I have a new family in my garden

My tree has grown so much in the last few years and it’s great to see that this family has moved in.

I came back to Australia to get a mole checked on my side and thankfully all was well with it and I got a clean bill of health.

I then went to my GP and got a check up and got blood tests and today I got my results and my doctor told me that it looks like China agrees with me. All levels are good and my cholesterol is even better than before. My blood pressure was sitting at an all time low and I feel very thankful. And so my doctor tells me that I should return to China and that is what I will do. I’ll be leaving on Monday and I’m looking forward to getting back. I just hope that I have enough room in my suitcase for all the shopping 😂😂

I drove down from Ipswich yesterday and took the scenic route from Ipswich to Kyogle. The road was very twisty, up and down dale and round many bends and over single narrow wooden bridges, but it was a delight to drive it after being grounded for many months.

The I30 I’m driving is surprisingly good. It has a 6 speed box semi automatic and it is very responsive and so it was great on this road.

I haven’t been down here in years and I’d forgotten how nice the beach is here. Catherine and Stuart have a camper trailer and there is room for me to sleep on the floor. My niece Jennifer is also here with her family and I haven’t seen them for quite a few years and so it’s good to see them too. I haven’t stayed in a caravan park in a long time but this one at Sawtell is really good.

It’s hot but the wind is quite strong and so it can also feel a little bit fresh at times and I’m afraid I’m not brave enough to get my togs off and go for dip, although everybody else did.

I got a hire car today from Hertz and so I went to the Airport to pick it up. I booked it online and so it was just a case of going in and signing my life away.

My customer service rep thought that he was extremely cool because he kept on referring to me as “Team Campbell” I was thinking “what a fucking idiot”

He told me to go to bay C6 to pick up my “chariot” which I did and proceeded to check the car from bumps and scratches. I also took a video. I drove to the exit to get the final check only to find that he had given me the wrong car and so I had to put it back. Go Team……

I went to E6 and picked up another car and proceeded to check it once more and then I was on my way.

It’s a small Hyundi and it’s very well equipped with all mod cons including a reversing camera. All in all a tidy wee car.

I planted this Poinciana tree 8 years ago. I went to the local markets and bought a small cutting for about $4. I gave it a lot of care and attention to it because it seemed to struggle to root. We had storms and so much rain that it had to be supported quite a lot. It began to get stronger and you could see that it would soon be able to stand on its own. The small trunk was increasing in girth and you could see it beginning to thrive.

The flood came less than a year after and my tree was completely covered for nearly three days. As soon as I could I hosed all the dirt off it and really paid attention to it over the coming weeks. Thankfully after a lot of luck and maybe some help from me, she survived and has grown into the wonderful tree you see here. It is even beginning to flower this year which is the first time I think. It has taken 8 years to get to this height and stature, which is an incredible achievment after what it has gone through.

I was a bit worried about what I would eat when I came to Australia because I have really changed my diet in recent weeks, but I have had some great food at Maria and Danny’s. Last nights dinner was great and so colourful too boot.

I got into Cairns at about 8am yesterday morning and went for a coffee, changed clothes and had a coffee. The flight was OK although I did not sleep much. The food was passable but not the best I’ve had while travelling. I asked for a window seat but got the aisle, but at least there were only two seats. My fellow passenger was older than me and had the stench of fresh nicotine oozing from every pore and the clothes that looked like they had not been washed in a while and so the nicotine had an aged smell to it too for added flavour. This is way more disgusting because it has had the time to mix with the natural body odours and in turn it creates an overwhelming smell worthy of a vomit.

Anyway that was all behind me now and I was on my way to the Domestic Terminal to get my flight to Brisbane. I saw a Jetstar rep and asked her if I could get an earlier flight rather wait till 4.40pm and she said yes and so I got my new boarding pass and went to the gate.

When I arrived in Brisbane I got the train to Ipswich to where I will stay with Danny and Maria. They have been very good to put me up for about 2 weeks. They also have helped me a lot over the years and Danny will help me to check my PO Box and collect my mail. He’s also quite a good cook but don’t tell him I said that.

Today I went to see my Skin Cancer Doctor and I was still feeling anxious up until he checked the mole on my skin. He quickly said “it’s OK, nothing to worry about” I was so relieved to hear that, mind you be did freeze a few potential problem spots on me skull. It’s a very strange feeling indeed, a bit like my brain was on fire.

So I left there with my spirits higher than they were when I arrived and so I decided to go for a wee walk through Ipswich and to breathe in the fresh air, something that has been in short supply in recent months. The pollution in Suzhou is about 16 more than here. Ipswich has also many lovely old houses and everywhere is so green and lush. I was woken up at the crack of dawn this morning by the parrots feasting on next doors mango tree. What a racket they make.

I went for some retail therapy and then headed home for lunch. I have 23kg of booty to buy to take back to China. I have maybe spent 5kg today and so I have plenty more to do.

A walk to the bus stop to grab the #5. Then onto the high speed train to Shanghai and now I’m on the bus to the airport. It’s such a long way from Suzhou to Pudong and so usually I try to fly out of Hongqiao but I could not get a flight from there. But you know the total cost is about $15,which at the end of the day is OK compared to let’s say Australia. You will be lucky if you can travel more then a few miles for that amount. It takes around two hours for the journey from start to finish.

I wonder if I’ll get an upgrade to business class 😊