Update: Going Down Under

[mpizzazz]

We had put our house on the market back in early March and then removed the listing when we went into Covid lock down here in Maryland. When things opened up, the house went back on the market about June 15th and sold about June 24. Settlement is July 31.

Since then we have finished packing and repacking what we did back in the Spring. Note: Don't ever use U Haul boxes except for a quick local move.

The shipping company with much stronger boxes picked it up on July 10th. We are leaving on Saturday, the 25th to fly to Australia. Australia is only allowing citizens and permanent residents in and we will do two weeks quarantine in a hotel in Sydney. We're actually looking forward to it, not having anything to do each day except watch movies or do some knitting /yoga/drawing/painting. Ray is going to try to compose music on a little keyboard he bought and probably blogging our exciting quarantine experience.

The boxed meals may get old fairly quickly but we're hoping our trusted daughter in residence will send us care packages of wine and locally made chocolates. Or maybe a cake with a file hidden in it. Once we are released we can hopefully go to our apartment in Queensland. But due to stupidity by some people which has caused a spike in virus cases, Queensland may close its borders again and we could be stuck in New South Wales for weeks. Whatever, as we have learned from many years of travel, you just have to go with the flow and adapt if things don't go as planned.

Despite all the uncertainties, we are really looking forward to this next chapter in our lives.

Stay tuned...

[BekiWard@msn.com]

Safe travels and a speedy quarantine, Marianne. My fingers are crossed for the care packages & cake!

[Debbie J]

Re (Create) in Queensland?

Seriously, have a safe trip and a change in scenery will be nice.

[nchoney]

You're in the home stretch, now. Hope everything goes smoothly now. And we'll all stay tuned to Ray's blog too. Have fun!! We'll be missing you in person, but we know you'll be happy down under!!

[jmp1022]

Happy and safe travels to the new living.

We'll miss you at recreate.

[pugmom]

Thanks for the update. I was thinking about you the other day.
You must be exhausted, but excited about the future.
I wish you safe travels, an uneventful quarantine and a wonderful life in your new home!
(don't forget to update your address in the address list )

[pamcook]

What a long, drawn out ordeal this has been for the both of you. Robin must be over the moon excited!
Yes, we’ll need your address. Do you know which hotel yet? You know, just in case one file isn’t enough? As you know, Sydney isn’t the worst place to be quarantined. I hope the two weeks go by quickly. Will you be redecorating your new home when you get there? I hope you both have endless walks in that beach!

What would we do without the internet? Of course, probably none of us would have ever met each other!

If I ever get to NZ again, we’ll have to meet half way - oh - wait. Yeah, I need a better plan.

So, so happy Ray is doing better.

Send many, many photos!

[pbp908]

I know that this is going to sound strange, but I'll miss you! It's not that we see each other very much (it's been a while!), but I think it's knowing you're moving half a world away. (If that makes sense!)

I send wishes for safe travel and a quick quarantine, and also hopes that you won't have any further travel issues. Your beach is waiting!

We'll "see" you soon and we'll all be waiting for lots and lots of pictures.

[Monica]

Wishing you and Ray all the best as you step forward to a new chapter in your lives. And while it may have a few more bumps along the way, making a decision that just feels right is always good.

And I envy you two weeks of forced quarantine in a hotel! I could so use that myself right now!

[EDelValle]

How exciting for you and your family!!

Sorry to hear about the quarantine but I'm sure you
can use the time to plan and relax until you really get
into your new home.

I hope that you will be staying in touch with us thoughout
your new adventures.

Best of luck to you and Ray

[paddlegal]

Marianne, how lucky I am that you two mega-travelers visited me and Bob twice on your cross country and overseas trips! I feel the same way as PamP expressed how I'll miss you. Thank goodness we are always only a key stroke away from each other. I will be looking for Ray's wonderfully descriptive blogs and do tell him he must post photos as well. Your two week stay at the hotel will, I hope, allow you two to catch up on sleep, adjust to the time zone and be recharged for your new life style.

Hugs and safe travels my friend.

[Keitha]

Sending positive vibes your way for safe and happy traveling, as much as a trip that long can be. And keeping my fingers crossed that you're able to get home once your Q is up.

[pamcook]

Which route are you flying?

[pat-czap]

May your journey to your new home be smooth and carefree. Right? What a wonderful life experience

[mpizzazz]

Thank you, all, for the good wishes and kind words. As much as we have loved living here for 36 years, we are looking forward to living in another place that we love. I'll update the address once we actually get there. And, I hope to be more active on the forum when our lives settle down. I better do some papercrafting after all the craft supplies I packed in our shipment!

Pam C, we are flying United using our frequent flyer miles BWI Baltimore > San Francisco (I'll wave, Farley!)> Sydney. It's unusual, the flight to Sydney leaves in the morning instead of at nearly midnight. So we arrive in Sydney about 6 or 7 pm, just in time to go to bed when we get to the quarantine hotel. They are only allowing 50 passengers per plane to Sydney so we each have 3 seats to ourselves. It will be an odd experience.

You don't know what hotel they will take you to until you arrive at the hotel but they are all downtown near the Harbour not out by the airport.