Well, as you may have noticed – we have been a bit quiet on the Every Family Needs A Farmer campaign front which you may remember from our ‘Light Bulb Moment’ post. We did get some stickers on the car (big thanks to Tracey) and we did sign up for the Outback Links program (great tip Aunty Nerida and Uncle Garth) and thanks to my Mum – Peter Prado has been sporting this cow since Winton (great conversation starter at campsites – we have had lots of people come over to us and say ‘we saw your car at such and such a place’ as the cow and the green kayak on top of the cow are easily remembered’).
However, other than that we hadn’t had a chance to do much stopping in at farms along the way (largely because we haven’t really come across any yet!) or had a lot of time to think too much more about our broader objectives of trying to promote rural Australia and Australian Farmers as we travelled.
Our big news is that we have decided this week to take a leap, put our hearts where are mouths are, and become farmers ourselves.
We have made the huge (and very difficult!) decision that in four weeks time we will be cutting our trip short and heading ‘back home’ to Mareeba in Far North Queensland where we will be taking up the amazing opportunity that has presented itself to begin learning the ropes of how to be Mango, Avocado, Lime and Passionfruit farmers. Holy Moly!!!
Our new home – 153 acres of Mangos, Avocados, Limes and Passionfruit
We are incredibly excited (and nervous!!) about this next chapter in our lives, for us it is a dream come true to have an offer like this come up. However, we must admit to being incredibly gutted to be cutting our trip of a lifetime short. A trip that has been two years in the making. There were tears at first, but now we are just savouring every minute of the last four weeks we have left on the road and allowing the excitement to build about returning home to our extended families in Far North Queensland and letting our next ten year plan take shape!
It is bittersweet to end our trip of a lifetime early, to take up the opportunity of a lifetime, but this trip was always about ‘the journey and not the destination‘, so we are viewing this as the next waypoint on the Fealy Family Adventure.
So tomorrow we take a detour from our original route plans and cross the border into Western Australia to find ourselves a spot on the beach overlooking the Indian Ocean, to enjoy what might possibly be the last four weeks annual leave we ever get!!
REally? How did you get this opportunity? Did you see it advertised? Or did someone in your family hear about it word of mouth? More details please! Helen
WOW! That was a surprise! Make the most of the next four weeks and good luck with the next stage of the Fealy Family Adventure… keep us posted x
good post jess mum and i are both sad and happy–happy for us because we’ll have you all close sad that you’ve had to cut your trip short, but if a wave comes in you’ve gotta catch it
Sounds like a great opportunity!!! Go for it!!
Hey, you gotta roll with it, right. The alternative could be – yeah, a once in a lifetime opportunity came up, but it didn’t really fit in with our plans, so we had to turn it down… Go the farmers!
Good luck guys!!!
Noooo!!, what will we do without a blog to read, the thought of catching up on the road, Nooo!
Seriously, congratulations to you all, at least you have had a taste of the big outdoors and can now return to the next life changing event.
After all this was your goal to settle in FNQ. I am also sure this won’t be the last time you travel.
Wow we are getting to share so much with you guys it’s been great, and will make it easy to converse when we catch up, in FNQ.
Wow, congratulations! Enjoy your last month on the road. Its great you have found your next adventure, and what an incredibly exciting opportunity for your family. I look forward to following your life as a farmer! Sonia
p.s.. also keen for more details as to how you’ve stumbled into farming life?
I am sorry that after all your planning you have to cut your trip short…but selfishly, I am super excited to have you all up this way so all the cousins get to play together! And you are bringing us a whole new adventure! I hope it is not the end of the blog!!
Good luck to you all with the next part of the journey, how exciting.
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Well we have a farm stay for our North Qld adventure already sorted! We’ll give you a few months to settle in and then look out! What an opportunity……although I have to say it sounds like a lot of hard work to me. But I know you Fealy’s are not afraid of a bit of hard work!
do blog followers get free mangoes? I’m sure immediate family will surely get as many as they can eat. I see many benefits in this move–good one—
wahoooo! free fruit for life !!!!………………………
WOW big news indeed, very happy for you all but sad at the same time that its final confirmation that we have lost our great neighbours. Who am i going to blame now when i can’t find my ladder, my wheel barrow and other tools ????
On the bright side Matt you know you’ll need a top of the range John Deere tractor complete with airconditioned cab, blue tooth & ipod conectivilty, plus a new quad bike, mower, etc, etc, etc.
Lucky there is an accountant in the family………………………………………………….
I am with Murray noooooo……no more travel blog……. Ah but that is awesome – good luck peeps 🙂
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