Hi Everyone,
Well! After having endured and enjoyed a 12 Month sojourn in Australia, I have arrived back home, though I nearly didn’t make it!
The Singapore flight from Perth via Singapore to London was great, and plenty of room with excellent service, (Worth the extra A$400) and coming into land at London Heathrow I felt a sense of relief, as one started to adjust one’s thoughts as to what was to come for the future.
Then, with an almighty Crash – Bang – Wallop, the plane bounced off the runway twice, we all paled with pure fright, (Never mind the twitching of ones Sphincter!), this was it! we thought! “The End”, but luckily the learner Pilot? regained control, and although we had to wait for 30 minutes (as the electrics had failed) and another 10 minutes for the Doors to open, (as they were stuck) we eventually disembarked.
Kissing the ground is a dirty/mucky business, but it was, I can tell you, what we all felt like doing!
However, it is good to be Home, the weather was still wintry and all the aspects of spring (Daffodil’s – Tulip’s etc) are running about a month behind with temperatures about 6°/14° and snow still in the air, Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! even a period of 4 Sunny days was to be appreciated.
Friends, Peter & Catherine Brown, who had kindly offered to put me up until I recovered from Jet Lag at their home in Windsor, met me. It took me about a week to get over the initial impact, but then a very bad cold meant that I had to prolong my stay. (Sorry both! but again, thanks!)
As lady luck would have it, Peter told me his mother was looking to sell her car, and although I had decided to become an ascetic, (I am of the Philia nature) for a year (Not quite sackcloth and ashes); I had just intended cycling everywhere, catching buses, all being part of the grand master plan.
So I met with Peters Mum, had a look at the car, which was in pristine condition, a Rover 420 GSi with only 24,000 miles on the clock and a price of nothing (Not quite! but it was an offer I could not refuse) I am now a proud possessor of a super duper Motor-car.
This past month has been, just like I thought it would be, visiting Family (My greatest Big Sister – Valerie, her husband John Moss) my younger sister Yvonne, my Children & Grand kinder, meeting up with my best Pal, Mike Sanderson and his wife Jean, spending some-time chewing the cud about many things that we had been involved with over the years, touring Cardiff (My Home Town) to once again, to get acquainted with my Welsh heritage, Boyo’s! it was beautiful, you see!
Again, Lady Luck has seen to my needs, my old Landlord informed me that my Apartment in Weymouth (I had thought of moving to Chepstow) was available from 23rd April and on very good terms, I immediately accepted and have moved in, so I am now ensconced in familiar surroundings, with all my worldly possessions around me, and I am a very happy bunny.
I am now able to consider my immediate future over this next year, in a) Compiling the Book (I have already had a few suggestions of Titles, keep them coming Folks) and b) putting my thoughts together, et al.
At this stage and before I forget, I must extend my warmest thanks to you all.
Well! After having endured and enjoyed a 12 Month sojourn in Australia, I have arrived back home, though I nearly didn’t make it!
The Singapore flight from Perth via Singapore to London was great, and plenty of room with excellent service, (Worth the extra A$400) and coming into land at London Heathrow I felt a sense of relief, as one started to adjust one’s thoughts as to what was to come for the future.
Then, with an almighty Crash – Bang – Wallop, the plane bounced off the runway twice, we all paled with pure fright, (Never mind the twitching of ones Sphincter!), this was it! we thought! “The End”, but luckily the learner Pilot? regained control, and although we had to wait for 30 minutes (as the electrics had failed) and another 10 minutes for the Doors to open, (as they were stuck) we eventually disembarked.
Kissing the ground is a dirty/mucky business, but it was, I can tell you, what we all felt like doing!
However, it is good to be Home, the weather was still wintry and all the aspects of spring (Daffodil’s – Tulip’s etc) are running about a month behind with temperatures about 6°/14° and snow still in the air, Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! even a period of 4 Sunny days was to be appreciated.
Friends, Peter & Catherine Brown, who had kindly offered to put me up until I recovered from Jet Lag at their home in Windsor, met me. It took me about a week to get over the initial impact, but then a very bad cold meant that I had to prolong my stay. (Sorry both! but again, thanks!)
As lady luck would have it, Peter told me his mother was looking to sell her car, and although I had decided to become an ascetic, (I am of the Philia nature) for a year (Not quite sackcloth and ashes); I had just intended cycling everywhere, catching buses, all being part of the grand master plan.
