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| The Travelling Stones on Goolwa Beach in South Australia |
When Saz sent me the Travelling Stones, to say that they caught me at a busy time would be an understatement. They arrived on the last working day before Christmas so I left them to their own devices until the new year.
Actually, that's not quite right.
I forgot them in the whirling maelstrom
that is Christmas, New Year, Australian summer school holidays and
visitors from interstate.
But once Saz's polite reminder goaded
me in to action, I got right into it. Here's some of my
first post about the stones:
The stones' magical mystery tour - for they never know where they are going next - started with Darlin when they came into her possession at a dinner. She decided to send them out into the world to seek - well, if not their fortune, at least some new friends, landscapes and experiences.
And perhaps a little fame!
So far, after leaving darlin in Canada, they've visited Dormy Saz in the UK - where Saz added a friendly little 10p piece to keep them company - before they arrived in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia.
Once I've found them a new host, I'll be adding a souvenir from Australia! But - you won't find out what it is until they reach their next destination!!
Meanwhile, the Travelling Stones await! And we all know what happens to stones that wait too long ...
Surprised by the response from readers
who volunteered to host the stones, I contacted Darlin and Saz and
together we worked out a new plan. Darlin set up the Travelling
Stones blog with Saz's suggestions. I wrote a new covering letter to
accompany the Stones.
Surprised by the response from readers
who volunteered to host the stones, I contacted Darlin and Saz and
together we worked out a new plan. Darlin set up the Travelling
Stones blog with Saz's suggestions. I wrote a new covering letter to
accompany the Stones.
And we decided to split them up!
That way, they'll visit more places
more quickly, and more people will get the opportunity to host the
stones – with the added bonus of being able to track their
progress. And also wonder whether they're ever going to meet up
again!!
But, once that was over it was time to
select two new hosts and send the stones on their way.
Here's some of my
post about their last day in Australia:I see a lot more crowds in the Travelling Stones' future! But that's because I know something that only two of you don't – YET!
So for their last day in Australia –
on this visit, anyway – I gave the stones the gift of Australia's
Magnificent Emptiness!
Apart from a 4WD mostly obscured by the
sea spray and mists of the Great Southern Ocean right down the end of
Goolwa Beach on a mind-blowingly awesome South Australian summer day,
we were alone. Just Pilchard, me and the two Travelling Stones.
That's if you don't count the pelicans.
Or the seagulls!
As we farewell these tiny dots in the
vast and empty panorama of Goolwa Beach, the Travelling Stones spend
their last moments together.
For now.
Because the purple stone is already
winging its way to Solitary
Wanderer Aleah in the Philippines, where she'll be taking
them to India!
Where will they go next? Who will they
visit?? Will they return to Australia??? And – most significantly
– will they EVER meet up again????
Meanwhile, farewell from Australia – and if you ever get to host the stones, you'll know where those tiny grains of sand came from …
Meanwhile, farewell from Australia – and if you ever get to host the stones, you'll know where those tiny grains of sand came from …
