Hi everyone!

It has already been over 15 months since we did THE BIG TRIP to Spain, Greece and Morocco! And that time has passed so quickly!

Life has dragged on – the usual things – although I haven’t been in work since we returned. So I’ve been doing a lot of volunteering – mostly taking ‘Oldies’ to their appointments, but also at the museum and some events around town. I still work with Eric at review time (December to end of March) but that doesn’t keep me too busy.

This year I’ve been concentrating on weight loss and fitness – I know, the modern obsession! But it’s important for my mental and physical health to be in the best shape I can be and I’ve let that go over the years. Eric and I intend to do plenty more travelling and have lots of adventures yet – and to keep up with him 😀 I need to be amazing!!!! So I go to Curves (a women’s fitness centre) 4-5 times a week and I’ve been meal replacing – was doing great before Christmas (lost 9kg) but sugar became my friend again after Christmas and I’m just now (this very day) getting back on track. So bring on the next 10kg loss!!

We did a couple of small trips last year – 10 days in Auckland in May and we visited Mum and Dad in Tassie in November and checked out the east side of Australia a little. Instead of flying to Mum and Dad we drove over to Melbourne to catch the ferry to Tasmania. For the uninformed, that’s just under 3,000km. The first day we did 1,600km and overnighted at Ceduna, South Australia. Then we drove to Adelaide, via Port Augusta and overnighted in Adelaide, visiting a few small towns along the way. We then had a couple of nights in Melbourne before jumping on the ferry (12 hour trip) to Devonport, where we then drove to Mum and Dad – probably about an hour?! We only spent a short week with them and then we ferried back to Melbourne and drove up the coast a little and visited Beechworth, Bright and Albury/Wodonga. On the way home, we went via Bendigo and back to Ceduna and then home. A lot of driving – I’ve said to Eric “next time, the car goes on to the train!”. But I’m not sure if he listened!! 🙂

One of my long held dreams has been Christmas in New York – and this year it will happen. Actually, Christmas Day will be in Boston – but the whole Christmas festivity, lights, shows and FEEL will be happening – arrive in New York approximately 19th December; have a few days there and then train up to Boston on Christmas Eve, so Christmas Day will be in Boston and then back to New York about the 30th Dec to be in New York for New Year! TIMES SQUARE FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE!! Gotta do it! I’m very EXCITED! 😀

Luckily for me, Eric continued to work very hard this year – and we can afford to still travel! GOOD ONE, ERIC! Love you!!!

Eric the Legend faced a great personal challenge this year – by doing the Rotto Swim. This is an Open Water event from Perth to Rottnest Island (19km) and happens annually. His friend Tim (Farmanco partner) asked him to do a duo swim. So Eric started training in the pool back in about July last year (2014) and started swimming with the sharks in Esperance Bay (jokes!! – I was the ‘shark spotter’) in about November in preparation for this swim.

They completed the swim in about 8 hours and 43 minutes (something like that!). No records set, but the challenge for them was doing the swim – not being first!! And considering that there are were elite athletes participating, they were never going to be the winners. BUT Eric has such enthusiasm and can-do attitude that I only stand there gobsmacked when he takes on these things. Eric is the ‘Kiwi Butt’ in the crowd photo!!

So, we have quite a lot of travelling planned for the next 10 years! Before we become too decrepit!! 🙂 I’ll write more when we have done some planning for New York/Boston and of course, while we’re there! Cannot wait!

BYE xxx  (Photos below are: 1. Eric almost ready to go 2. “Here I Am” and 3 ‘Ready, set ….’ Eric is in the Kiwi speedos’