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Ninth and final stop: Brisbane (July 21-22)

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July 21: Back where we started, even at the same lovely air b&b.  But first, Sydney, whose ear had been hurting for a few days and got worse overnight, took a quick trip to the Gladstone nurse-led walk-in clinic. We got there just before it opened (7:30), and were out, ear infection diagnosed and script in hand, by 7:55. And the pharmacy had the meds in our hands by 8:15. The whole thing cost us US $6 (the clinic was entirely free).  Then we went to the sweet and small Gladstone airport for the 35 minute flight to Brisbane.  The view from the condo is exquisite! Tomorrow, home! July 22: On our way! Just 13 hours to Vancouver then a puddle jumper home. We land (9:50am on July 22) before we took off (10:20am on July 22) thanks to the international date line! Rather empty flight so we each have an open middle seat!
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Eighth stop: Gladstone (July 20-21)

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We said good bye to Heron Island and took the ferry back after a morning reef walk (low tide adventuring).  We had a purposeful overnight in Gladstone so we could take Calliope *to* Calliope and the Calliope River! We rented a car for the evening and drove the 25 minutes to the town. It’s Calliope’s 4th trip there, the first being when she was 6 weeks old, then again in 2019, again in 2024 and then now! Just steps from the river is Rain Lover, the house my grandparents built and I went to a lot as a kid. We always stop outside it and take pictures. This time, we got to chat to the new owner, who bought it a year ago to be near her grandkids.  We head to Brisbane tomorrow morning for our final 24 hours in Australia (this time)!
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Seventh stop: Heron Island (July 16-20)

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 We spent Wednesday lunchtime to Sunday lunchtime on the stunning Heron Island, a National Park, on the Great Barrier Reef. I came here as a kid, Geoff and I have been twice on our own before kids, and the kids have now gone twice. It is a remarkable place, with some of the best snorkeling in the world just by stepping into the water! It’s a 2.5 hour ferry ride from Gladstone Marina.   Then magic! Nighttime reef walk, complete with blue bio iluminescence! 
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Sixth stop: Gladstone (July 15-16)

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We left Camberwell this morning, quite reluctantly! We then flew from Melbourne, through Brisbane, final destination Gladstome.  Gladstone is a working town and most people would mever come here … but I’ve been here more times than I can count. My dad and his parents lived 20 minutes from Gladstone airport in … Calliope! The girls have been here now 4 times, the first time when Sydney and Calliope were 6 weeks old. We brought them so they could meet my dying Oma (grandma). Them, with Oma, in January 2014: We’re also here so we can visit Heron Island, a wonderful place I came to as a child with Oma and my parents. We go tomorrow! But first, we went to a Gladstone Thai restaurant Geoff and I took Oma took many times, and we ordered veggie tempura in her honor (she always ordered shrimp tempura). My Oma and Opa both lived in the Calliope / Gladstone area until they passed away.  
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