more than 42º south

Fortunately (thanks to God), I'm slow to get homesick. Though in truth, I haven't had much opportunity. I've lived away from Tasmania for nine years all up, but for most of that time I visited home every six months or so. The longest I've been away was during my year and a half in England and Ireland, and I got homesick at the end of the year. Anyway, all this is to say that I haven't felt homesick yet and am hopeful that I won't any time soon.

There is one thing that tugs at my heart though... the south of Chile. I almost can't look at photos - the land looks so much like the Tassie wilderness it kindof breaks my heart. I don't know why this should be - I should rejoice that I find myself in an equally (even more?) beautiful and familiar country on the other side of the globe. Yet it does.

Last Wednesday I went to the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural with Emy, the boys, and Emy's abuela. The section on Antarctica put me in mind of the same section in the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery - even the information about the indigenous peoples made me think of home. But really it is very nice to feel familiar with a whole section of what makes Chile. For there's a whole heap of flora and fauna that's utterly new to me - I lack even the knowledge of a kid.

                                       Chile (or Tasmania?)
                                       from Ken Hornbrook