Prep for the Trip of a Lifetime

Now .................. Today 2 January 2012.  A Review of Year 2011............ The year started out with great prospects. I went on a cruise to Vanuatu and New Caledonia in April. Took a trip to Cairns with Jodie and Lisha from Softball, in May and went to Warnambool on a Masters Tournament in June. So the first part of the year looked like it was shaping up to be a great year. Oscar stepped into my life at the end of January and dance couldn't have been better either.  Finally I did not have to lend other woman's partners I finally had somebody I could dance with, somebody I loved dancing with, somebody who loved dancing as much as I did and who seemed to have as much fun dancing as I did.  Then the wheels fell off in July and everything went downhill from there. Mom and Jen passed on within three days of each other. Mom from poor health and Jen committed suicide. The kids had made decisions to move interstate. Marl was leaving work and lets face it I think even the job I was doing at the time contributed. It was not so much the work, cause I did love what I did, but the environment and the amount of stress that, that came with. Its crazy when I think back on this year and wonder what I coulda, shoulda, woulda done different and I think that it really does not matter what I think, it would have turned out this way, no matter what. On the 24th November 2011 after a horrific year (I have dubbed 2011 the "Year of Loss") I threw in the towel at work. There is a lesson in this little story in that I really should have taken time out  instead of working through the pain and pretending it wasn't there. I spoke to Oscar about my plans and he seemed keen to embark on an adventure with me.  Oscar............... I met Oscar in January 2011 at a Rock 'n Roll Dance in Rosebud. Oscar is a friend of David, Marl's very special other half, and Oscar and I spent most of the year getting to know each other at dance venues around Melbourne. We have become friends and this trip will determine whether we remain friends or not. It is one thing to see somebody on the occasion and another altogether to live in close confines with each other and each others habits. Should prove to be very interesting. I would normally make jokes about the outback but I don't want them coming back to haunt me sometime down the line so I am not going there. But it is a BIG outback........... couldn't resist lol. Timing.............  Well Oscar and I have finally found a van and now the serious preperations begin.  We don't have a plan and we don't want a plan, we just want to get in the vehicle and start travelling but this trip is not all about me.  There are 2 of us and we have to compromise.  I am so excited.  Can't wait.  Till later Van.