On the Road Again

We are on the road again!
Summary thus far.
Left Melbourne boxing day 2014.
Travelled north, following HIghway One along the east coast until reaching Cape Tribulation at the end of May.
Headed back to Cairns via Port Douglas to get on the bitumen road to Cook Town (there is a dirt road from Cape Tribulation to Cooktown, but our van is too low for creek crossings)

On arrival in Cairns on the 5th June, I went to the Cairns base hospital with an eye issue where they diagnosed a detached retina. Took the first available flight to Brisbane for emergency surgery the next day.

Two lots of surgery and 14 weeks of recovery later, and things are much improved. The surgery – Vitrectomy, Scleral buckle, cryotherapy and gas bubble, meant keeping my head down on a particular angle 45 minutes each hour 24/7 for 12 weeks, no flying, going up mountains or on bumpy roads.
We are so grateful to my wonderful sister and brother in law, Kay and Mike and nephew David, who opened their home and hearts to us, fed us, cared for us and helped Tim nurse me back to health. My brother Keith flew to Cairns with Tim to drive the car and van to Brisbane. I am so lucky and truly blessed to have such an amazing, loving and supportive husband and family and friends.

Once I could travel in the car with out too much discomfort (various arrangements of pillows), we spent a few days in the van at Byron Bay, Amity Point on North Stradbroke Island and Dicky Beach on the Sunshine Coast between surgeon appointments. Its whale watching season here. The light house at Byron Bay and Point Lookout on Stradbroke Island are great vantage points for land based whale watching. Tim, Mike and Kay went out on a boat whale watching off Byron Bay and had an amazing time, saw lots of whales and other sea creatures.

It’s 6 weeks until my next appointment, the gas bubble has gone so I can go up mountains (and fly if necessary), so we are heading to Cooktown, might even get there this time.

Byron Bay (more pics to come… when I find them)