What goes up must come down

Great things are done when men and mountains meet - William Blake

I am going against our blog protocol and jumping ahead in time to write today. I promise there will be a blog coming soon about our amazing adventures with the Campbell-Barnards and our incredible last week in Sydney with the Jenkins. I wanted to post a blog about today as it has reflected many of my thoughts about our journey. Today, both Fred and I undertook Australia's hilliest and hardest half marathon on Hamilton Island, where I was last here 15 years ago with the gorgeous Emma Jackaman (nee Sumner). It attracts only 150 competitors across Australia and is, as one the founders of the race put it, 'Brutiful' - beautiful but brutal. Eliza also took part in the endurance trials running some of the track that we ran, coming fourth in her under 12 race. It was hilly, hot and hard for her too.

As I set out I thought to myself that any hill can be overcome as surely what goes up must come down but sadly the down hill and running down steep slopes can be harder than the climb itself. The race was so reflective of our journey thus far. We didn't do our best time or come anywhere near our personal best but we finished it and the sense of accomplishment and joy at doing so is unbeatable. The journey to the end was incredibly hard. We went up slopes (over 800 metre elevation gain) and then down, up again and again to the three highest points of the island. Despite the pain the views at each point were rewarding, beautiful and the mix of emotion (hatred of the pain and joy at the top) was tear inducing.

Our journey so far has been similar, some really hard times where we, as a family, have not been perfectly aligned and where we have questioned our decision to travel and take the children, and in particular Eliza, away from family and friends. This has been mixed with amazement and excitement at the things we have seen and done and the friends (old and new) we have seen on the way. Who knows how we will feel at the end but if today is anything to go by the journey is worth it, and even if the down is as hard as the up there are moments in between which make it perfect.

"It ain't all roses. But maybe otherwise it wouldn't be as sweet in the end" Kylie Minogue