Where the Heart Is

We've had a wonderful few weeks catching up with dozens of old friends and loved ones and we are endlessly grateful to all the kind people who have offered us a place to stay, a meal, a coffee, a few drinks or some entertainment (including our first games of croquet and indoor beach volleyball, a surprise haircut and an early morning swim with a pug!) Thanks for all that, and for listening to our stories, even the ones you've heard before. Quite a few friends are planning to join us for some time on Common Sense over the next couple of years and we are really looking forward to welcoming them aboard.

Beach at Bunbury

Our month at home coincided precisely with a record heatwave with most days over 40 degrees Celsius, and one day the hottest ever recorded across Australia as a whole. Whew! In spite of the heat we were really able to appreciate the good things about home - the beauty of the bush and the coastline; the fact that everything looks clean, cared-for and prosperous compared to nearly everywhere else we've been, the friendliness and competence of almost everyone we dealt with in shops, offices and other services. Only real dislikes - the traffic and the prices!

Perth City from South Perth

We've decided to come home each year from now on - two years is too long away. So now it's time to head back to Common Sense - two long flights, an 18 hour layover in Doha and a three hour train trip away - and we'll see all you lovely people again in 11 months time if you don't visit us earlier, somewhere in Malta, Greece or Turkey.