Tennis balls, Barack Obama and more walking

Laura and the Yarra River, Melbourne

I only ended up having to walk a very short distance on my way to Australia, thanks to a very cooperative Virgin Australia (love that airline! - www.virginaustralia.com) which gave me three seats to myself on an almost full flight so I slept quite comfortably for much of the 15 hour stretch.  The flight to LAX could have been the longest haul except for a very successful, high tech device that saved my back when I had to sit upright - a 75 cent tennis ball!  Placed strategically behind my lower back, it did a fantastic job of relieving the pressure on my spine.

Rosie and Marzipan the "Astor cat"

I enjoyed two days in Melbourne with our oldest daughter Laura, who is finishing her final year of an advanced diploma in Screen and Media with a documentary about a beautiful old movie theatre in the St. Kilda region, right down the street from her apartment.  The Astor has been under threat of being closed as one of the last truly old-time movie theatre experiences.  Laura's childhood passion for The Clyde Theater on Whidbey Island has transferred to this palatial, ornate old gem that boasts proper food in its snack bar (including tea and cakes, as well as beer and wine) and - my favourite - a resident cat named Marzipan who lives in the theatre and graced us with her presence and attention when we arrived early for a screening of "A Royal Affair" a wonderful movie about early Danish royalty.  (The present crown princess of Denmark, Mary, happened to grow up just a block from where I did in Taroona, Tasmania but that is another post!)  Laura's blog at wordpress is "Saving the Astor" and thanks to the efforts of thousands of people who are as passionate as her, the Astor has now indeed been saved.  I'm always impressed when communities win out over small pockets of wealth and privilege.

Obama's speech in Fed. Square, Melbourne

Speaking of which, one of the most memorable events of my stay in Melbourne was arriving at Federation Square in the heart of town and being greeted by a huge image of Barack Obama giving his speech on a giant outdoor screen.  We were so excited to be able to see it live, and were struck by that fact that apart from some fleeting interest by a few passersby, there were only two other people (an American couple - I checked) who were actively watching.  When Oprah gave a live speech here a few years ago the place was packed with cheering fans! 

Walking in Taroona

Taroona High School

Tasmanian Wattle blossom

View from my Social Studies classroom

And now I'm back in Tassie, staying at my Mum's while we do some work on our house.  My morning walks take me through the neighbourhood where I spent my entire childhood.  Like Whidbey, it is beautiful and surrounded by water - it overlooks the Derwent River, just as it meets the ocean that, at its southernmost point touches Antarctica. Taroona High School, which all seven kids in my family attended (as well as Princess Mary!) could possibly have one of the best views of any school, and I remember it being a major distraction as I stared out the window and dreamed of travel and writing!

Taroona High School - new pizza oven

Swimming lessons "pool" - Derwent River.

And now it's time to take Izzy the bus for her safety inspection so I can get back to the business of Island Time Tours, sharing this lovely island state with some of the visitors who will pass through this summer, as well as local seniors who enjoy our "Jaunts" from Hobart.  

Coming from Fall to early spring is a strange jump, but I'm happy to make it!

Thanks for listening... 
Rosie

  

Walking to Australia

Sunset at Mawelton Beach, Whidbey Island

I have posted twice in one day because I have fallen behind in my commitment to my blog and because today's the day I'm walking back to Australia!  Having done something horrible to my lower back, I have spent the past few days in varying states from lying down to walking non-stop, and at times not being able to move at all.  The power of mind over matter - or it may just be time and anti-inflammatories - has improved things, but this could well be the mother of all trips!

The Clinton Ferry dock

I've enjoyed this flight for years, ever since I started doing it by myself, and when people ask how I can stand it, I remind them that I used to do it for years, often alone, with three kids and I always have that to compare it to.  No movies, no meals in peace, no reading, and almost no sleeping - these days I get to do all that, plus drink free wine! 

Leaving Whidbey Island - Mukilteo ferry dock

But this trip may end up being one other I have to compare to - it may be the longest one yet; longer than the one from Saudi Arabia to New York (about 20 hours) in a middle seat, newly pregnant, with an 8 month old baby on my lap and a sweet Arab man next to me with a 14 month old - on his lap.  It may even feel longer than the 48 hour one from Seattle to Hobart, with three children under five, when we had two plane problems that caused two delays and then a man had a heart attack and we had to turn around and go back to Hawaii, then wait 10 hours to get on another flight, with a bunch of partiers, in the "smoking" section (yes, they actually used to have those on 14 hour flights!!)

Even with the long flights that I've enjoyed, there's always a moment where you think you can't stand it and you're going to flip out and run amok through the cabin.  Once I reach the halfway mark though, it's usually ok, as the second half of anything involving time always goes faster (except for pregnancy). 

The most uncomfortable thing for me at the moment is sitting down, and of the 19 hour trip I'm about to take, 14 of those are non-stop from LAX to Melbourne.  So I'm thinking my only choice might be to walk the whole way.  Once everyone is asleep and things calm down, after meals and general settling in,  I'll be the annoying person pacing up and down the aisles, trying not to bump people who inevitably have various body parts overflowing their seats. 

And still, somehow, I'll find a way to love the trip.  I always do.  The day the smell of jet fuel fails to stir my imagination.......even with a sore back I don't think it ever will.

Thanks for listening...

Whidbey Walking

Wetlands

In spite of its reputation for having a less than ideal climate because of the rain, the Pacific Northwest will often have beautiful weather while the rest of the country is sweltering, like now, or mild weather while everyone else is shoveling snow.   When the sun does shine here, it is possibly one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  This has been particularly appreciated lately as I have been walking every day and it has helped me sustain a consistency that is not necessarily my strong point (as witnessed by these blog posts). 

country roads

Walking is surely the ultimate exercise – totally adaptable, can be done anywhere, all you need is a pair of shoes and you don’t even need those if you’re at the beach.  I love that it can be so many things – exercise, meditation, socializing, brainstorming or head clearing.  Mine is an anchor that keeps me focused each day and also provides space for contemplation and the practice of what a friend once called the “highest form of prayer”- gratitude.

One of the main things that strikes me as I set off down our laneway is the miracle of being safe.  To be able to walk alone, a middle aged woman, down a quiet (depending on ferry traffic) country road and feel physically safe is a gift that so many people in the world don’t have.   That thought mixes with hundreds of others; some I try to let pass by, others help me get caught up in the magic of eagles and hawks circling overhead, the wetlands teeming with life and birdsong, the occasional deer stepping out of the woods and friendly locals Islanders going about their day.  

The best little golf course on Whidbey

Part of my walking route takes me past a little par 3 golf course nestled among dozens of rhododendron bushes and towering Douglas firs.  I’m not much of a golfer – seven holes is about my limit before I get bored, but Island Greens has a special feel to it.  Probably not in the eyes of a serious golfer, but it has funky little tee-off points from the backs of old trucks and an honour system for paying and a cat called Sweet Boy who leaves treats around the course to encourage people to come and play at what is now the only public golf course on the south end after the closure of the only 18 hole course on South Whidbey.  

Whidbey golf

I love that quiet echo-y sound that drifts across a golf course on a sunny day – the whack of a ball, the murmur of voices; groans, laughter, encouragement - the sound of happiness and being in the moment.  

Island laneway

And I stay in my own moment, walking, contemplating the joy of being not only safe, but of being able to walk.  And then another bit of magic to be grateful for – being able to sit down every morning at my little table in my little apartment in one tiny corner of the world, with my favourite cup of tea of the day (the first one) and be able to turn on a computer and be in touch, instantly, with the whole world.