It's been nearly 24 years now of getting to know and love (not always, but often) this town of Sydney. But all good things must come to an end some day. Sydney Sapiential has upped and left. Gone to Queensland droving, so to speak.
I've sold up and moved house four times now. Each was prolonged and painful, but this one was probably the worst. So much stress, so much to do. I never want to do it again. (That's what I've said on the previous occasions too, of course.)
There's so much to throw out, so much to pack and take with you....
There's removalists to co-ordinate.
And of course you have to actually find a buyer for the house. All came good in the end.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle was the Queensland border. They opened it just in time, a week and a half before Christmas, but they imposed a near-impossible permit system, requiring vaccination documentation and a Covid test both 72 hours before and 5 days after entry.
We broke our journey at Tea Gardens and at Evans Head. Both are scenic and slightly off the highway.
Then it was time to brave that Queensland border. See if you can work out the system being used by the border policeman to sort the wheat from the chaff. (And note the pesky passenger coughing on cue!!)
And it's on then to the Sunshine Coast and Maroochydore, with its fine beaches. (And its oversized shopping centres, innumerable homemaker centres and a Los Angeles style tangle of motorways to nowhere!)