THE TRIP HOME VIA HOLBROOK

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful.

Anonymous

Today is my last post about the trip P:-) and I took to Melbourne.

We took 2 days coming home, stopping overnight at Albury. It was pouring with rain and we had to set up our little pop-up and pop-out caravan - in the dark. It was a real test, but we managed a warm and dry night's sleep. The next day dawned with a cloudless blue sky.

Our van and caravan

 We had a small hitch. One of the clips that held the top of  the caravan  down, broke. But P:-) who is very good with ropes and knots, managed to secure it and it remained that way all the way home.

A few good knots

On our second day we stopped at Holbrook, a small town just inside the New South Wales border, with a large submarine sunken into the ground of the town park. Very odd as it is a long way from the sea. P:-) was interested on the way down but we didn't have time to stop so we pulled in on the way home.

HMAS Otway in Holbrook Park

We visited the small museum nearby. There was a lot of submarine paraphernalia which was quite interesting but I was quite taken with this sailor's sewing kit.

Sailor's sewing kit

A show was presented in a small theatre, where the clever hologram of a little lady (the wife of a Lieutenant Holbrook) came onto a static display and told the story of the town's name.   It had been known as Germantown and then changed during WW1 to Holbrook, named after a brave English lieutenant  of a submarine who was awarded for his heroics  in the Dardanelles.

Hologram of Mrs Holbrook

To honor Lieutenant Holbrook the town's namesake, the Holbrook council acquired a portion of the hull of HMAS Otway, an Oberon class submarine when it was decommissioned by the Royal Australian Navy in 1995.  Lieutenant Holbrook's widew donated $100,000 to the cause. The submarine was set into the town park.

So it all seemed to make sense.

This was the insignia of HMAS Otway.

Insignia of HMAS Otway

Vincent amor patriae means service for the love of my country. 

HMAS Otway and the museum are definitely worth a look if you are travelling through Holbrook.

And so we arrived home about 7 pm on Sunday night.


It had been a lovely holiday, catching up on family, and making a few day trips. And I always love staying in our caravan.


Now it is back to working on the house to get it ready for sale.

Interesting sites
1.

Cottage in the snow

Photo source

I have lived in the snow for 4 weeks in London. It was beautiful. I would love to stay in this cabin.  Click here to read about this beautiful alpine cottage.
 

2.

5 reasons to own less

Photo source

This article deals with 5 reasons to own less. I am interested in this topic at the moment because I am having to downsize, but there is a whole  movement of people downsizing. Click here to read more.

3.

The starfish story

Photo source

Read the starfish story. This is the old story about the girl on the beach picking up  starfish and throwing them back in the sea. It is a lovely story with a beautiful picture.  Click here to read it.