r & r

6/29/10 In about 8 hours, Cathy and I will be leaving for a month of renewal leave, traveling to Australia and New Zealand. I told my Staff Parish Relations Committee that I didn't want any more money, but I could sure use more time off. They graciously granted me this extended vacation. The older I get the more I need to rest it seems.

The best man in our wedding, Dr. Dennis Shanks, lives with his family in Brisbane. We fly from LAX directly there, arriving on Thursday morning ( due to the international time line). We will have a week with Dennis catching up with him and his life while recovering from the 9 time zone difference. We go then to Cairns to experience the Great Barrier Reef. Next we go to Darwin where we will visit 2 national parks that are known for their birds, aboriginal art, and waterfalls. Then we spend several days in Sydney. I hope to do a side trip to the Blue Mountains just west of the city. We then fly to New Zealand, landing on the south island in Christchurch. We will take 8 days to drive a rental car up to Aukland on the north island from whence we fly back to LAX and then Austin.

I will probably be fairly lax about blog postings for the next month. It is important for me to simply rest. I hope to catch you back when I return in late July.

Love,
Lynn