Saturday, September 15, 2012
As with most Saturdays in Australia, this day
began with a coffee with friends at the Glen. The conversation is always lively
and the company delightful. What a wonderful group of friends. And we come and we
go yet we are always welcome.
I was travelling in a wheelchair today,
rolling myself through the mall, navigating among the many legs that formed
walls in front of me. It can be a dangerous journey with an injured leg leading
the way, providing a wonderful obstacle for a pedestrian to trip over or
collide with. It is amazing to be in a wheelchair and notice how many people
really do not notice …. That is, their eyes are straight ahead and they do not
see anything that is below shoulder level. Children and wheelchairs are invisible
to many. Ohhh, I am learning a lot about being disabled.
Following coffee, we moved directly on to
lunch with friends, Cynthia and Onn. They took us to a small Asian restaurant
close to the City where we would be able to get authentic pho (Vietnamese soup).
And, not surprisingly, the food was absolutely delicious. Onn consistently
knows just what to order to satisfy our palates. One great thing about the
lunch outing was that Lydia, Onn and Cynthia’s daughter, joined us. We knew
Lydia well as a young teenage girl when we lived here ten years ago. Since then
we have had very little contact with her. It was great to meet her again as a
mature young adult and hear about her work and her dreams and her life
experiences to date. We were thrilled that she joined us and shared her
Saturday with us.
Back to Glen Waverley after lunch, we had a
quiet afternoon at home. It is recommended that I rest my foot from time to
time. I have great difficulty fitting that in to our social schedule. I would
far prefer to be out and about.
Dinner found us at the home of Dean and Anne
Mann where we were also joined by their children, Nikki, Jason and Kat. Once
again, we were impressed to share in conversation with these mature, young
adults who we knew as teenagers several years ago. The entire family has
embraced a children’s project in Kenya and much of the conversation focused on
that. Among them, there have been several trips made to Kenya in support of the
children. As a result, they have come to love the village and the children and
have ongoing contact with several people there. Thanks, Nikki, for introducing
your family to this project and sharing the opportunity and the joy of helping
others.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Church attendance is an important component
of our lives here in Glen Waverley. It was the warmth, the welcome and the
generosity of this congregation that enabled us to integrate so fully into this
community when we arrived in 2000. We look forward to attending services,
reconnecting with people, and observing the development and changes in the
church over the years.
Technology is a significant component of
worship as You-Tube clips, hymn words and Bible passages aremprojected on a
screen. The minister works from an I-Pad and walks among the congregation as he
speaks. A team of people manage the computers and projectors from the back of
the sanctuary and most days, it works almost flawlessly.
Following church we went across the street to
a local café for coffee with Deb Amos and Heather Bailey. We lingered over our
coffee long enough that some congregational members who had attended the later
morning service actually began to arrive. Oops …. Guess it is time to leave. As
we exited the café, we ran into Barb and John Hurst who agreed that it was
lunch time so we moved on to a second café for a bowl of pumpkin soup, an
Australian standard. After soup, it really was time to go home.
A quiet afternoon, including foot resting,
prepared us for dinner at the Hursts’ home. (Yes, I now we had just had lunch
with them as well!) Once again we were joined for dinner by their son and
daughter-in-law, David and Beth. The conversation was lively and the atmosphere
celebratory as Beth had just been given the go ahead to submit her PhD thesis,
leading to graduation. Wine flowed liberally as we raised our glasses to the
almost Doctor Beth! Barb prepared Indian food for us. Mmm delicious!!!
Monday, September 17, 2012
We decided that we would take a 3 day journey
to the south east part of Victoria, Gippsland by name. But first we had a couple of things to do.
Social, of course.
Jim went off to GOMERS, the weekly gathering
of retired men, to share coffee and conversation. While he was gone, Barb came
by to take me out for a morning cuppa before I went for my second morning cuppa.
We went to the Kingston Bakery Café, a local café. It was sadly a very ordinary
cup of coffee, not the usual standard we have become accustomed to in
Australia. But the company was good and Barb and I never seem to lack for
topics of conversation.
