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Trip, Clapotis and Mom

It was quite a trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.  There were 11 flights to get from Vancouver and back.  Having said that, there were only two days spent on a bus driving from place to place, a pleasant change from the Ireland/Scotland trip that had us doing 14 days on a bus.  Here are a few photo highlights of that holiday.

With a kangaroo statue in the Sydney Wildlife Zoo

Viewing point at the Stratosfare Restaurant in Queenstown, NZ overlooking  Lake Wakatipu

 A dusky sunset on the beach of the Sofitel Spa and Resort in Nadi, Fiji
As you can see by how I am dressed. the temperatures did vary a lot.  If you look closely under that white jacket I am wearing the Waiting for Rain shawl as a scarf.  Of course in Cairns and Sydney, Australia as well as Nadi, Fiji, no wool was needed.

I did manage to get through the trip with one carry-on suitcase.  As you can imagine that meant everything taken to wear had to be fully coordinated with layers to add or delete as the temperature required.  It was wonderful to travel so lightly, but it meant my yarn purchases had to be kept to an absolute minimum.  Stay tuned for details.

Taking the Clapotis project was a good decision.  With all the flights there was a fair amount of  time sitting around meaning there was plenty of time for knitting.  Here's a quick look at the progression during the trip and beyond.

On one of the many flights

On one white bedspread with 5 stripes

On another white bedspread with 8 stripes

Complete at home with Mara checking it out
This knit worked out better than I had hoped.  It fit into one small bag and was easy to start and stop.  The variegated yarn worked out better than I hoped for too, giving that dreamy, ethereal look.  (For yarn click here and scroll to the bottom of the post.)

I took the completed Clapotis to the farm to show Mom and before the trip there was finished Mom owned it.  She was so fond of it she wore it daily until the weather got too warm; how satisfying to create something she really wanted.  Here she is wearing that Clapotis at my niece's graduation in Madison, Wisconsin yesterday.

Mom found a new way to wear it!
Happy Mother's Day, Mom.  Enjoy that Clapotis!

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