| Trip 2001 |
| Reasoning: After lots of chats with Mike and Pattie and a long standing invitation to go visit them. In July 2001 I decided to book a flight back to the UK to see them and other former Gooeyers. As many as I could catch up with in a short 9 day period. So I booked a flight for the October. Organising to leave Australia on a Monday Public Holiday and return the following Friday. Madness you say.. Well it was a rush and I guess I could have seen more people. But it was nice to take a breather a couple of times. |
| Day One: Tuesday 6am Mike and Patti met me at the airport and after some inital confusion.. and a phone call to Mikes mobile phone. (We couldn't find each other) Mike nabbed a trolley and we headed to the car hire so I could collect my car. Mike very delicately taking the Australian wine from me I'd brought. I guess he was worried that in my tired state I might drop it and injure myself. Then Patti and I took a wild ride following Mike home before he headed off to work for the day and I got a long awaited for shower. 18 plus hours in a plane will do that to you. pheeewwwwwwww! Patti and I spend the day plodding about and nattering. Before we decide to brave the roads and go for an adventure ride to the local grocers. Patti was amazed the guy could remember what smokes she likes. Geeee he must have a million yanks in his little shop every day. NOT! lol That night I discover Mike can cook.. woohoo chicken curry yum yum and then its off to the local pub.. hehe gee only 2 weeks b4 q, schoe and believe were at mike and pattis.. what a mix of accents and now there we sat chatting 3 different accents this time.. lol We wander back to the house and I bed down in the caravan. Cozy and warm.. :) |
| Day Two: A frantic dash in the morning as Mike readies himself for work and Ali gets organised for school. I sit on the comp for a while until Patti looks awake.. The morning passes sedately as I try and adjust to the time difference. :) And then Patti and I are let loose on the world again in my hire car.. We wonder if our "crazy tourist" excuse will save us if we get stopped. Tescos here we come.. Eventually after a long circular journey.. and nearly 15 mins driving I was sure we must have almost been back were we started.. Patti and I wander the isles between the two of us trying to work out what things might be called.. Terrorise the deli girl in our quest for ham thick enough to dice for a salad.. Patti explains, I interprete then the shop girls works it out and I interprete back.. lol Eventually we get it sorted and head off. Patti remembering another way to return home which turns out to be turn ,left, right ,left and we are there.. a journey of barely 5 mins.. ouch Dinner is started.. Plans changed and so Patti and I slump in the lounge for a few mins with me trying to convince her i'm fully awake dispite the fact that in truth one eye keeps closing and I can see two of her no matter how hard I try. I did manage to get her to try vegemite. Darn I wish I'd had the camera ready. Her face was wonderful. Then I realise I have to call the airport about my flight to Dublin then out I go to to sort what I can fit in a daypack while Patti does some more chores. Yummy salad Patti does this wonderfully and mmm pizza.. gee i'm feeling guilty.. After wards Mike takes me for a test run for the drive to the airport. via the scenic route as he tells me about the area where he lives.. and we have a zoom around. Personally I think he was just checking to see how bad my driving was.. and although the journey was easy I decide to taxi it instead. |
| Day Three: The alarm goes off too soon and I drag myself out of the warmth and into the house for a shower and coffee before the taxi arrives. Everyone else is still asleep as I shut the front door and clamber into the taxi in the semi light. The airport zooms into view fast and I stagger out to find I've arrived 40 mins too early and have to wait b4 I can check in.. Arrrgghhh Finally I check in. Ryan Air . No carry on luggage.. Althought I manage to convince them a little handbag will be ok. As I check in my daypack and worry about my pin badges that survived last years trip wihtout getting lost. The airport is fun. I wander, explore, take note of things to look at for the following week when I go home. eventually I work out where I need to go to get through customs.. and zoom into the sky. the flight is fast and as I walk out into the arrivals there's Burner waiting to drag me off to see the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland.. hmm will there be a check point??.. what about all those scary stories of Northern Ireland.. na a long drive but.. uneventful except for admiring glances at Burners sound system.. and its flashing disco lights.. lol woohoo I still reckon you need tracer lights around that console too. GRINS! |
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| thanx |