We met Jim and John when GOMERS was over and
each couple moved on to the other tasks of the day. Jim and I went directly to
the home of Max and Amy Whittaker, who we have known since 2000. They are both
wonderful people and we were happy to share a cup of tea and a scone with jam
and cream with them. They are both well over 80 now and beginning to show the
signs of aging. But nothing interfered with lively conversation, both sharing
and debate, peppered with much laughter. We look forward to our next encounter
with them.
In between the other activities of the
morning, Jim had managed to get to the municipal council office with the
appropriate paperwork to acquire a ‘wheelchair parking pass’. Now we are
eligible to compete with all the other disabled folks for the parking spaces
closest to the places we want to go. So far (I am writing this on Saturday
morning), we have noticed that the competition for these places is amazing.
There are a lot of people wandering the streets and malls with crutches,
walkers, wheelchairs and other devices. Once again, our eyes are opened.
Finally, just after noon, we headed east out
of town toward Gippsland. The metropolis of Melbourne has spread a long way
over the years we have been coming here. Housing has sprung up in all directions
far from the core of the city. As in other parts of the world, productive farmland
is now covered with homes and businesses. We travelled quite a distance along a
freeway and then through a long string of ‘country towns’ which have become
part of the extended city. But, at last, we reached the open countryside and
relaxed into our journey. Happily, we also left the freeway behind.
The landscape was varied as we travelled
east. At times it was relatively flat with wide open fields of somewhat scruffy
land. Sheep were the dominant animal in these areas. Some had already had their
spring ‘haircut’ and looked small and cold in the wind and occasional rain. It
was interesting to note that many flocks of sheep were accompanied by a couple
of llamas. As at home, sheep are vulnerable to predators such as foxes and wild
dogs. Llamas are very aggressive animals and serve to protect the sheep from
some of these dangers. A unique and picturesque way to address a problem.
Other areas we passed through were lush green
with rolling hillsides and lots of grass. Large herds of cattle ran free in
these fields, a combination of dairy and beef cattle. Gippsland is known for
its rich dairy products.
Agriculture is clearly a key economic
activity in this area. We travelled through some beautiful areas where the
market gardens reminded us of Holland Marsh just north of Toronto. Row upon row
of neatly planted vegetables were bursting forth from the soil as the gentle
warmth of spring encouraged them to come to life. Only the colour and shape of
the leaves identified them as the many varieties of vegetables that would
eventually be harvested and arrive in the markets.
One huge difference from farms at home was
the lack of barns in the landscape. Large sheds were used to store farm implements
and occasionally, bales of hay. But the animals remained out in the open during
all seasons. Winters, though cold, do not have the ice and snow conditions that
we know all too well. These are hardy animals that can sustain themselves in
wind and rain and cold as well as the heat and sun of summer. (This sounds a
bit like the postman’s mantra, doesn’t it? … Neither rain nor snow nor sleet
….. etc.)
Partway along the highway we were following,
the gentle hills gave way to higher peaks and steep rugged valleys. Here, traditional
Australian bushland covered the landscape. Towering gum trees with their long
slender leaves provided shelter for many bird and animal species. Wombats,
possums and kangaroos make their homes in the bush, well camouflaged by the
dusty greens and browns of the flourishing vegetation. Cockatoos (white), eastern rosellas (green,
yellow and red parrots), crimson rosellas (red and blue parrots) and rainbow
lorikeets were visible as they winged their ways across the sky or grazed for
food along the side of the road. Yes ….. we are in Australia, Dorothy.
Evidence of bushfires permeated the bush.
Fires are a necessary component of the Australian propogation system as many
plants rely on fire to activate their seeds. It is amazing to see how quickly
an area is able to regenerate following a fire. Yet, the burned stumps and
charred trunks of surviving trees provide visual evidence that fire has changed
the landscape …. And will again. The CFA (Country Fire Authority) is an important
element of Australian country culture. The CFA provides valuable information
about personal survival in a fire, home protection from fire and, of course,
direct response to fire. The CFA employs thousands of firefighters across
Australia but relies more heavily on volunteers who are willing to work
alongside the professionals to contain and control fires so as to protect life
and property when they occur. Black Saturday (2009) is palpable in the memory
of all Victorians as a fire that got out of control. The CFA works diligently
to prevent a similar event in the future.
