Garry and I have agreed to take Mum to Port Douglas for a tropical reef experience over the next year's ANZAC long weekend. Mum reminded me that she’s not been to Far North Queensland since 1992 (I think it was September). My parents were travelling with Bob and Phillipa Kilpatrick at the time. That's us above heading off to Green Island for the day.
At the time, I flew up from Sydney to see her and Dad. This was the first time we’d caught up face to face since I’d relocated to Australia in February 1990. I’d been so poor in those early years that every penny I earned was ploughed back into living expenses. Trans-Tasman flights simply didn’t fit my budget.
I recall the day I came off the plane in Cairns. Mum and Dad came to greet me at the airport. I almost walked past them as I exited the gate. I'd expected to find them in the baggage hall and thus wasn't looking out for them. Mum burst into tears when she saw me. She was also upset that "I didn't recognise my own parents". Needless to say, I was in the dog box for the rest of the day.
Our upcoming Queensland excursion came about after I realised Mum had a pile of Qantas frequent flyer points that were about to expire. She'd earned these during our trip to South Africa last year. After a small frequent flyer point top-up from me, Mum had enough points for return flights from Auckland to Sydney. We booked some trans-Tasman flights while I was visiting her last month.
UPDATE: 2 July
For ANZAC next year I've booked us into a superb apartment overlooking the beach in Port Douglas.
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