We're about to embark on our first overseas trip since our South African adventure at the end of 2006. When Caesar entered his dotage, his eyes dim and his hearing almost non-existent, we just couldn't bear to leave him in a kennel......who would he snuggle with at night and who would wake him from his whimpering nightmares? Who would throw his ball when he nudged it crookedly across the floor? So we traveled in our motorhome exclusively where Caesar was king of the road …... up to Oklahoma City March 15, 2009 where his remains remained and we sadly carried on. We've made the shaky decision to go dogless for a few years to allow us the freedom to come and go at whim without responsibility. However, the dogless state is not what we would choose, so who knows how long we'll hold out. In the meantime, we'd better get some of the longer trips we've planned out of the way.

So, we're off to the 'Land of Oz' for six weeks, returning home a week before Christmas. A wise neighbour advised us to put up our Christmas tree before we left.....I thought it a strange idea at first but came to the realization that it was a mighty fine one. I never ever thought that the day would come where my tree was up before Halloween but I popped a Bing Crosby CD in the player and tossed tinsel to the mellow sound of White Christmas.

And here's our itinerary:

Nov 4 Vancouver LA Melbourne
Nov 8 Pickup rental car Port Campbell Great Ocean Road Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne, Wye River, Apollo Bay, Otway Nat'l Park, 12 Apostles, Port Campbell
Nov 9 Queenscliff Great Ocean Road Port Campbell, Colec, Geelong, Queenscliff
Nov 10 Phillip Island Penguin parade/koala habitat Via Queenscliff/Sorrento ferry
Nov 11 Bairnsdale/Cooma
Nov 12 Canberra
Nov 13 Return rental car Sydney
Nov 14-17 Sydney
Nov 17 Fly Jetstar from Sydney to Melbourne
Nov 18 Embark Dawn Princess
Nov 19 At sea
Nov 20 Adelaide
Nov 21 At sea
Nov 22 At sea
Nov 23 Albany
Nov 24 Bunbury
Nov 26 At sea
Nov 27 Exmouth
Nov 28 At sea
Nov 29 Broome
Nov 30 At sea
Dec 1 Darwin
Dec 2 At sea
Dec 3 At sea
Dec 4 Port Douglas
Dec 5 Airlie Beach
Dec 6 At sea
Dec 7 At sea
Dec 8 Brisbane
Dec 9 At sea
Dec 10 Newcastle
Dec 11 Sydney
Dec 12 At sea
Dec 13 Hobart, Tasmania
Dec 14 Hobart, Tasmania
Dec 15 Burnie, Tasmania
Dec 16 Melbourne / LA / Vancouver