I'm off to Tasmania for the week for a cousin's wedding and general family ho-downs. Gotta catch up with all the cousins who have had weddings or babies, and Aunts and Uncles who have developed arthritis or some other "my god I'm approaching 60" condition in the past few years.
Despite growing up in 'delaide, my entire extended family lives in Tasmania (no, my parents aren't related - they've checked back at least 7-8 generations). Mum and Dad were the only ones who left the island (bar a couple of my cousins who ventured onto the mainland for a few stints, but have moved back). It's funny, my mum couldn't wait to move to Melbourne then join Dad in Adelaide when young - she found the small town culture claustrophobic. Yet her entire family now live pretty much in the same postcode. My Dad loved Tasmania but left for a job opportunity - he (and his family) is a lot more outdoorsy, and I can see why they love living close to bushland in the peace and quiet.
Funny how one family can be strongly tied to a place, whereas my parents have set a new trend, and now it seems normal that my bro has moved to Tokyo and me to Sydney. My Mum's family can be traced back to arriving in Tas as free settlers with the first fleet, some as convicts, and others possibly even longer ago with it likely that one european male relative had "relations" with a Tasmanian aboriginal woman (possibly making me 1/64th decsendent of an aboriginal Tasmanian!). Dad's family made the journey more recently, with his own mother venturing out here on her own at AGE 12 to get a better chance at live without her evil stepmother (It seems evil stepmothers are more than just fairy tales!!).
This visit to Tasmania I will be mostly visiting relos and hanging out with my parents - C-chan isn't coming with me, due to having to be a study bunny :(
Have a good week, and will post when I get back!
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