky to be here when it’s in full flow it’s very impressive.

After half an hour I got back on me bike and headed home. Leaving the car park and climbing the first hill was not easy, I had to stay out the saddle and work the bike up the hill and at the same time try not to spin the wheels.

The gravel road didn’t seem to be as long on the way back and I soon reached the turnoff for home after coming through this wonderful colourful honour guard. As I turned onto the main road I also got a very strong head wind which was the last thing I needed. 10 kms home and every one covered was at quite a high cost. My energy was being whittled away and my legs were feeling the full effects. As I climbed the last hill home I was in the lowest gear, head down and thinking of food and before I knew it the house came into sight and I could get off me bike.

I enjoyed the ride, but it was nearly four hours and my arse was happy to get off the saddle and my stomach was glad to get some food.

Procrastination will lead to disappointment I fear and that has been brought home recently due to Covid 19. How many folk were gonna do something, go somewhere, try something new and now can’t. We never know what is around the corner and this has been driven home to all of us with a huge dose of virus. It could of course be a lot worse, most of us are just merely inconvenienced and will make it through this, but many will die and end their days.

For me I tried to shake myself out of this behaviour a few years ago and it’s really because two very good friends died within a very short space of time and they had the money to do lots of things but instead always put things off until tomorrow and as we know tomorrow never comes.

Jan died on the 21^st Feb 2013 on the way to work, she skidded broadside into a truck and that was it. I’d know her since I was about 20 years old. It was such a shock and incredibly sad for those she had left behind. She was only 48 years old………her husband Greg died of Leukaemia the following year.

I miss Jan a lot, she had been my one true friend here in Australia that I could talk to about anything, even those dark secrets you keep hidden from most. The loss I felt was palpable and it threw me off kilter for some time but it also set into motion a series of events that allowed me to face some of my fears.

I was not working and I didn’t really care all that much, I had a few bob in the bank and I was happy to sit on the dole and just chill for a bit. I then thought that this would be better done overseas and I headed off to Malaysia where I sampled some of the best food ever. I jumped on buses to get from A to B and it was great. I reached Penang in the north and then I jumped on a short flight to Guilin in China, the beginning of a month long adventure which was to wet my appetite for more. After China I went to Cambodia to meet my friend Pete and then we both headed to Singapore for a few days before returning to Australia.

I got back around July I think, I’d been away for a few months. Judy sent me a Facebook link for Teach In China, advertised as a cultural exchange agency where they would introduce you to a school in China, organise the accommodation and it was all free………….all you had to do was get to Shenzhen and Isabelle would meet you and look after you.

I called Kevin on Skype for an Interview. Kevin was not what I expected, he was this wiry, nervous drug dealer kind of guy and he had a generous glass of red in his hand when he came into view………it was only 10 am UK time when I called. I knew there and then that this was a dodgy scheme but if Kevin could get me a visa to China and give me the opportunity to see somewhere new I was up for it.

We chatted for at least two large glasses of red and then said our goodbyes. I got my letter of introduction within a few days and sent off for my visa and before you know it I was jumping on a plane heading to Shenzhen where I met Isabelle, who was also a dodgy individual. From the start I knew I had to be on guard with this lot but it was an experience that I was up for.

I was going to a city in the north of China, I can’t remember the name, but guess what? Change of plan and instead of heading north I’m heading east to Chenghai which is a district of Shantou, near the Tropic of Cancer. This was not what I was expecting, instead of a nice new metropolis I had ended up in a backwater with filthy chaotic streets running with people and rats.

I was well out my comfort zone, I have never been a fan of kids and here’s me now working is an English Teacher for bed and board in a place that is well off the tourist trail, mind you it is the toy capital of China. I met a few other foreigners there, Angelika who was working there was a breathe of fresh air. I stayed for 6 months, the length of my visa and headed to India before returning to Australia.

In 2015 around May I got a call from an old friend asking me if I wanted a job for a year with Bondor, I said yes and then started to plan for my next trip which was for July 2016 when I gave up work, rented out the house and went for a wander and once again I ended up in China where I have been for the last three years.

I would have still been there if it had not been for this bloody virus, I was planning to go to the west of China this month and I’m kicking myself because I didn’t go last year…………………and why was that? Procrastination……………..I rest my case and now I’m back in Australia stuck in lock-down.

Lock-down is not all that bad, it can give you an opportunity to break routines and do something new or if you think it about it, bring to the fore the thought of what happens to your choices if you don’t take the chance when you can. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today, money is not the be all and end all in life and experience can stay with you longer and can be more refreshing and rejuvenating. Start planning today for your freedom and take a step out of your comfort zone for a change, go somewhere new, push yourself and live a little………

Today we managed to go for a short bush walk to a place called the Blue Hole, I’m not sure if I’ve been here before but I’ll be honest it does not look familiar.

