Who came up with this MAD idea???

1. 
   

So it is almost here, what began as a thought becomes a reality. Who is responsible for this mad idea... Well we are all to blame!

Initially we could say that Frances wasnt happy at her school, so we explored the options of another state school, Steiner or home schooling. The way it worked out meant that we had to give Tarremah a whole terms' trial and being a private school we got to counting the dollars of sending two children to private schools and figured you could afford around the world tickets for the whole family for the price!

Then Lily, Gerard's mom died and we had to make a quick getaway to the funeral and discovered that it is possible to find people willing to take on our extended animal family. As well there is always that realisation around life and death that one should live life while we can. That there should be no 'if onlys'. I have always wanted to go home to my house in Scotland, not just to pass by, but to be there again.

We were busily getting plans sketched for building on bedrooms for the girls when Abbey piped up that she would rather go to Camp Winnarainbow. It is Frances' last chance to go this year - she is too old next year and Abbey felt if they didnt go this year then she wouldn't get to go on her own in the future.

Mom is always flitting back and forth to India and loves it, but also works in the Tong-len centre there. The idea of going to see what she gets up to and helping out with those less fortunate, began to take place. It seemed the right time for us all to see how the rest of the world gets along, take a reality check on where the world and our values are heading...

So then the idea was voiced and Gerard didn't put up enough opposition to it. Initially he wasn't thrilled but was unable to argue the logic!!! And eventually he came around. So began these last five months of planning and it all starts to fall into place with not a moment to spare!!!

Camille

1. 
   

ITS EIGHT DAYS TO GO and we can hardly breathe. Time is pressing us to the limit. On weekends Dad is home and mum and him fix and clean the house etc getting it ready to go.
On the weekend after this I (Abbey) am having a birthday party! So dad and mum wont be able to do the work but that is OK we SHOULD be organised by then!!!
Last weekend Frances's friend Freda came round and we made lemon Yum Yum for lunch. It was Nancy's Birthday also and her cake was a pancake on the outside with some fish juice and dog food in the inside and another pancake.
On Monday we went to visit Peregrine school, I suppose to say bonvoyage, but also because it was my birthday treat.

Abbey

To help with the stress and rush, after visiting school on Monday, our darling friend Sasha came round to our place. We walked home from the top of Graces Road. On the way we met some dogs, so I picked Nancy up. Her head smacked into my cheek bone and where she hit it a HUGE lump quickly formed...
Abbey and Sasha seemed to think that my face being lumpy was extremely funny, we had just been talking about if you biffed someone between the eyes, they would have a bindi and hey presto I get a big bindi under my eye! Talk about BAD karma!!!
So here I am with my face swollen and personal image is at it's all time low!
Today the swelling has drifted closer to my nose and is making my eye water.
I feel like I have just woken up because my bottom lid is half closed and wont open all the way up.
Today I coloured in my cover page on my journal, that was kind of like doing art at school but much more fun! Dad got some maps printed out and Abbey and I were finding some of the places that we will be going to in India and the UK.

Frances

1. 
   

A trip to India, England, Holland with the added bonus of a one day touch down in the USA was not exactly what I was anticipating at this time last year. My little ole mind was more engaged on the possibility of exploring the wonders of the Pilbera, being startled by the good light in Broome, or waking to the softening of the ocean on a warm morning somewhere around the girt of this great southern land.

Maybe as Camille says I didn't have the arguments. Or use logic (but then who believes that logic has any mandate on the capacity to sway or influence decision making, or even satisfy an argument). What I initially imagined in my unique swirling vortex of thoughts were all of those doubts that tend to pop up in my ABC radio news attuned brain...on the what is g'happening g'where, and what is g'happening g'when. And at times like that I remember what Iris Todd once said to me ......, "I never listen to the news or read newspapers." So I put aside the stupefying and (dare I say) illogical thoughts of Tsunami, Earthquake, Mumbai, Racism, Water Bottles, Hotel Descriptions, Security, Poms, Backpacks, Dykes, Lack of one fingerprint, Iris photos at Customs and got the airfare thing organised.

As a family together we have read many descriptions of India, over the dinner table or snuggled together; the beaches and festive and mountain and humanity and swarming and reach and awe and potent and honour and callous and choas and joy and order of the Indian way/s. We have googled ourselves to sleep looking for the campervan to home us through England, the visa waivers into the USA, health checks for Camp Winnarainbow and, as little Abbey says, we still have a bit to do.

So we will see what engulfs us, both be-cause of us, and be-cause of who and what we are surrounded by. Life tends to be determined by those few things, don't you reckon?

It will be great to share what we can of our trip with you.

Gerard.