Final Words

In editing this journal for print, some significant things emerge from its contents and the images it creates.

The appendices speak in cold, hard facts of the distances we travelled, the costs Involved and the time we took, but these are but a fraction of what the trip has given us.

To learn of people, places and events from a distance is valuable but to personally experience these same things, is to really know them and there is no margin of doubt about the value of the trip in this regard. Each of us has been affected by what our senses have been exposed to and have had our individual and collective consciousness raised by these twelve weeks.

We can now, to a much greater degree, call Australia home - as opposed to calling our home, Australia.

The planning and preparation proved to be effective and at no stage were we beyond our means financially or physically. To this end, I must pay tribute to the many tourist information centres, national parks, caravan parks and Explore Australia for the supply of information so critical to the success of the planning and execution of the trip.

However, of most significance, the input of my father, Les Langston, in the planning stages, saved us many hassles and virtually guaranteed we saw the best things, stayed in the best places and had the time to enjoy the experiences our country had to offer.

To Art & Anne Langston, who managed our personal affairs whilst we were off enjoying ourselves, our gratitude, for allowing us to be distanced from any matters might create worry among the Happy Campers. Their advice on how to acclimatise to the "real world"following our return home was very timely and helped us avoid the sort of pitfalls which make you wish you had never left!

My children have grown in these three months. Physically, the hems of their trousers climbed well above their ankles and enhanced fitness is evident in all of them. However, it is the growth in their relationship with one another and their parents, that has shown the most benefit from being excluded from the daily hassles normally clouding our home life.

Of my wife, I can say this: she has been and always will be, my friend. With this as a constant in our lives, we can only ever continue to live long and prosper.