Now the answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind

Only a short stay in Jindabyne and it is time to head home. We ate our hot breakfast and set off back to Sydney along the sparse grasslands of the Monaro, sadly following the abandoned train tracks from Cooma to Canberra. What a beautiful journey that would have been.

Alex asked to visited the amazing playground at the National Arboretum overlooking Canberra. He climbed his way through the giant gumnuts with all the other kids at this popular venue, then we ate lunch inside the centre.

We walked through the National Bonsai and Pengji Collection adjacent to the centre, marvelling at the tiny scenes created by each tree.

But Alex was in a hurry to return to the gift shop. He had spotted kids flying kites on the Arboretum lawns and wanted to purchase one for himself.

So he guided the rainbow streamers through the bright blue sky as others flew similar purchases along with a pirate flag and an eagle, children and adults shouting and laughing together.

On the hill behind the lawn I spotted what looked to me like a grove of flowering Japanese plum trees. Taking the bright ochre track up towards the lookout I discovered that they were actually entirely unrelated Italian shrubs. As soon as I took my new sunglasses off the brilliant red shading faded and I realise they were the source of the deception.

We farewell Canberra and set off on the final stretch to home. By the time we reach the house we are all exhausted and a combination of a head cold and travel has given me a massive headache. Still, we certainly packed a lot in for such a short break.

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The little Jedi of Kinosaki Onsen

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travelling allrite

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