I’m delighted to report that our friend and long-standing Macfilos author, John Shingleton, is currently on the road and is on the way to recovery following the last very stressful and, at times, awful nine months. After the memorial service to his late wife Val, John packed his new Mini Cooper with everything he needed for a 500 km trip into New South Wales’s relatively remote Stockinbingal area.
There’s nothing like a long road trip and a few days on the farm with old friends to reset the clock of emotions, and I can tell that John is getting back to his old self. He’s been wielding the Leica Q2 for the first time in months, and you can see many of his shots on his blog, The Rolling Road. It’s definitely worth a visit if you fancy a view of the big outdoors. I’m hoping to persuade John to provide us with a picture story of his road trip and describe how it is helping to overcome sadness and loss.
Read more from John Shingleton
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John, I’m very glad you’re on the road to recovery. May there be many healing moments along the way.
It’s good to see some of travelogue. Hope it heals. I’m following your blog everyday. seems you’re are back in X1 territory.
Best wishes
Jean
Jean, I’m using both the X1 and the Q2. I prefer the X1 when I am walking in the country because it is so light and small.
It is good to see you out and about John, I hope this helps start the process of healing, and recovery.
I would welcome an article when you are back home and able to do so.
Best
Dave
I like to see that you wear R M Williams shoes. After seeing them so often during my first business trip to Sydney and Perth I bought my first pair (brown, a year later Black)and still have them!😀
Ulrich, thanks It’s taken me years to really like my R M Williams boots and to wear them in but now I really love them and they are most definitely the smart footwear of choice out here in the country. And they are still made in Australia.
“..the opal mining settlement of Lightning Ridge..” ..I remember seeing those brilliant Australian opals – generally considered the best! – in a few jewellery shops around The Rocks in Sydney. A jeweller friend took us to an “opal mine”(!) in Mexico, which turned out to be a JCB digger in what was left of a field ..which had been dug to a depth of about 25 feet. It was like a soft clay quarry with a digger in it, and three men with small ice picks knocking chunks of clay away from the edges, looking for embedded orange ‘fire’ opals.
I remember some of the Australian opals costing much less than others, as those were still attached to their white backing ..and so they looked great set in flat brooches or bracelets, but weren’t full, standalone, entire three-dimensional gems to be set in, for example, wedding or engagement rings.
It’d be good to see what a genuine Australian opal mine looks like, John! ..if you get there in one piece!
Mike , thanks for putting up this link . The 500km drive to Stockinbingal is only the first part of my rehabilitation road trip. I have been here on the farm in beautiful weather for a week and tomorrow I set off north to drive to the opal mining settlement of Lightning Ridge in two stages. After that it’s on to outback Queensland. So far the Mini is proving unto the task although I did have one scare a few days ago when I pulled out to overtake a large truck at high speed and there was a large dead kangaroo in the other lane. I just managed to squeeze the Mini between the roo and the edge of the road at about 120 kmh. That’s why I carry some extra clean underwear.
I drove to Epsom yesterday and there were no Roos on the road. Just a bunch of dithering drivers.
Dear John, it’s good to read that you found something that is good for you. Traveling has had to something with finding yourself ever since be it a roadtrip or a pilgrimage. Have safe journey! Jörg-Peter