The Ayers Family Trip Around Australia. . .: Reflections on Canberra

It has been a bit funny leaving Canberra. I think I got a little too used to a warm house, having a loo closeby, bench space and, of course, being able to catch up with our wonderful friends David, Justine, Aidan, Lauren, Kerryn and Pete.

We didn’t do that much but just regrouped ourselves after being in the Snowies, and spent a lot of time chatting and musing!

I’m jotting some highlights of the Canberra trip down – these are in no particular order….

getting to see Kerryn all bubbly again in her fantastic unit she shares with Pete. It is full of memories from travels to South America, a huge number of mini-mirror balls, red telephones and loads of beautiful lighting.

I so miss having Kerryn as a close and regular part of my life. She is one of the few people I feel truly relaxed with as she just makes everything feel easy and friendly - and the fact we've known each other since high school is pretty neat. It was brilliant getting to see her and Pete a couple of times when we were in Canberra. Each time we talk with Peter, we like him more and more. He is a gem!

Four year old Lauren Bruce trying so hard to remember to call Harry ‘Harry’ and not ‘Hairy’.
Justine and me going out for coffee downstairs at the local second hand bookshop in the funky coffee shop they were just starting to build when we were last in Canberra (we drank tea as always….)
the delicious mandarins from the organic produce store in Curtin.
that Max, Aidan and Aidan’s friend Sophie went on a mountain biking course together.
David cooking a delightful, authentic Pad Thai.
meeting Bruce family friend Catherine who is mum to two kids, makes quince paste and plum jam, runs regularly at a furious pace and works three days a week. Wow!
The fires. I think I had almost forgotten how lovely an outside fire, good music and a glass or two of red can be.
Canberra’s three especially stunning buildings – the War Memorial, New Parliament House and Old Parliament House. We just ran out of time this time to tour ‘Old PH’ again – more time was devoted to sleeping in after late night chats…
encountering the potential future chess champion of the world in Aidan. He has only just started learning how to play and already plays a mean game. He played Trevor, Max and me at every opportunity and won a number of these games.