June 6^th

I had planned to fly from Chengdu to Amman in Jordan today, the flight was booked and so were my hotels for the next week. I was heading for Petra which is one of these ancient wonders of the world. My ultimate destination was the UK where I was going to apply for a new Chinese visa and also be there for my 60^th birthday in July but alas the “Year of the Rat” brought the plague to the world and everything got cancelled.

And so I returned to Australia until further notice, and I’m hoping I can get back to my house where I can contemplate life the universe and everything and maybe even get a job. I have already planned to do some changes to the house and I know that after having the house rented for 4 years means there will be jobs to complete and maybe minor repairs to be done.

I want to get power to the large shed at the bottom of the garden, it’s about 20m or more from the house and it is 6m x 12m and the last time I rented the house many asked if there was power because they wanted to use it as a workshop and so I’m thinking that if I power it up I might be able to get more rent when I finally head off on my next adventure.

I’m also hoping to renovate half the downstairs area which may also add some value and allow me to charge some more rent and of course to escape the heat of the summer which will no doubt be fierce.

So in a little over two weeks I’ll leave Armidale and head to Brisbane, pick up the car and get her roadworthy once more. After which I will be as free as a bird because I’ll be able to go where I want and drive myself here and there rather than having to rely on others or public transport. I fancy a bit of a road trip and so I think I’ll either go away for a few days or take the old girl for a drive and blow out the cobwebs.

Petra, Egypt, Spain, Greece and the UK will all have to wait till another day which is fine by me. I do enjoy my travels but I don’t always enjoy the flights, the airport and so I’m thinking that I might try to get around using trains if possible. I did that in Italy a few years ago and it was really a lot more convenient and less stressful.

However if I get a job and get loads more cash then I think that I may have to consider going to South America, in particular Peru so that I can go to Machu Picchu. My final destination will hopefully be China once more but if I can go to a few more places on the way there then the adventure will begin once more, something to look forward too…………….

Today we went to Point Lookout which is a popular destination for those wanting to go for a walk or just see the coast. If you are lucky and it’s a clear day you can see to the the coast which is approximately 63 km’s as the crow flies.

Point Lookout is over 1600 m but it was not too cold. We went for a short walk along the Eagle’s Nest Trail which takes us down under Point Lookout and then brings back up further along the cliff edge.

First time I have walked here and you do get wonderful views of the the New England national Park. When we arrived today the cloud was just lifting which made it good for the a few photos.

The walk is short but it took us around an hour and a half and then we had a picnic before heading home, egg and tomato sandwiches and tea.

Winter begun yesterday and this morning the temperature plummeted and then it began to
snow. The snow was only very light but it did reinforce the fact that winter had arrived. Along
with the snow came a blast of icy air just to make it all that more comfortable. The wind chill
was only -4 C but it still made a difference. I went out for my usual walk this morning and I still
wore my shorts and after about 10 mins I could really feel the cold on my shins.

The snow was
quite heavy and the front of my jacket was white, my fingers were beginning to feel cold but my
body was warm. It’s invigorating to be out walking when it’s like this and usually my bare legs
don’t complain but they were borderline this morn.
After about 20 mins there was a glimmer of sunshine through the clouds and the snow became
thinner and thinner until it stopped. The wind didn’t and so you knew that you were still alive.
While walking in Armidale the most common birds that you see are the Magpies and I was
wondering this morning how they were coping with the sudden change in the weather. Many
looked fat as they puffed up their feathers, others just got on with business. For me I think as
long as my body, my core is warm then I can deal with the cold……….although even wearing
thicker gloves was insufficient in keeping my fingers happy.

3 years ago I went to Harbin in the north of China to visit the Ice Festival, the temperatures
there got down to -30 C. On the third day I was there I was walking around the city and there
was a slight breeze and it began to slice through my clothing, finally reaching my flesh. Of
course phones and cameras play up when it gets this cold, many things don’t function as they
should. On the street corner near the Russian Orthodox Church was a beggar, playing some
kind of stringed instrument which was making dreadful noises, it too was complaining about
the cold. The old man was rugged up but he could have passed for one of the ice carvings
around the city. He was gaunt, dishevelled and sitting on the ground with only a piece of
cardboard between him and the ground………..how he was able to survive this was beyond me.

Since 2016 I have had winter in China, in Suzhou. The winters have not been particularly cold
but they have been wet and so it makes you feel cold. The houses are not comfortable, well my
place wasn’t, so you end up being like the Michelin man inside and outside the house. You sit
too long and the chill sets in. Thankfully today we have the fire on, the wood burner, and the
heat that it gives off is great…………so much better than using the reverse cycle air conditioner.
The warmth grabs you and heats the whole of your body and the other great thing about it, is
that it doesn’t play havoc with me sinuses…………………..

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.