It was maybe twenty minutes or so to drive there and we surprised that it was quite busy and we met a few others as we walked the six km route. There were a few birds out and about and we even managed to capture a glimpse of two kangaroos, although they were a bit far away for the camera to capture.

It is an easy walk and if you come to Armidale then I would recommend coming here as I’m sure if you go off the trail you would be able to explore a lot more down in the gorge. It was a nice way to spend o couple of hours.

Seven years ago this month I made my first trip to China and I was hooked, the culture, the food, the language and the people although sometimes I also found of all of this confronting and disgusting. China is full of surprises and it is really quite difficult to sum up this world power in a few words.

A few years before, I had met some Chinese friends and gained an interest in all things Chinese. Up until 2013 I have travelled throughout South East Asia but had never ventured to china because I thought it would be too difficult because of the language, the logistics but I was totally wrong. I had learned a few phrases of Chinese before I went there and they came in very useful and to my amazement I eased into my month long trip with no effort at all and was surprised at just how friendly the locals were to an old white guy and also how curious they were. Everywhere I went I was able to find someone that spoke English and if not I would have a laugh with the locals as we tried to understand each other.

I started my journey in Guilin which is in the west of China and then I headed to Xian, Beijing, Suzhou and then Shanghai. I have recently returned from Suzhou after being there for nearly three years. I want to return to China soon, but I now have more of an interest to go to the west of the country to the more remote areas and also to some of the city’s that don’t get advertised as often. In recent years I have found that my level of Chinese increases when I am away from the big cities, when there are not many English speakers and this for me is much more fun. I hope to return to China but I would love to spend time in another part of the country.

My understanding of China and its people has grown over the last few years and I now feel as if it is my second home to some degree, but I am also torn between there and Thailand which has always been my favourite destination. The difference between these two countries is striking but my heart is still with Thailand. I think I’m still too young to go there to live yet. I think I would like to spend another couple of years in China and then maybe I could retire to Thailand or at least spend a fair bit of time there. Australia has become too expensive to live in now but Thailand is still very affordable and is easier to adjust to than say living in China, plus the fact getting a visa for China is way more difficult. Thailand does encourage foreigners to retire there and so you can apply quite easily for this. The biggest problem with Thailand of course is the heat; it’s too bloody hot most of the year round. In Thailand I could have a more normal life and by that I mean I could afford to rent or buy there, buy a car and live in a country that is more environmentally aware and generally easier to live in as a foreigner.

In China I could teach English and make enough money to live, however it is way more difficult to do this in Thailand and this is really because the Thai people do not have the same amount of disposable income as the Chinese, so it would be hard to subsidise my living expenses: but I think Thailand in generally cheaper by comparison.

But I guess until all the travel restrictions are lifted I won’t be going anywhere and so for the time being at least I can make a few plans and then decide what to do when the time is right.

Well the sad news is, that I did not win the lottery this weekend which is disappointing to say the least……. But I will not be put off and I will try again next week when the prize pool is somewhat larger. At $4-30 a ticket I think that for the price of a coffee then I shall indulge once more.

Covid 19 has put paid to our plans and our normal everyday life for a while. It’s not all doom and gloom because circumstance and attitude can make each of us have a unique experience, however most folk are not enjoying it one bit. I am one of the luckier ones indeed.

I returned to Australia on the 15^th March and I came to stay with my sister and brother in law in Armidale NSW. The initial plan was for me to do my quarantine here and then I would head north to stay with a friend in Queensland. Shortly after my return the travel restrictions came into force and this has prevented me getting back to my home state, not that I am too bothered by that because I am enjoying staying with Catherine and Stuart and getting to know Armidale using Shanks’s Ponies every day.

Armidale is a small country town and the infection rate here is almost nonexistent but we still have to abide by the rules and so apart from the neighbourhood walks and trips to the shops we have not been anywhere at all. Yesterday however we managed to go for a run in the car and it was really good.

The travel restrictions have been eased slightly which is allowing us to go a bit further afield but not too far. Yesterday we went to Uralla and grabbed a coffee and then we went out to see the old church at Gostwyck where you normally see and abundance of colour at this time of the year. The surrounding elm trees were a little bit bare but the old church still retained a presence.

It’s a private church which was built in 1921 to the memory of Major Clive Collingwood Dangar who lost his life during World War I. The small wall was built to protect it from flooding from the nearby creek. I have come before when the elms were in full colour and the Virginia Creeper which covers the church was resplendent in red, but due to the current drought the trees have been put under immense pressure.

We all came here years ago with my Mum and so it holds a special place in all of our hearts. It’s a very famous landmark which draws folk from all over to admire this small family owned church which was constructed so many years ago sitting in such a wonderful location.