Ron and I just returned from another visit to Australia.  This time around we stayed in the Sydney area to accommodate some business meetings that Ron had to attend to.  We spent two days in Sydney proper and the rest of the time we based ourselves in Maitland in the Hunter Valley and branched out with day trips from there.  The Hunter Valley is about two hour out of Sydney and bursts with vineyards, great wine and gourmet foods.  Having crossed both the International Date Line and the Equator, we found ourselves moving from the height of summer in Vancouver, to the early spring weather of New South Wales, where the blossoms are just blooming.  We chased some rainbows, visited both beaches and wineries, and ate wonderful meals as we meandered through the area of small towns and villages with distinctive Australian flair.

Our hotel, the Monte Pio, a converted convent with attached Abby, was both comfortable and welcoming at a reasonable cost. Check it out if you happen to be in the area.

I didn’t find any fibre related events to attend this trip, but saw lots of animals, including kangaroos, wallabies, cows, horses, sheep, rabbits, alpaca, and even camels!

Just to keep me amused on the long 13.5 hour flight and early mornings at the hotel, I took along some handspun I am using to crochet a blanket.  A sneak peak here and more on this later.

Now, on my first day back home, I am already starting with the busy and enjoyable round of spinning, weaving, guild meetings, and workshops.