Leaving this adventure behind

We have had a blast this year, and it's not slowing down one bit! Get the details elsewhere on these pages...

After almost a year on the road, we are making some plans about coming back to Australia (I mean, they are pretty bloody vague - not sure Emily would call what we're making 'plans', or maybe her standards were higher before we met! And I would almost certainly have waited until touchdown on the dry continent if it were up to me.)

So though we are making plans - or whatever - about our return to Australia, we are more than a little reluctant to leave the adventure. Obviously, a lot goes on that doesn't make it to this blog - like all the little conversations with truckies and cops and whomever to find out about road conditions or whatever, or the more important conversations which have given us some insight into the thoughts and lives of Peruvians.

Or the adventure we had last night, riding the bike across a footbridge rated for about 10kg less than the weight of the bike (without Emily, who walked), up a goat track and across jungle creeks to get to a waterfall, discussing where to set up, and relaxing in the very green forest above the waterfalls, as the twilight waned. Then when all was black, freaking out at the idea of getting attacked by a jaguar (real possibility, even if low-percentage!), and bailing out in the dark with all same obstacles! We did fall on our feet, ending up a few km later at a guesthouse where we spent the night in a place with monogrammed towels, frilly sheets, a full country kitchen at our disposal and a charming hostess who asked us to name our price! Total blowout of a day and night, but stuff like this just happens all the time! Back to the waterfalls and out for a walk in the rainforest today, probably.

Late June, we are back in Australia, though we love this lifestyle, and it will be bloody hard to leave it behind. But as I said, we are making plans, playing with ideas of where to live and what we will do for work and study, getting excited about visiting people. We are putting time and energy into arranging shipment of the bike, even though we don't know really know where we will be living when we move from this home on the road to a place with stumps and doors.