2025 Jan-Apr Australia
2025 turned out to be a mixed year for us. It started with a camping trip with Gail & Garry and Lyn & Bob to the Scenic Rim – despite me declaring we’d never camp again! Straddling an ancient volcanic caldera in the lush hinterland of south-east Queensland, the Scenic Rim is home to the northernmost sections of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area. Bushwalking trails in the six national parks here lead to natural rock pools, waterfalls, lookouts and ridges with sweeping views of distant peaks, while the valleys nestled within the ring of mountain ranges are dotted with charming country towns.
We camped at the Boonah Show Grounds and enjoyed day trips exploring the region and some hikes through the hills. I knew we shouldn’t have camped – sure enough, our (rather old) airbed developed a leak and we had to go out and buy another one. Sod’s law, they didn’t have a double size, so we had to get a Queen size – and then go shopping for a Queen size fitted sheet.
In February, a routine doctor’s visit by Keith resulted in the new GP ordering a PSA test for Keith. This is a blood test for Prostate Cancer. Alarmingly the results were 36 (they should be zero) – and, upon enquiry, we were dismayed to find that the previous GP had never ordered the same test – so we had no idea how long this had been developing. Keith was referred to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for an MRI scan in mid-April.
In the meantime, we were already booked on a P&O Cruise to Vanuatu and New Caledonia in the first week of April, with Gail & Garry and Lyn & Bob. Well, it was supposed to be a P&O Cruise, but between the time we originally booked it and the time of departure, Carnival Cruises had taken over – much to the detriment in our view. It was Garry’s first ever cruise and unfortunately, I don’t think he had the best experience, although we all enjoyed each other’s company. Due to the severe earthquake which had damaged a lot of Port Vila, that destination was crossed off the list and instead we went to ‘Mystery Island’, a small island off Aneityum, one of the most southern of Vanuatu’s island chain. The people from Aneityum come over for the day and set up tourist sites and stalls for the cruise ship guests. Very artificial. Then it was off to Lifou, another small island off the east coast of New Caledonia – more white sandy beaches, before heading around to Noumea. We’d opted to do a small trip to Baie de Limon, however the heavens opened while we were on the bus in the early afternoon – and the driver went way past the main beach area and wanted to drop us off about a kilometre past town – and advised that we wouldn’t be being picked up until 7pm. As we were all getting older and it was cold and wet, we objected so he allowed us to get back on the bus and return to the ship. What a waste of time and money! However, we all enjoyed the quiz sessions and the formal nights as an opportunity to get dressed up and have some photos taken.
Keith and I were very anxious about his diagnosis of Prostate Cancer and wondered what we should do. As well as the cruise to Vanuatu, we had already booked to fly to the UK at the end of April to see our family and friends, followed by a cruise down the Danube to Budapest, followed by another couple of weeks of independent travel through Slovenia, Croatia and Greece. Keith was fearful of his mortality and reluctant to leave Australia and its health system. I was too, but felt that, if the prognosis wasn’t good, at least he would have visited his family – and I would have had a holiday. In the end we decided to go ahead.