I’m now back in Cairns. The flight home has completely worn me out! The Dubai to Australia leg with a 9-hour stop over in Hong Kong airport, and without any help from Qantas, was tuff for this already weary traveller. And I lost my faithful old glasses in the toilets…well not in the toilet. I put my glasses down while i was changing my shirt in the cubicle and left them behind. I realised what I had done but within five minutes, they were gone and the toilet attendant had not had them handed into him. I went back an hour later just to make sure he wasn’t wearing them but alas, no. Not losing them up to then was one of my triumphs on this trip.
The adventure is over. Thank you to everyone who took an interest and followed my often very self-indulgent ramblings. It was comforting to know you were there. If you aren’t completely tired of my blogs, I will be going back in over the next few days to ad photos.
A special thanks to my family for keeping a close eye on my travels and querying when ever I was late with my blogs, especially my sister Steph.
Special thanks also to Freddy and Agung for showing me around east Java and Bali, to Justin for showing me around Dili in East Timor, to Hugh and family for helping me out in California’s Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, to Don for hosting and showing me around Tucson, to Micher for hosting and showing me around Lima in Peru, to Andreas for hosting and generously showing me around his part of Germany, and to my long-time good friends Neil and Karen for generously hosting and showing me around Dubai. Your help has added genuine value to my traveling experience and I will never forget that, even when dementia and memory loss sets in!
angusmccoll 
So when are you back to work and showing me all the photos 🙂
Hi Adam. I don’t start work again until February! I will try to come into JCU for a visit within the next few weeks to say g’day. Photos? You may be sorry you asked that. I will put a slides show together.
Angus, I was expecting to see photos of you using a chainsaw to cut your way through your garden back into your house … the final chapter of the explorer returning home, if you like. You have managed to get into your house, right? (we don’t know online unless we see photos)
Hi Phillip. Ha, no my house has never been better. Kev and Dee house-sat while I was a way and have set a standard of cleanliness and tidiness I can never hope to match. A week later and the place is trashed!! Sorry Dee and Kev!