Israel (and Jordan) - Thanks for the Memories. 

34 hours from Petra and I stumbled through my back door burdened down by the accumulated paraphernalia of my twelve days' Holy Land tour with three additional days in Jordan.

Yes, I arrived home with a back-pack bulging with bits and pieces, a camera case of captured images, a port full of dirty laundry and a mind full of memories. My back held the back-pack, my shoulder the red camera bag and one hand dragged the washing. The other was firmly and carefully clutching two bottles of duty-free Jägermeister.

The dirty washing I will see to myself. "What's that my Dear? You will do it? Bless you." Absence does make the heart grow fonder. I envisage that the images will not all disappoint me and I will be able to share some with you. I will however take care of the Jägermeister. One bottle is already approaching the eiskalt level. The bits and pieces in the back-pack will add to the clutter in my study and hopefully prod my memory along.

My memories? They are best remembered by being shared.

Memories are not logically arranged, chronologically organised or neatly filed; but they pop up randomly. Patting my neighbour's dog and I am reminded of the cats chasing around the grounds of the Dan Beach Hotel. Chopping wood for the fire and I visualise Turks laying rail tracks and deforesting Israel and Jordan in the process. Drive past our home church here in Laidley and I am once again worshipping in the Redeemer Church in Old Jerusalem. You get the idea.

Over the next who knows how long? I invite you to join me as my memories bounce around - not chronologically, not logically - as a word, a thought, a sight, a sentence in my note book, takes me back to our pilgrimage. My thoughts may not always be your thoughts, my reactions not always similar to the way you reacted. What a dull world it would be without variety! I trust, however, that my words will help you relive what for many of us was a trip of a lifetime.

Flying high on The Faith Boat Australia meets Israel.