I'm going away!

Yay! I've bought my tickets and organised my accomodation. I'm going up to T.I. in November. Yay, again!

I have previously written about that lovely place, Thursday Island in the Torres Strait at the very tip of Australia (between the mainland, Cape York, and Papua New Guinea) and in Nov. '06 I went there with my mother for a very sad occasion.

This time, though, will be nothing but joy. My cousins are getting their children baptised and in true huge family style, it will be a quintuple christening (and they're working on no. 6). That's right. Since February last year there have been 9 great-grandchildren born to the clan, three in Sydney and the rest up in Far North Queensland.

I'm so excited! Yesterday when the plan was initially considered I was completely shocked by how cheap the tickets were! Usually it costs well over $1,000 to fly up there but I managed to get one for $570. I couldn't believe it! (Actually, yesterday the price was $520 but I hesitated and missed out.)

I'll only be going for 5 days, two of which will be spent travelling... 6 hours up, 9 hours back (with a three hour wait in Cairns). To save Dan's sanity I'll take Elora with me since she's free anyway.

I can't wait! I love going up there and seeing all my family. I love seeing the racial mix of my cousins and the next generation. I love the smell of the sea air and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. I love being on boats. I love the peace and quiet of a small town in the tropics.

But... I'd better get sewing. I've got presents to make for six babies!

Oh yeah, and I was playing around with the camera on my MacBook again. Here's me, grinning like a fool because I'm so excited. Believe me, it's the best of a lot of photos I just took. Plus, you get to see my cosy, cosy dressing gown which I've mentioned just a few times.