THURSDAY 26 JUNE   LAKES ENTRANCE TO HOME   325kms

 From Lakes Entrance, it was a routine trip home.

The most pleasant part about it was the views across to the Great Dividing Range in the distance, for much of the way. The country was, as usual, green and lush, for the most part – at least until the industrial Latrobe Valley intruded.

From Pakenham, took the back route through the Dandenongs, home.

So, we had been away for a month.

I can’t say that it was the greatest trip we’d done! Being winter did not help much – cool to cold, damp to downright sodden, for much of the time. The business of trying to meet up with family had been frustrating, and emotionally challenging  for John. But I did get to acquire my lovely new bowls bag, and did gain some more knowledge of coastal places we had never stayed at before.

I now had a much clearer idea of places to revisit, in better weather.

We had, since retiring and starting long range trips in 1998, always said that we would “save up” the nearer parts of SA, Vic and NSW, for when we were no longer fit enough, or inclined, to undertake the long and challenging adventures. This little jaunt had given me information to store up for those times.