The last few yards.....

I come to you from Camperdown cemetery, one of my favourite places in Newtown.... Maybe a bit odd... But it's a wonderful place. The cemetery has been full for many years so all the graves are old, it is in fact the second oldest in Australia. Well as we all know that's not that old, but still.


What's fascinating is the stories, you can do a cemetery tour and hear about the convicts, the aboriginal people the immigrants and colonialists who really did it tough. The shipThe Dunbar sank in Sydney Harbour in 1857 all but one passengers drowned. Almost there and a storm sunk the ship, the memorial is here and is testament to the perilous nature if travel at that time, thousands drowned in the harbour, apparently not many people could swim at the time.

Why were they coming? Mostly to fulfill their jobs building the colony, some had just been on leave back to dear old Blighty and were returning.

And so here am I suffering sleepless nights and minor delirium at the prospect of flying premium economy this time next week! Certainly puts things in perspective for me! Those people were tough and steadfast, they had to be, and people think I'm brave for making the moves I make, very lucky that's for sure.

lucky to have the chance too to return, one many immigrants didn't get, don't get for various reasons. Lucky to have had the opportunity to live overseas, to meet new people and to test myself, well in the 21st century way! Nothing like the original settlers, even the settlers 30-40 years ago, with no Skype, phone calls every few months etc etc

Most of these people were born 12,000 miles away and are buried here,a lovely spot, a world away from where they started. I wonder how they felt about that?

I wonder also, what it was like for those people who returned? I've been back several times in the last 7 years, but what's it like to go back after 10/20 30 years? I'm grateful for the chance to see the place I was born in with fresh eyes, to see myself through fresh eyes!

Watch this space! :)