So I met with Peters Mum, had a look at the car, which was in pristine condition, a Rover 420 GSi with only 24,000 miles on the clock and a price of nothing (Not quite! but it was an offer I could not refuse) I am now a proud possessor of a super duper Motor-car.
This past month has been, just like I thought it would be, visiting Family (My greatest Big Sister – Valerie, her husband John Moss) my younger sister Yvonne, my Children & Grand kinder, meeting up with my best Pal, Mike Sanderson and his wife Jean, spending some-time chewing the cud about many things that we had been involved with over the years, touring Cardiff (My Home Town) to once again, to get acquainted with my Welsh heritage, Boyo’s! it was beautiful, you see!
Again, Lady Luck has seen to my needs, my old Landlord informed me that my Apartment in Weymouth (I had thought of moving to Chepstow) was available from 23rd April and on very good terms, I immediately accepted and have moved in, so I am now ensconced in familiar surroundings, with all my worldly possessions around me, and I am a very happy bunny.
I am now able to consider my immediate future over this next year, in a) Compiling the Book (I have already had a few suggestions of Titles, keep them coming Folks) and b) putting my thoughts together, et al.
At this stage and before I forget, I must extend my warmest thanks to you all.
All of you, who sustained my mental well-being with your messages, telephone calls and emails (and as with the people I met in Australia) there are too many I am afraid, to mention you all by name.
The cheering, advice, downright bluntness and honesty, were always welcome, the crude & rude cartoons and jokes sent were also most welcome, and it reminded me continually of that old adage “A friend in need!”
Thanks to you all.
Transport & Fuel Costs;
For those who have an interest down-under (and the reverse of my reports to my pal Mike), the cost of Fuel (Petrol & Diesel) is about £1.26 per litre (A$2.50) Bus fares in comparison are horrendous, and Boy! I do miss the Road-Trains.
The journey down to Wales (120 miles) was horrendous, there were no gaps between vehicles, I could not even see the road between us and we all seemed to be travelling at 100 mph (160 kph). O’ for the love of the empty roads of Australia!
Health & Weight;
I left the UK weighing a plump 15 stone 7lbs; I return a “Slim Jim” at 11 stone 3 lb, a comfortable 4 stone 4 lbs (24 Kilo’s) lighter and feeling better for it, was it the Diet? I did not have one, just a more active life-style, plenty of fruit, which also helped my diabetes regime, and which I shall endeavour to maintain
For those who are aware, I had had two major foot operations over the 2 years before I went out to Australia, my feet were and are grand, and they worked! My left-hand coped well, with my right-hand also coping, and although on occasions I had problems, I learnt to cope (Cos’ I did not have my Mother with me to help and advise me!).
Apologies;
I have had it pointed out to me that one or two mistakes had arisen in my Blogs over the year, I apologise if that was the case, but have attempted to reflect either what I experienced, or indeed what I was told faithfully (I extrapolated the Bullshit element of any tale, as it obviously arose) by people I had met along the way.
One has to have a measure of Faith & Confidence in reflecting those views or stories. The remainder of the contents are my words, of events experienced by myself.
Therefore, with this Blog, which is my shortest, I leave you for a little while (I shall be moving furniture, organising myself, taking stock,) and renewing acquaintances with people I have either worked with, and in the case of being an "Apprentice Carpenter", (Peter Mowlam), start to make “Furniture” again.
I have also taken an "Allotment Plot", gardening is another hobby I like to do, this will keep me occupied, fill the larder and I am sure, that as the allotment committee are a team of "Last of the Summer Wine Ilk" they will keep me talking.
I shall attempt to ensure the Blogs (as I have been assured they have been) to be as interesting as possible, but if you have any comments, please send them and if they are decent, spelt and are grammatically correct, I shall post them on the next Blog.
Before I close this one, the “The New Adventure” will be leaving on the 1st October 2012, it will be the “The Moscow – Vladivostok” Railway journey, which takes about 14 days, (15 Feet of Snow all the way) but each carriage is well-heated, and you will meet many great people (Russians).
If you would like to join me, you would be welcome, so put your name on the list! Asap.
See you anon Folks,
Time for Bed said Zebeedee!
Nigel J Gauder
23rd April 2010
Nigel J Gauder
23rd April 2010
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