Day 1

I made it. After about 20 hours door to door, we arrived in the old city of Hanoi. We are a diverse group of nine women and we all seem to be getting on well already.

We had a small walk around last night and we are site seeing today and an overnight train to Hue tonight.

So, not much to say, but sending hugs and kisses to you all.

We made it!

Thanks to all my generous family, friends, and complete strangers, we have collectively raised over $3,000 all of which will directly benefit CARE Australia's projects in Vietnam. The tour group together has raised more than $25,000.

I am overwhelmed and humbled by your support.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I fly out tomorrow at 6.00 am! I can't believe that the day has finally arrived. When I booked this trip I was full of bravado. Now I feel like the most selfish mother and partner in the world. And, as my very sensible friend Bronwyn pointed out, I am unlikely to have a life-changing experience. However, I hope  I will go someway to finding me and who I want to be in this world.

J

We mounted Crosby!

I am trying to catch up on some incomplete challenges before I go. Yesterday, my boys got up early to help me complete Challenge 8 - climb Mt Crosby.

As I mentioned, I have lived here for seven years and never realised there was a 'mount' at Mt Crosby!

A big thank you to Donna, MIchael, and Annie, not only for their generous support of both me and CARE Australia, but for introducing us to a beautiful part of our backyard. We will do it again.

Thank you to my photo families

I have just spent a fantastic weekend with some amazing families, taking photos of them to raise funds for the trip.

I sent an email to some of my girlfriends who forwarded it on, and then it was forwarded and forwarded and forwarded! I only knew one of the families I photographed. Everyone was so interested in the trip. Many donated more money than the suggested amount. One family lost everything in the floods, yet were still happy to help CARE Australia. Amazing. I am busily editing the pics and getting them ready to send to you this week, More photos to do next weekend.

This trip is bringing me so many encounters with such warm and generous people I would never have ordinarily met. I am very grateful (thanks Lou!)

Back to blogging

I have been very remiss in my blogging of late. Believe me I have been training (just not necessarily on the bike - oops!).

So I thought I should blog about a lovely training ride I did with Gus and our darling friends the Greenop-Roberts. We started at Toombul and rode to the Boondall Wetlands Information Centre. A hot and long ride for little legs.

Thank you all for helping me to train. You are such great company, I (nearly) forgot we were biking as we chatted.

Jxx

Thank you CAQ

Last year, I edited a book on golf croquet for my dear friend and neighbour Terry. I did it as a favour for both Terry and the Croquet Association of Queensland, a non-profit organisation Terry is very passionate about.

I was surprised (and horrified) when a cheque arrived in the mail. I tried to give it back to Terry, but he insisted on paying me. He told me to use it for something special, to make my work on the book a 'positive experience'.

So, because I never expected to receive payment for this work, I have donated this money to Care Australia - making the work a very positive experience, paying it forward.

Thank you CAQ.

Challenge 3 - ride across Straddie - complete!

 Ali is my oldest friend. We met in Year 9. She was reading Jeffrey Archer's Kane and Able; I was reading The Prodigal Daughter. We were destined to be friends. Over the years, as well as improving our taste in literature, together we have been through many boyfriends (me, not her); a husband (her, not me); births; deaths; career changes; laughter; and tears.

Ali challenged me to ride across Stradbroke Island. 

I was so excited when she decided to join me. 

Our boys (big and little) came along too and 

we made a weekend of it. 

Weather not withstanding, we had a great time.

Given the amount of traffic on the island, we decided to ride from Point Lookout to Amity Point, rather than Dunwich. We packed our bags for a whole day ride. We left at 5.30 am and arrived at Amity Point at 6.30 am! Just a slight miscalculation. 

We descended into Amity via a long and large hill. Keen to avoid heading back up the hill, on the advice of locals, we started to ride back along the beach. How amazing - it is my new favourite thing. After about 45 minutes, we decided to leave the beach, convinced that we must be close to our hotel. We left the beach only to find ourselves at the base of THAT hill! Another slight miscalculation! Only slightly deterred, we headed along a 4WD track and arrived back to a delicious breakfast and view.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to my precious friends Ali, Mark, David and Noah for sharing this adventure with me. Straddie - we will be back to do it all again.

J