Sending the message

Hi everyone!  Well, I'm back after an eventful but dramatically shortened holiday.

We left on Friday getting to my in-laws in Gatton and then Saturday morning trudged down to the portside point where we were due to embark.  Well, that's where the first wrinkle appeared.  Thankfully P&O were on the ball and arranged to bus everyone over to the Grain Terminal where we got on the boat (albeit a tad wet and soggy by the time we got there!)

But we had a great crew on the Pacific Dawn.  The first couple of days were hugely rough but we were lucky and made all three ports (unlike the other 2 P&O boats - one couldn't get back into Sydney and the other was stuck in the harbour for 3 days!)

We had a quick stop in Noumea - although it was really really late so we didn't get to do our tour (which was a shame), Lifou however was really nice and we did get to Port Vila on Wednesday.  However Wednesday morning we got news that our town back home had flooded.  Alas, no matter what we did there was no getting home.

Thanks to Laura Ulcoq for the use of this image.

So instead of having time to see to our own business, once more hubs is into the fray and back at work.  *sigh* but I am thankful.  We have extensive damage to our personal financial documents (we were trying to get to our tax returns) and everything is in a mess from water that sheeted through the underneath of our house, and some losses of christmas decorations (but thankfully not our Christmas tree) the effects to us our fairly minimal.

 Video courtesy ABC Television

But we do sympathise with those in our region who have lost everything.  The hotel shown above is where our daughter worked until just before resigning as she had found a position elsewhere with less hours (so she could focus on her school work.)

If you want to help, please visit the following Facebook page (I am not affiliated in anyway to this effort) North Burnett Flood Appeal 2013

For me? What will I be doing to help?  Well our local Rotary International Club is ready to step in and help where we can and I am currently doing research and compilation of media sources/images/videos and will be helping to do what I can that way.

But I wanted to leave you with some bright and happy images of our holiday in 2013!

Imogene