Sniff! Return flight is booked

So, the time has come: Our return flight with Qatar Airways is booked!

On 16.05 at 17:40 we're heading back:

From Noosa to Brisbane, then with Qantas to Sydney, where we have a 3-hour layover, then continuing to Doha (capital of Qatar) and after another layover, we'll fly to Frankfurt and from there take the train back to Göttingen.

If God wills, we'll be back in Northeim, in the small village of Hillerse, after about 35 hours on the evening of 17.05, where we'll be waiting for 2 weeks of quarantine!

Yes, the return trip to 'Good old Germany' will be exciting!

Organization before departure

Our reliable family Volvo is still in the garage, waiting for a new owner, just 10 more days until departure... It's in great shape, but in the times of Corona ???

Good news: The mail is being flown to overseas / Germany again! I've already packed my pictures and the one I received as a gift from Max and Mo. Hmm, not quite small the package... I'll take it to the post office today, I expect it to cost 55 AUD dollars for shipping, but I think it will be more expensive?!

I returned my easel to the Wallacehouse and donated some paints and canvases (that I had left over) to my Acrylics group. Tricia (board member) organized an online exhibition as her last project, in which I am also participating, before she, as her daughter wrote, unfortunately 'unfolded her wings' last week at the age of 80...

I will meet with Evi (Acrylics group) one last time. Yes, now it's getting serious, because after 9 months, Australia has already become our new chosen home! The consistently beautiful weather, living right by the ocean, surrounded by always friendly Aussies, with their penchant for quirky humor - we will miss it!

Beloved Aussie humor

A small example: Maxi had to make some copies and the following sign was hanging above the copier in the copy shop:

'Never hint to a printer that you're in a rush. Those bastards smell fear.'

We all know this, when we're in a hurry, the copier acts up...

Goodbye Sunshine High

We have now also unenrolled Maxi and Mo from Sunshine Beach High School. The online classes were well organized - Australia is really digitally advanced in every area - but that's not why we're here. So, we filled out another 16 pages of forms and took some farewell photos.

Other than that, we are now allowed to drive around 50 km in the area, visit national parks, some hairdressers have also reopened and at the end of May, school will resume in 3D for the graduating classes. We don't need face masks here either, but honestly, in the whole of Australia, there are only 24 new C-19 cases. And they mostly come from returning cruise ship passengers. Nevertheless, PM ScoMo and the state premiers are still cautious about easing restrictions and there are still hefty fines for not adhering to social distancing rules and traveling without a valid reason. So, traveling in Queensland or even to the Northern Territory won't be possible until the end of June!

So, let's move on!