rental return

Sometime in the night, the rain stopped and although the morning was clouded over, I was able to pack up my backpack outside with a bit more ease than being crammed in the car.

I exited to see the Royal National Park and took a short 1/2 hour hike at Wattamolla. The weather appeared to be moving in again, so I hopped back in the car and arrived at the airport at 9:30am. It wasn't worth it for me to have the rental and entire extra day for four extra hours I would use it, so I figured I could catch up on some reading and writing in the airport.

It was a good trip and the driving kept me occupied, but also gave me a good deal of thinking time. I learned how to be " me" again and appreciate my independence. I think I lost some of that around such a close group of people in Antarctica.

I saw God's creation in a different part of the world; alive and functioning, even with the number of non-native species introduced to Australia and New Zealand. I enjoyed this Creation of His!

At the airport, I enjoyed a casual day reading, downloading pictures, and relaxing with my grande almond mocha (I even had them use whole milk and whipped cream)! I met four other people from The Ice ready to board the Sydney to Honolulu flight: Fuelie Shannon, GA Ben, and DA's Dale & Katie. I laughed a lot at the fact that we keep running into each other even a month off the frozen continent!

It just hit me in the last day that I am returning to The States. Even though I am first in Hawaii, I can restart my phone plan and not deal with customs after this flight (well, until I get to Canada). I'm not sure I am ready to be in the Northern Hemisphere after six months beneath the equator, but all things in their time, I suppose. First, 9.5 hours to Honolulu.

And, so despite the rain, I am glad I came to Australia, and will head to Hawaii with a little trepidation about ending my time overseas. It's been nearly six months and I can't say I've missed my of the American rat-race, but I do look forward to some of the comforts of being in my North American "home" countries.