Tuesday 26th
September 2017
This will be our final blog entry.
The reason why we started the blog was to be able to let our
family and friends in Australia
see what we were doing and to confirm their thoughts that we were completely
mad – I think that the blog really did substantuate what they already knew – but it was
set up for that purpose.
In our mind it was about our adventures on the waterways and
the time between when we started and when we were to finish (which is now).
Tomorrow I will be boarding the flight to go home to
Melbourne (this time it will be with Royal Brunei Airlines) and be land based again, our life on the boat will be such lovely
memories and behind us; not so the people we have met; the experiences we have
shared together and with others; the places and events that we have seen; the
fun and the sadness.
There are a number of people whom we have met on the canals
who are no longer with us and we are very saddened because of that, but we can
recall their faces and the good times that we have shared with them; we can
hear their voices and the experiences that they have shared; the knowledge that
they have passed along to us – we miss them all; our lives have been enriched
because of them and their friendship.
But the nature of life is that we must keep changing; keep
evolving; moving on; we have more goals on the horizon that we will pursue, but
as I have said previously, our immediate concern is the on-going welfare of
Diane’s mother.
What will we do in the longer term?
We have seen a fair amount of Australia already – from
Cairns in the north, all the way around the coast as far as Adelaide; we have
taken the train across from Sydney to Perth and been south of there through
Fremantle and Bunbury and to Margaret River; we have see Rottnest Island and
the quokkas; visited Tasmania few times, but we have not seen the middle
through Alice Springs and to Darwin; not yet been to the north-west; so there
are a couple of places left for us to visit.
We also want to see a lot more of the USA and Canada
and spend more time with Mitch and Sara in LA and of course with Sam in Melbourne and Rebecca in Auckland .
We want to again enjoy the sights and sounds and tastes of Melbourne which we think are worthy of a visit from
everyone – Melbourne
has a soul and a heartbeat and a life and a personality which runs deep and not
simply sitting on the surface.
I am pretty sure we won’t be lost for things to do.
What will we miss about life on a boat?
The people – it is always the people that are the soul of
the canal system – some we have just fleetingly said hello to and others we
have been in almost constant contact with – in between there have been random
discussions, a chat whilst we walked the dog, over a beer in the pub – there
are people with real character about them; others who can get quite
opinionated; and still others who simply just want to be on their boat.
And please no mention of batteries and toilets!
The canals themselves – there are some real brutes out there
and others that just seem to glide by under the boat. Is there a favourite? – a
bit like asking a parent about a favourite child – the canals are like children
in a way, in that they all have their own character, their own persona – and on
each we all have our favourite mooring spots for whatever reason that may be.
Just simply life on the water in general – there is so much
freedom to do as you want and still keep to the rules which are in place for
the benefit of everyone.
The best places we have visited? We have loved being moored
in the docks in Liverpool and being so close to the city, but also Castlefields
in Manchester and Paddington
Basin in London
or Gas Street
Basin in Birmingham – being able to visit these
wonderful cities and moor in the centre has certainly been something to
remember.
Equally though, we love the rural areas as well – some of
the views across the Pennines on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal; or the
undulating hills of Northhamptonshire; the upper reaches of the Thames (away
from the large cities and towns); the River Trent which is all rural below
Newark; the Shroppie is a real treat as well; or simply the authority of the
Grand Union.
Things that we will not miss.
The increasing trend of some boaters – and I cannot classify
that into new/old, young/old, hirers/owners/shared boats – to ignore the
traditions of the canals (or at least the ones that we learnt about) – helping
others at locks; close gates and paddles; slowing down past moored boats;
following the etiquette of canal users.
People who want to disregard the rules in place for everyone
to benefit, simply because the rules do not suit them and they want to try and
always get around them. If you are a continuous cruiser (as we are) then obey
the requirements – if not then go into a marina; if you have a boat then pay
your licence, if not then get off the water; don’t stop somewhere and think you
have a right to stay there for years simply because you work in the area, or
have kids going to school, or any other reason; abide by the requirements to be
allowed on the waterways.
We will not miss those cyclists along the towpath who think
that they own it and speed along with complete disregard for others and churn
up the path – for heavens sake slow down and use your bell.
I don’t have too many problems with anglers – sure there are
some who don’t want to make eye contact and think that a boat going by is
disrupting their fishing time, but on the whole they are usually quite friendly
and enjoy a bit of a chat like anyone else.
I will especially not miss the classification of everyone
that seems to happen in this country – talk to many people of British heritage
and they will invariably fall into the habit of saying something about any
group of people who may be from any country you wish to name and tar everyone
from there with the same brush or people from a certain town or city. Not all
people come to this country to get benefits, or abuse the NHS system, or cause
mayhem – in fact the vast majority, of those we have met, are looking for a better way of life and enter
the UK in a perfectly legal way and live their lives according to the laws of
the land.
We have met so many people from so may different countries
who, like us, simply want to work hard and support their families and enjoy
their lives in peace; on the other hand we have seen a number of people who described
themselves as British (or usually as English) and want to blame everyone else
for their own problems and in a less than peaceful manner.
We are all here together to be part of a larger picture –
there are no reasons why we cannot all live together in peace.
We will still be reading the blogs of boaters (can’t say
other boaters any more) to see what they are doing and where they are going; we
will remember with happiness the places that they visit and where we have also
been; we will try to catch up with who we can we we come back to this country
in the future; and we will stay in contact with as many as we can.
The contact line on the blog will stay, so if you want to
let me know of your email address then send me the information as a comment to
the blog and we will be back in touch to you.
If there is one thing that sums up our life aboard Ferndale for the past
seven years it is that we have learnt to slow right down and become more
relaxed about the things that go on around us and to become much more tolerant
of other people.
Au revoir !
