Thurs 17.6.1999
Well we arrive at the Bus Depot Safe and sound. Dad dropped Ayrlie (age 6), Liam (age 3) and Me at the lift and I’m now by myself with the kids on an adventure.
We arrive at 6pm to depart at 6.30pm well you guessed it, the bus was late. 1 Hour. Wasn’t that fun amusing the kids for 1Hr in Roma St. Brisbane. Well the excitement has set in and we are boarding the bus. What is ahead – Who knows. Well lucky for us the kids had a seat to themselves and no one next to me. YEAH!!!! We leave at 7.30pm off for Toowoomba then down to Dubbo. The kids fall asleep before the 1st stop. each having a seat to themselves. I tried to sleep but couldn’t. Part of me worrying about the kids the other wondering how Dubbo will turn out.
Liam woke up around 2am. I took him to the toilet, put on a pull up and back to our seat. We went inside at the next stop for a drink and run around. We board the bus again and Liam spends some time looking out at the stars. I was telling him about the milky way and his reply was “Where is the chocolate mummy?” Ha! Ha! Liam finally sleeps. I stay awake thinking about being with Peter again (He was working in Sydney as there was now work in Brisbane). I can’t wait. I am constantly looking out at the stars. I have never seen so many before. The stars shine right down to the horizon. Then i spot the consolation- scorpions tail, then for the 1st time ever, see the scorpion in its entirety WOW.
It’s about 5.30am and Ayrlie wakes up. We sit in the front seat together and watch out for Dubbo. On our trip I spoke to 3 people about my Natasha story. I still have had not one negative response. You know nearly everyone I talk to knows of someone who is either adopted or an adoptee. Well we are rolling down the freeway and bang there is a row of 1 million lights. Both Ayrlie and I mouths drop. WOW look at all those lights. Here we are in the middle of nowhere – Out in the west and there is this huge city in front of me. All the tourist info on Dubbo i ready says Population 34,000. Yeah right, more like 60,000. I cannot believe the size of this place. Ayrlie says “Look at all those lights in a straight line mummy!” We were in shock. We arrive at Dubbo Bus Depot where Sandra and Tash pick us up at 6.30am and then take us to the home that Natasha was raised in ………
The only thing i remember from this was taking horse sized tablets on the bus ride with only a waterbottle to wash them down but i kept spitting them into the bottle as i took a drink in an attempt to swallow them hahahaha