Travel is a risk. It asks you to leave your comfort zone of
all things that define “home” things that give you false security and help you
pretend that nothing will ever change or scare you. Some people are afraid to
travel because they are afraid they will die.
Since I was raised from the death of addiction by a loving God who saw
me in the Lost and Found, I am not afraid of dying, I’ve done that already. I’m afraid of not having lived.
Almost 50 brave sober alcoholics joined me in March to
Australia & New Zealand as we passed the 45th parallel twice in
one week to see mysteries, ancient forests with 1200 year old trees, take once
in a lifetime photographs and see things where no camera was allowed.
At the beginning of the journey, after connecting with our
brothers and sisters in the Sydney group via the internet, we met for dinner
and a meeting. When asked if there were
any out of towners, 30 people from different states in the USA raised their
hands. As we said our names and states, it was awesome that our program
traveled us so far together.
The next day, the first of our many private tours, began at
the Sydney Opera House. We tiptoed through piano tuning as they prepared for an
evening performance (they have 40 a week in the many venues). It was a
delicious preview of what was to come. The tour information about all the roof
tiles detailed what an extraordinary piece of architecture it was. A contest to
create it was held and only at the last minute and American judge who was late
pulled the design out of the discarded heap. That was the winner. Although the
Danish architect Jorn Utzon did not get to see it, his son and grandson became
architects to carry on the family tradition.
We visited the Blue Mountains to see the Three Sisters rock
formation and hear aboriginal folklore followed by lunch at the Carrington
Hotel nestled in the town of Katoomba. If ever I was in an old English movie,
it was that day. I felt as though I could have stayed a year and written
several novels while a John Gielgud waited on me. The stained glass glistened,
the antiques stood proud and polished and the staff was excited to be a part of
the history begun in 1880 when the hotel was built. In a country where there
are more sheep than people, lamb was on the menu everywhere.
The Aboriginal people have been in Australia for 40,000
years. Their relationship with nature was wonderful to hear from a smoke
ceremony to animal dances, to the blowing of didgeridoo instruments.
We saw a Cassowary Bird which seemed to be an infant escaped
from Jurassic Park. This prehistoric bird with a stone horn could disembowel a
human. I didn’t get too close to the fence!
We went to a real Aussie farm and a “Jillaroo” a 29 year old
woman in training to be a farm owner/manager met us mounted on a horse and gave
us all kinds of lessons. She taught us how to crack a whip, throw a boomerang
and shear sheep! She was so talented and strong as she rode a horse and gave
very small commands to “Bandi” an amazing sheep dog.
Our British tour guide for the 4 days in Sydney had such a
good time she did not leave us in the evenings but joined us just for fun. She
helped us get tickets to the Opera House performance of “Conchita” a drag queen
revue of dazzling singing and costumes, a precursor of the Mardi Gras happening
the next day in Sydney.
Our private tours in New Zealand took us overnight in
Queensland on a 135 year old steamship to a farm for an exquisite dinner and
another sheep shearing. We traveled over land 500 miles and we caught up with
the ship the next day in Dunedin. I love cruising because it’s quite lovely to
have your room waiting for you at the end of every adventure.
One of the highlights for me was the visiting with the previously
cannibal Maori tribesmen. We were taken to a cave that was family owned for 13
generations. It was dark, wet, and hung with dripping stalactites. As we stepped precariously on the wooden
bridges, all lights were turned off. Only then could you look up and at the top
of the cave lit up like the bright stars in the black heavens and you could see
the glow worms. No photos were allowed; you just had to be there.
Many adventures later at the end of our journey, a couple
thanked me for a once in a lifetime trip they brought their parents on. I am
sure the parents enjoyed the trip. However, when their son went Bungee jumping
off a 141 ft. off a bridge in New Zealand where it was invented, I’m sure the parents
had some heart stopping moments.
Another couple lovingly embraced and coddled while he pushed
her wheelchair said they could not have taken this trip if it were not for our
group. It was their third trip with us.
The most satisfying kiss goodbye was from a first time
guest, an 86 year old gal who looked at me with the most beautiful soft eyes
and said I had given her hope. Her life was not over; it had just begun a new
chapter. Then she went off snorkeling in a wet suit to the Great Barrier Reef with some of the girls.
We see rainbows instead of rain and miracles everywhere when
we are traveling in the God bubble, and I am grateful and thankful to witness
it.