We stopped in a small country town for an
afternoon cuppa. The cappuccino was hot and delicious as were the small meat
pies we enjoyed. A savoury pie is a very traditional Australian staple. Served
hot in a bake shop, these pies come in many combinations of flavours – beef and
vegetables, chicken curry, lamb with herbs. A tasty lunch indeed!
Just around dinnertime, we arrived In
Bairnsdale, our destination for the night. Again, because of my silly foot, we
had to arrange accommodation with handicapped facilities. No steps please, hand
rails in the bathroom and a walk-in shower (no tub). We have occasionally been
placed in a designated handicap room in hotels as we have travelled but we have
never had to request one before. This
was one more new experience for us. We were happy with the room we stayed in
and the hotel was very accommodating. But …. The handheld shower had a mind of
its own and the entire bathroom was virtually dripping with water, either due
to my lack of coordination or the ornery disposition of the coiled hose
transporting the water. It was the cause of a few shrieks, a couple of
expletives …. And much laughter!
We spent a quiet evening in our room and
enjoyed the picnic we had brought along with us. We have not lost our touch in
creating ‘Robinson Specials’, our own particular approach to sandwich building.
Karen and Iain will both affirm we have had much practice over the years.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Happy Birthday, Karen!
Today was a perfect day for the adventure we
had planned. We were going to Raymond Island, a small island just offshore to
the south of Bairnsdale, an island that had recently been populated with koalas
who had been moved there from other over-populated areas. Koalas are very
particular about where they live due to their limited diet (one specific kind
of eucalyptus tree). And they are very territorial. One koala can dominate
several trees and is usually unwilling to share their space. Although they
sleep way much of the day and night, they can be aggressive if pressed and use
their long claws with great effect. Typically, they are very respectful about
space and avoid conflict.
Bright sunshine, warm temperatures and clear
skies set the stage for a successful morning. We crossed over to Raymond Island
on the small ferry that connected it to the mainland and began our very slow
drive around the island. “Look for lumps”, was our battlecry as we craned our
necks to look high in the gum trees for brown furry balls. Koalas usually
position themselves in the crook of a tree and curl into a stationary lump to
sleep the day away. Amid the dusty green leaves and the mottled brown branches,
they can be remarkably difficult to find.
But we knew they were there … and our efforts
were amply rewarded. We located several koalas, both large and small, and
captured the evidence on our camera. They look so cute ….. and occasionally
lifted their heads to see what was disturbing them. Big round black eyes and cute
ears added to the profile along with their roly-poly bodies. Once again, we
reminded ourselves …. We really are in Australia!!
Fish and chips wrapped in traditional paper
at the water’s edge completed the morning excursion. It does not get much
better than that.
We began our slow wander back toward
Melbourne, intending to travel along the secondary highways and enjoy more of
the landscape. As we meandered along, the telephone rang and we learned that
our friends, David and Susan Hill, were at home in nearby Yarram. We were
delighted to hear from them and headed in their direction. We passed through
several country towns and only once gave into the temptation to stop for
coffee. This particular coffee shop was built in an old rectory and was a
charming building with delicious coffee and baked goods. We limited ourselves
to a shared treat there but we did purchase an apple/blueberry pie to take with
us.
