Leevi & Sarahs Travel Blog

Now that Sarah & I are back in Australia and setting up a more permanent residence I have been reflecting on our travels and how hard it was to maintain a blog.

In most western countries it was fairly easy however sometimes the internet did not seem to exist. I’m sure Sarah thought this was a god send most of the time.

Some highlights of trying to blog about our adventures on the road where:

1. Using a japanese keyboard on a Turkish language Windows XP install
2. No internet connection while criusing the Turkish coast line
3. Traveling so much I didn’t even get time to blog, hence the reason why there is no posts from Hungary onwards… we might get to those one day
4. Carrying a laptop around would have sucked, even a 13″ macbook

So how could this blogging caper been made easier? Probably keeping an old fashion journal and taking photos on 35mm…

You live you learn.

Oh and heres a quick pic from our last trip to Brisbane.

Sarah and are back form a quick trip to BrisVegas where we sweated under the hot sun and humid heat. It was a great trip with highlights including meeting Eric Moi Moi at a pub on Southbank, visiting the local markets in The Valley and catching up with friends. More info and pics coming soon. This post is just a test for cross posting to facebook!

After 364 days away from the great island downunder Sarah and I are returning home. Our flight leaves tonight at 19:00 and we land back in Aus at 7:00am (roughly) Aussie time on the 13th.

It has been a great adventure and I will take some time out on the 24hr flight home to recount some of the memories that I didn’t blog about, mainly our experiences in Croatia, Italy and France.

Wish us luck and hope that our plain doesn’t get hit by lightning; again!

A big thanks to Bex and Chris for hosting us over the last couple of days and putting up with us overrunning your garage. We love you guys!

26 January 1788 was the date on which the First Fleet, under Captain Arthur Phillip arrived at Sydney Cove and set up the Colony of New South Wales. Formal possession, including the reading of Phillip’s Commission, took place on 7 February.By 1808 the day that the Rum Corps arrested Governor Bligh, it was being celebrated as ‘First Landing’ or ‘Foundation Day’. In 1818 (the 30th anniversary) Governor Macquarie had a 30-gun salute at Dawes Point and gave government workers a holiday - a tradition that was soon followed by banks and other public offices.In 1888 all colonial capitals (with the exception of Adelaide) celebrated ‘Anniversary Day’ and by 1935 all states of Australia were celebrating January 26 as Australia Day (although it was still known as Anniversary Day in NSW).The 1938 sesquicentenary (150th anniversary) of British settlement in New South Wales in 1788 was widely celebrated. Preparations began in 1936 with the formation of a Celebrations Council. In that year, NSW was the only state to abandon the traditional long weekend and the annual Anniversary Day public holiday was held on the actual anniversary day - Wednesday 26 January.

In 1946 the Commonwealth and State governments agreed to unify the celebrations on 26 January as ‘Australia Day’, although the public holiday was instead taken on the Monday closest to 26 January.

Since 1994 all states and territories have taken the Australia Day public holiday on 26 January.

For many Aboriginal Australians and sympathisers, the celebrations arouse hostility; there has been some comment on how the arrival of the British adversely affected the indigenous people of the country. They call the day “Invasion Day” as they regard it as celebrating the decimation of their people, the confiscation of their lands and the destruction of their culture. In recent years, some indigenous Australians have also celebrated the day as “Survival Day,” thankful that their ancestors were not completely wiped out by the newly arrived settlers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day

So to all aussies living at home or abroad raise a pint, pot schooner or middy of Cooper, VB or Carlton in honour of the great nation that is Australia.

Happy Birthday Emma!