The Tail End of 2017

Wave Rock, Hyden WA
Complementary colors at Wave Rock.

In case you haven’t noticed IT’S NOVEMBER. I’m shocked. I was shocked when I saw Halloween decorations in Woolworths, and I was shocked the next day when I saw them in the bargain bin, replaced by mince pies and fruitcake.

I have a bunch of posts in the pipeline—some day I’m going to write about Tasmania—but wanted to do some real-time writing. We’re in Hyden, Western Australia right now, checking out Wave Rock on our slow crawl east towards Christmas in Newcastle: 3,763.9km to go if we take the shortest route (unlikely).

Here’s what’s been happening over here in the old Nissan Patrol + camper trailer.

Bali

We spent ten days in Bali. The volcano didn’t explode, I got attacked by sea lice, and my new favorite thing is a toss-up between banana pancakes and smoothie bowls. Our Airbnb hosts Wayan and Wayan were amazing.I didn’t fall in love with Bali, but I have a feeling I’ll be back. True romance takes time anyway.

Couple in Bali
Also, my husband is a Man With A Beard these days. When did that happen?

Jared’s Green Card

After nearly NINE MONTHS of waiting, we finally received word that the petition has been passed to the National Visa Center for processing. Essentially, this means that we are now cleared to submit the actual application—after we pay our fees, of course. For us, this long wait is annoying but not unbearable; we’re together, we’re on this trip, we’re not in a hurry. But for families who are separated I imagine the extended radio silence is gut-wrenching.

Visiting the USA

So, because this visa business is taking longer than expected, I bought myself a solo flight to the USA for 10 days in March 2018. I’m going Air New Zealand (yessss) and have only booked as far as Los Angeles. My immediate family is currently scattered around the country—Denver, New Orleans, Washington DC, and Jacksonville—but there are also friends I’d love to see in Indy so watch this space.

Aussie Citizenship

I’m banking on an invite to the citizenship ceremony in Newcastle on January 26th, where I’ll make my pledge and officially become a dual citizen. I am really excited about this but reserving emotions until that invitation arrives in the mail.

Road Trip

We are officially on the last leg of this road trip, and I am tent-weary. There. I said it. After ten days in a house sit in Perth and ten days in a bungalow in Bali, returning to tent life was like sliding straight off my unicorn into a pit of mud. It’s unseasonably cold and painfully windy in southwestern WA, so we escaped to the ‘golden outback,’ aka the fly wonderland of Hyden. I’m sure my complaining will ease as “spring” slides into summer, but despite this being the trip of a lifetime (I know), I am really pumped about unpacking the trailer for the last time in Newcastle this December.

red tingle tree

That smile is fake, I’m wearing too many layers for it to be real.

Sunny Coast for NYE

But wait! We also have a sneaky trip to the Sunshine Coast booked for New Year’s Eve, which I’m really looking forward to. We’ll be sleeping in a real house with four walls and a roof so already it is shaping up to be luxury.

How’s the end of 2017 going for you?

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