Inspiration and final preps.....

Come, my friends,

'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.

Push off, and sitting well in order smite

The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds

To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths

Of all the western stars, until I die.

It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:

It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,

And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield!

(Tennyson, Ulysses)

 

I've always found inspiration from this poem, particularly in the final sentiments. It seems quite apt, seeing as we're about to have our own, (albeit very minor), Odyssey, (although it's a bit strange that you can have an Odyssey but not a Ulyssey), - a prize for the first person who says it's all Greek to them.

 

Still, after returning from a week in Western Australia and encounters with spiders:

 

And peculiar "Health Regulations":

 

It was good to get back to NZ, with only a week to go before boarding our flight to the US and beyond. I have to report that I'm virtually, (very unlike me), packed and ready to go and I even remembered to pack earplugs, (although in the spirit of Ulysses that should perhaps have been beeswax). 

All the important fishing gear is selected and stowed and I had great difficulty reducing the stock of flies from about 500 to 50 or so, (despite rarely using more than 2-3 patterns), and deciding on the rods I was likely to need. But in the end settled for my favourite Sage and a medium Grey's (as depicted below).

 

Anyway this is definitely the last post from NZ, we'll see you all in Europe.