Four YEARS since I last posted? Really? Hard to believe.

So much has happened since then; so many changes, so much water under the bridge as they say.

What's the same then? Well, we're still cruising. I think we're about 50+ cruises now. We still absolutely love the life at sea. We probably think less about where we're going now and more about enjoying the cruise experience itself. If I had to sum it up:

Yes, that's our end to the day, just before going to dinner. It's intimate, it's just us, enjoying each other's company and a quiet drink. Magic.

As a result, we have five (yes, five) cruises prebooked over the next 17 months. After that? Well, tempus fugit and we don't know how much longer we can be cruisers ... especially the long flights which become increasingly debilitating.

I have to sell my motorbike; my beloved BMW. She has given me and Di so much together it will wrench my heart out to lose her, but I fear I have no choice.

Why? Age has caught up with me. And arthritis. I can no longer spend the time in the saddle without back pain ... and she becomes heavier and heavier by the day. So it will be another part of my life gone. That seems to be happening with increasing frequency.

We rode together around the Pacific north-west of the USA on her, across the Nullarbor both ways, and all around south-west WA. So hard to give up. Goodbye old girl.

And the big news I've been stalling on; we're moving. We've sold our home of 30 years, where our girls grew up, and we're "downsizing" (horrible fucking euphemism!) to a 3 x 2 apartment in Crawley, on the border of Kings Park, overlooking the river.

I swing wildly between enthusiasm and abject, almost suicidal depression. So much to do, so little time. We are both exhausted. We start about 6.00 and by 4.00 just can't go on. So far, we've completely filled a rubbish skip, I've taken seven car loads to the Vinnies and given about a hundredweight of "gear" to my neighbour -- and sold a heap on Marketplace. And still there's more to go.

Then there's painting of the entire place, new carpet, new LED lighting and later bathroom and kitchen renovations. All while trying to keep the Homeowners Council onside.

Anyway, this is turning into a whinge, which I promised I wouldn't do. Maybe there'll be a next time. Good night.