Category: Travels with a Daughter

I am a single parent with a teenager on the autism spectrum and travel is one of my passions. Travel is a wonderful, educational experience for typical children, and my hunch that Julia would learn and grow with travel experiences was rewarded last summer in Italy. So, I am on a mission to teach Julia about the world—one trip at a time!

family

CE4317A0-AACB-42C3-8317-DDFEA0460A30(Written 28 August)

Sunday with cousins.

Sunday morning Scott picked us up for a drive and more Sydney views.  Writing a month later, I don’t remember the interesting walk but perhaps I can impose on Scott to remind me.  The cliffs are wild and beautiful.  It was a spot where people trying to end their lives pondered jumping, but nearby the top of the cliffs a solitary man lives in a small house.  When he saw people contemplating their final decision, he would come out and speak with them, invite them in for a cup of tea and somehow I imagine, a slice of cake.  Life the story of the boy throwing starfish back into the sea, the kind man managed to turn many people away from the sea. Continue reading →

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friday the 13th

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Steph, cousin and hostess extraordinaire, has been showing us bits and pieces of this glorious city that we might not have spent time in on our own. As much as I love exploring places on my own, it is always possible to miss the gem in front of my face because as a first time visitor, I lack context. Steph and Scott, the cousins we are meeting through them, and my friend Marianne, have provided so much rich context for which I am so thankful. Yesterday, Scott and I talked a bit about how we connected- his meeting David’s folks when he was a high school exchange student, David getting in touch with him as his interest in family grew just before his death, Cheshire meeting Scott when he was traveling in NYC, our meeting at Rita’s wedding, and the larger faceboook family group.  Serendipity played no small part, small pieces of a moving puzzle that needed some magic to connect. And then, here we are!

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beach day

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Time is crazy.  I’ve been chatting with Cheshire and some friends back home.  I think it is last night.  I look at the dates on this blog and they are not necessarily reflective of when I posted.  Not exactly.  I acknowledge how tied I am to clock and calendar.  How would I do in a Star Trek universe? Jumping galaxies, condensing and expanding time. I’m overthinking.  I am inclined to hold the time differences in my head—it doesn’t work.  I write, I post, I text.  I just hope I haven’t woken anyone up. Continue reading →

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Travel challenges

2FEE176F-2829-4F02-91AE-FC2715000860On the train from Umina Beach to Sidney Central and then Randwick, traveling from a quite northern suburb of Sydney to the center.  There is a lot of water to see, quiet water and surf beaches.  I am enjoying the water. Marianne took us up Mount Ettalong to view the beaches that flank it—Pearl Beach and Umina Beach.  Later, we walked one of the beaches. So much of what we will see in the next weeks hugs the coast!  I need time to just sit and stare at waves. Continue reading →

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Sydney: ferry and art

7FCDCE73-EFB4-49A9-A290-1156B9930136Back to Sydney!  Staying with my friend, Marianne, in Umina Beach which is north of Sydney.  We took advantage of a Sunday special, Family Fun Day, on the trains and ferries. $2.70 for the entire day. We took a regular ferry under the landmark bridge and past the Opera House, the Maritine Museum and Luna Park.  Later, we walked into the old Customs House.  I was particularly struck by the carved face of Queen Victoria.  Younger than most that I have seen. I can’t imagine what it is/was like to be a person whose image is such common currency. Continue reading →

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King’s Canyon

Another early morning hike. This time in Kings Canyon. The proposed hike began with 500 natural steps which I didn’t think we could do successfully.  We did half the hike beginning at the end.  We still climbed steps and clambered over rocks but the rise was gentler and easier to manage.  Julia climbed easily and was independent through tout most of the hike.  This adventure is offering her a good deal of independence.

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right after first light at Uluru

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Around the base of Uluru there are natural caves which the aboriginal people have been using for thousands of years.  The caves provided shelter from harsh weather. They also provided a natural gathering place.  There were men’s caves and women’s caves and caves for all. They were places to teach, to tell stories and to celebrate.   The relatively smooth walls were excellent for painting. (We would see the ochre pits in two days time where many shades of ochre used to make the fat based paints could be harvested.) The caves paintings are only visible on the upper half of the walls because early tour guides attempted to enhance the colors of the paintings by splashing buckets of water on the walls. Continue reading →

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Uluru

B6E9B455-A9E5-430A-A145-2C21B92695B3After our Kata Tjuta walk, we climbed back in the van heading for a prime viewing spot to see the sun set at Uluru.  We were one of many tour groups but it was a big viewing site with plenty of space.  Our group was set up with wine and cheese and crackers and our first tastes of emu and kangaroo.  Continue reading →

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Kata Tjuta

img_7183-1Written on 7 July

It is unusual for me to have no time for writing and reflection for days.  I may choose not to write for days and I may have nothing worth publishing but usually I have the opportunity for both. 

Then four days in the Outback.  

We arrived in Yulara airport  Monday afternoon from Sydney, shuttled to a hotel close by and we’re picked up by our guide, Claire, and taken to our first fo three campsites.  There was no settling in, we were swept away to our first walk (walk or hike at Kata Tjuta. Most of what we did was doable without much strain. Experienced hikers would probably find it a bit tame.) Continue reading →

Posted on by Suzanne Buchko 1