We arrived in Yarram and were warmly greeted
by David and Susan who invited us to stay for dinner and overnight. We
thoroughly enjoyed our visit with them. David and I have corresponded
electronically for over 10 years as penpals would, writing newsy letters,
sharing details of family life, reflecting on political and cultural phenomena,
and generally chatting about day to day life. But we have only met face to face
a very few times. They have visited Waterloo when we were in Australia and we
have visited Australia when they have been overseas. It was both a treat and a
triumph to be in the same place at the same time and be able to have a real
life conversation. And there was certainly no lack of conversation as we
covered a broad range of topics, told stories and shared laughter. It was a
great visit that ended all too soon as we headed back out on the road the next
morning.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
We said farewell to our Yarram friends and
headed along the South Gippsland Highway in the general direction of Warragul,
our destination for lunch. Once again we travelled through some beautiful
countryside – Australian bushland featuring towering eucalypts, rich farmland
peppered with sheep, cattle and vast fields of market gardens, green shoots
just emerging from the soil in the increasingly warm spring climate. We have
become accustomed to the Victorian climate and its everchanging nature. As we
drove along, we experienced light rain, broad sunshine, cloudy skies and
everything in between. Layered clothing is a must at this time of year as each
day can provide occasions when a jacket and sweater are necessary and within a
few moments, one needs to remove both and bask in the warm sunshine. As they
say in Melbourne, “Don’t like the weather? Wait ten minutes!”
We stopped for a cuppa in a delightful café
in the small country town of Meeniyan. A tasty cappuccino provided the pause
that refreshed and an opportunity to determine our route to Warragul. There is
no direct highway that connects Yarram and Warragul and the time had come for
us to choose our cross country route. We turned off the main highway at Korumburra
and headed north through the hills. It was a beautiful route, winding roads,
ridge drives, plunging valleys and broad views. All this along with a clear
blue sky and bright sunshine. It was a glorious drive.
We arrived in Warragul just after the appointed
hour and had no difficulty finding the home of Penny and Chris, who we had met
in Bora Bora. They live on a large block of land just outside of town and we
enjoyed both the conversation and the views as we shared a delightful lunch
with them. It became clear that we had many more topics of conversation to
explore than we had uncovered in Bora Bora and soon, three hours of
companionable chatting had passed. Once again, the warmth and welcome of
Australians was abundantly clear. We reluctantly said good bye and headed on
our way back to Glen Waverley.
Countryside and quiet roads soon gave way to
freeways and suburbs. We arrived back at Morgans, happy to be at our home away
from home, once more. Briefly, though, as we had dinner plans with our friend,
John Baines.
John had made reservations at a nearby
Japanese restaurant called Teppanyaki.
It was a hibachi-style restaurant where we shared the table with other
guests and the chef prepared our meals on a cooktop that was built into the
table. Our young chef was quite a showman. He demonstrated dexterity and
confidence as he juggled cooking utensils, caught pepper grinders in his hat,
tossed bowls that diners had to catch and flicked morsels of food into our
mouths with amazing accuracy.
We enjoyed our evening thoroughly – great
company, delicious food and an entertaining chef. It was a great opportunity to
get caught up with another good Australian friend.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Gratefully, we settled into a much quieter
day today. Time to relax at home, process the rest of our French Polynesian
photos into book form, and update our diary. We have been so busy this week
that time to record our activities and reflections has been at a premium.
I was very happy to finally complete the
French Polynesian book and send it off to print. It is being shipped to our
home address so we will not see the finished product until the end of our
journey. It will be a treat to share with family and friends once we arrive
home in October.
We had made plans for dinner this evening
with Helen and Pete Stewart. Pete has been struggling with a sore back and has
been using a walker to get around when he is able to go out. We had a good
laugh at Moretti’s, the restaurant of choice, when we both arrived leaning on
walkers for support as we made our way to the table.
The laughter set the tone for a very
enjoyable evening. We had not had a chance to see Helen and Pete when we were
last in Australia so we had several years of catching up to do. Family, church
activities, careers and retirement, health issues, grandchildren and all manner
of other topics carried us through a leisurely meal.
We had also chosen some interesting items
from the menu to satisfy our hunger and our curiosity. Jim ordered the Squid
Ink Risotto (enthusiastically recommended by the waiter) and I ordered Chicken
Saltimbocca. Both dishes were attractively presented, even the Squid Ink
Risotto which was primarily black in colour. Both dishes were very tasty
although I am not convinced Jim would want a repeat of the squid. One of the
reasons we enjoy eating out though is that we get to try foods that we would
never prepare at home.
