Tuesday 17 September 2024

A Living Postcard


 It's almost three months since Caitlin and Brendan took off on their lap around Australia. Caitlin video calls when there is decent internet service and it is always great to see her in her surroundings. Sometimes she calls from a dark campsite or tent so I don't see much at all but other times there are trees, skies and even roos to be seen.
Never did I imagine that I would get to see her at Uluru. What a different world we live in to the one I remember. On my own first trips away from home I used to phone mum and dad's house phone from some remote pay phone, standing in the cold or the heat, hoping I had enough coins to finish the conversation and say goodbye.

Even on a blurry, glitchy video call Uluru was stunning. The colours of the dirt, the bushes, the rock and the sky were breathtaking. And now I have to add it to my wish list.

Liam and his wife will have my first grand baby in the next few weeks and at some point in the early weeks of bebe's life Caitlin will come home to offer her willing hands, leaving Brendan to fish or swim or whatever he does on a solo trip.

How lovely it is for me to follow this adventure virtually. 


20 comments:

  1. Definitely lovely to see some of their trip - and it will be lovely to see Caitlin again when the grand baby arrives. Will she rejoin Brendan?

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    1. yes, I meant to say that! she'll come back for a week or two then continue the trip

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  2. That is exciting to have your first grandchild. Even for me, it was exciting to me when my first great niece arrived. Now I have too many greats, like eight I think, all from one brother's children.
    Maybe you are inspired to visit Uluru in the future. But no matter, it must have been so good to see it through Caitlin's eyes.

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    1. It was amazing to see. It feels more real when someone you know is on screen with the scenery.
      Eight greats! That's a good number

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  3. Uluru is the place in Australia I would like to visit. I think now it would be dangerous to fly that far. I think it is great she can contact with our modern ways. I was excited for my daughter to have my first grandchild, too. I even got to go and spend a month in NY when he was 8 days old. That was exciting. Tommy is asleep right now, but I will view the video in the morning.

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    1. Yes, it's hard to get travel insurance with age, too.
      There's no video, it's just a screen shot of what I was seeing.
      If you were in NY at day 8, your daughter must have been newly home. An intimate time

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  4. Don't you love the modern world of connecting? It makes such huge difference to being in the moment with the loved ones.
    Congrats on the grandbaby exciting times for you.
    XO
    WWW

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    1. I never thought it would be so exciting to see a place on video. Technology gets a bad rap but it does some amazing things.
      It will be nice to have a little in the family

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  5. Yes, it's so easy now to contact people while they're on the move, without all the old palaver of payphones and having the right coins. Jenny and I talked about going to Uluru but for one reason or another it never happened.

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    1. Uluru is a very long way from nowhere and it's expensive out there. I'd guess that might be part of it

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  6. Things ain't like they used to be. Not so many years ago cell phones didn't have cameras.

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    1. The first time I saw someone use a phone camera I wondered why. haha that joke was on me

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  7. Having the first healthy, happy grandchild is better than graduating with a degree, getting married and having a first baby. It is totally pleasurable.

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  8. A first grandchild coming into the world is so very exciting. Enjoy.

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  9. How lovely that Catherine is bearing your first grandchild. I hope that he or she arrives safe and healthy. You will make a fantastic grandmother Kylie - even if you do take a break at Uluru.

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    1. Everything is on track for a healthy little one :)
      Thank you, Neil

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  10. We are very fortunate these days to be able to do that. When I went on safari in Western Australia cellphones were in their infancy. My elderly parents lived in England and I'd phoned them every day (when I hadn't seen them) for years. Australian cellphone communications were pretty good even 20 years ago and I rarely missed a day even from the outback.

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    1. You were a devoted son, Graham.
      Phone service here is generally pretty good and I mostly take technology for granted but to see Uluru live with my daughter in the shot was just amazing. How the world has changed!

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