Did I mention we're back in Australia. Land of the long flat white or so the barista's shirt declared. Basically, we are killing time between boats. Can you tell?

And killing time is exactly what I was tempted to do the nights we stayed at Paddy and Carolyn's, just north of Sydney. You see, Paddy has this ancient chiming clock which, during the evening, gives a rather homely, rounded soft "ding, dong, ding dong etc....." on the hour. It also does the whole ding, dong thing in the morning - just as you've finally sunk into a deep sleep, having spent the night wide awake with the jet lag, "DONGGGG!! DONGGGGG" it signalled seven o'clock. At least I think it was seven. It might have been eight but the clock crashed to the street shortly after the seventh chime. At least, in my head it did.

We were up bright and early to catch a flight to Perth to pick up our ride for the next few weeks, a high top 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser. Comfy.

Forty years ago today we said, "I do", packed up our car, boat and tent and headed off for the Nationals with, we're delighted to say, a goodly number of present day Blog followers although perhaps not the most romantic or indeed successful of honeymoons. Sixteenth as I recall. Arthur and Robbie, Stuart and Graham did better.

We treated ourselves to the week of the Nationals in an hotel in Torquay. The Gas Light I think it was called. The second week was spent on our knees crawling around in our tiny orange Vango tent.

I know how to treat a gal.

+*****pic from honeymoon*****

Fast forward forty years and as we sat outside Chez Land Cruiser, having lunch by the roadside, we reflected on how far we'd come.

- In our teens, buying and campaigning our first boat.

- In our twenties, married with three weans.

- In two days we'd come 300k north of Perth.

- In sixty days we'd flown around the world to see these same weans and, their weans.

- In six years we'd sailed half way round the world.

- In forty years.........back crawling around the inside of a camping truck.

Well, as Anne said, at least we're inside. That's progress. Not to mention tolerance.