Trip...Interrupted

Thank goodness for travel insurance, that's all I have to say.

I still have to tell you about my trip up to Queensland and the crazy meditation experience, but first, temporarily, I am trip ... interrupted. Dad had a heart attack a few weeks ago, and then he was supposed to be fine. And then he had problems so they put in a pacemaker, but then he was supposed to be fine. And then fluid filled in his lungs and he had congestive heart failure. Dad was telling Mum not to tell me so I wouldn't worry (um ... REALLY?!?!?) So long story short, I don't want to get the "he's not fine" phone call, so I booked a flight, was on a plane the next day, and 30 hours later, I am back in Florida. He's doing alright but he's a stubborn guy, so I will be the get well Nazi and make him do all the things the doctors say to do but that he doesn't want to listen to. Wish me luck!

My plan is to be here for the next four weeks or so to make sure he is going to be alright. And if so, I will still continue on with my travel plan, which is to head to New Zealand with Windsor in the end of November.

Thankfully, my friend travel insurance (if ever there was reinforcement that travel insurance is NECESSARY, this is it!) told me to just buy a one-way back and submit that along with hospital records for reimbursement. They won't help me get back to NZ to finish my trip, but they will reimburse the cost of my last-minute one-way trip home (which thankfully, was not too crazily expensive, we heart STA in Australia).

Hopefully, more good news to follow soon.
(And thank you already for everyone who has sent well-wishes via facebook!)

PS I forgot to mention, Australian Immigration wanted to "have a chat" with me before I left the country. Lovely. They asked if I was coming back and just wanted to remind me that an electronic visa is not meant to be used for back-to-back three-month stays, because it looks suspicious that I might be working illegally. Well I wasn't! Wah! When I asked if I could apply for a new e-visa to come back for two weddings late next year she said, sure I can apply. Didn't say it would be granted, but I could at least apply ... hm ...