After we left Helen and Pete, we went off to
a meeting of the ‘Walking Group’ who are planning their next major international
trip. The destination of choice is Cinque Terra in Italy. Since we have never
been to Italy, it holds some appeal for us as well, even though we will not
participate in all the walks they have planned. We are gradually generating a
plan that will bring us to Australia every second year with an effort to meet
some of Aussie friends in another part of the world in the alternate years. So
far we have been able to meet Australian friends in California, UK, Iceland and
French Polynesia. Hmmm …. Maybe Italy will be next. Time will tell!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Spring equinox here ….. autumn equinox north of the equator.
Friday definitely shaped up to be a quite
different day from Thursday. The activities began right after we got up.
It seemed a good day for Jim and I to visit
one of my favourite places, a gift shop, nursery and café in the suburb of Blackburn.
On our way to the shop, we detoured off
the main road to meander through a neighbourhood in Blackburn that has worked
hard to preserve the feeling of the countryside although tucked deeply in the
city. Houses have been constructed in
and among the trees and mostly feature colours and materials that are
consistent with the Australian bush. Gardens are filled with native plants and
many have a slightly wild look to them. The streets are narrow with no curbs or
sidewalks and, frankly, ‘tourist’ traffic is discouraged, thus preserving the
tone and peacefulness of the community. Oops …. Did we miss that ‘no through
traffic’ sign? After a short meander, we did turn the car toward the Bellbird
shop.
The Bellbird has been the source of many
gifts and mementoes of our various trips to Melbourne. I first discovered it in
2000 when we were living in Glen Waverley and I have spent time there almost
every time we have been back to Australia. Imagine my dismay when we found it
to be closed up for good and actually quite derelict. So disappointing! Jim and
I had a coffee in the café that remains but it was not quite the same without
the requisite browsing and decision-making in the shop. Another shopping opportunity scuttled.
I came to Melbourne this time with a very
specific goal of shopping for clothing as well as other items. I only brought
two pair of pants and two long sleeved shirts with me. I intended to search the
shops for the end of winter sales here and carry home a wardrobe that would be
perfect for the impending winter in the northern hemisphere. I did get out for
a short while the day after we arrived and picked up a skirt, two shirts and a
V-necked sweater. Thank goodness, because I am now finding that wearing a large
boot on my left foot is a huge impediment to shopping for pants, shoes, bathing
suits and other items of apparel, all of which were on my ‘must get’ list.
Alas, I am saving lots of money but I am also getting very, very tired of the
two pair of pants and the two shirts I brought with me. We will be shipping one case home before we
move on to Singapore and Turkey and you can be very certain that those two shirts
and trousers will not be in it!!
We made it home just in time for my friend,
Faye Wagon, to pick me up for lunch. Ironically, she took me to a Nursery, café
and gift shop in another part of town. We enjoyed a tasty Australian lunch
(meat pie and salad) and caught up on all the news of our families and personal
adventures. Faye is the person who is responsible for us attending Glen
Waverley Uniting Church on our very first Sunday in Australia in 2000. What an
impact this church and all its people have had in our lives. We are so grateful
for their warm welcome to us then and we are grateful to Faye for having
encouraged us to attend. No one could have predicted how important that
connection would be for us.
Back home again, a quick swish of a brush through
my hair, and off to my next social engagement. Cynthia Chin was picking me up
to go for coffee at the now very familiar Moretti’s. A delicious cappuccino
awaited along with lively conversation and gentle laughter. We share so much in
our families and Cynthia loves our family deeply. What a gift is her
friendship!
Back home …. And out again. Jim and I had been invited to join Charlotte
Baines, one of our young friends, at the Belgium Beer Café in St. Kilda, a very
hip part of town. What an amazing place. What an array of beer on offer ... and
a very attentive server who actually let us taste a couple of types of beer
before committing to our order. The food was delicious and again, the
conversation flowed in so many different directions. Charlotte is almost at the
point of submitting her PhD thesis for final assessment and is exploring
several options about what direction her life will take next. It was a
privilege to spend time and share in Charlotte’s ponderings as she determines
her new priorities and goals. One thing we know for sure …. Whatever Charlotte
decides to do, she will be a great success!
