posted
Ok for those who are mapping the progress of our Mayor & Lady Mayoress around the planet...
As I type this they should be somewhere over the pacific ocean about 5 & a half hours east of Oz, heading for LA
We put put them on the plane at lunch time today (our time of course) and shed a tear or too saying goodbye
I think they are both very tired... and just a tad happy to be heading back to family... and eventually their own bed!
I know they had a great adventure with all the stuff they did and saw while down under, in both NZ & Oz
I also know that they were overjoyed to meet and make friends of so many new people from the signwriting community in both countries
It was a blast to get to see them again and for all of us who had the opportunity to show them around our own little part of the world, it was bloody brilliant!
cheers gail & Devo
[ November 08, 2006, 02:42 AM: Message edited by: Gail & Dave Beattie ]
-------------------- Gail & Dave Hervey Bay Qld Australia
gail@roadwarriorproducts.com.au
sumtimes ya just gota! Posts: 794 | From: 552 O'Regans Creek Rd Toogoom Qld 4655 Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Thanks for getting them out safely, Gail! I'll be in touch! What happened to all their excess/overweight baggage???
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7017 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
So Steve finally got his Didge? I burnt him a couple of Cds ... one by David Hudson an awsome player and another mixing didge with drums, flute and clap sticks.
I see Steve has his beloved Akubra on. He was worse than when I took Empy to R.M.Williams. Just about tried on every hat in the store.
Thinking of Empy ... did Steve & Barb find any of those Kangaroo money "pouches" like the purple one Empy took back to USA? I've heard of "blue balls" ... but purple?
posted
yup they sure did find some roo pouches... plus an assortment of other strange and uniquely Oz bits and pieces
They left with pavlova eggs, tim-tams, a growling dingo, koala's, eureka flag, ect.
The didge (wow I can spell, sorta ) has a story attached to it that I will let Steve tell
treasures all... even though some will have up-overs scratching their heads in confusion
I think the main thing that Steve left with was a brand new vocabulary
he now knows so many new words and sayings, that when he was talking to his kids on the phone most of what he said was a total mystery to them hehehe
he always asked how their skin is... as in, is it full of pi**? and was intensely interested in everyone tactile behaviour, continually telling them to 'get their hand off it'... go figure?
so I think all the new questions and comments will keep things interesting for a while when they get home
Devo took great pains with pronunciation during Steve's elocution lessons, Brisbane = bizzy or brizzbun, Crikey = kry-key, to name but a few
cheers gail
-------------------- Gail & Dave Hervey Bay Qld Australia
gail@roadwarriorproducts.com.au
sumtimes ya just gota! Posts: 794 | From: 552 O'Regans Creek Rd Toogoom Qld 4655 Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
G'Day from LA Mates. We just went thru the longest Wednesday ever. Let me explain.
Our mates, Gail and Devo had drivin us to Kel and Dianne Lawcon's brillant home in Brisbane earlier in the day. (Brisy as us Aussies say.) Our Wednesday officially started at their home at 12 midnight on Nov.8.
We all woke up at 7am. Our flight left at 12 Noon, so we left for the airport around 9am. After a tearful goodbye that soaked my shirt, we officially left Oz at 1pm. That's 13 hours of Wednesday.
After a flight of 13 hours, we arrived in LA just after 7am Wednesday. Still Nov.8! Still Wednesday! Add the flight time and Wednesday is now 26 hours old.
After a very ferel probing by US Customs, we were released into the welcoming arms of Si and Marty Allen. We went for breakfast, then arrived back here at their place around 11am. Wednesday was now officially at 30 hours.
We slept a few hours, talked, had Supper, and did some Internet stuff, before finally hitting the bed at 12 Midnight. When you add it all up, our Wednesday was 43 hours long!
Regarding that excess baggage? When travelling internationally, you are allowed 2 bags each. Max weight per bag is 50 lbs.
Ian is referring to our domestic flight from Sydney to Brisbane. At the last minute, we were shocked to discover we were only allowed 1 bag each. It cost $150 to fly our other 2 bags an hour North. That was more than the cost of an extra person. I never even got my bags inflight lunch!
We left a bunch of printed stuff at Gail and Devos. It's amazing how much all that paper stuff can weigh. We had no problem with our luggage, but had to transfer 2kg. from my laptop bag to Barb's carryon. All those signatures are getting too heavy I guess.
Anyway. We are safe and sound here in LA. Yes! I am already missing all our new downunder pals. A good chunk of our hearts now live in New Zealand and Australia.
A couple of Months ago, I said this was a once in a lifetime trip. That's no longer true. I'm going home and do whatever it takes to attend next year's meets. Join us!
-------------------- Steve Shortreed 144 Hill St., E. Fergus, Ontario Canada N1M 1G9 519-787-2673
posted
I've been following your travels Steve..all I can say is...
DO IT AGAIN!!!
If our travel destination of choice weren't so important to us we'd be following in your footsteps in a heartbeat.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Good to see you made it back in one piece Steve n Barb... I hope you had a nice quite end to your stay and you are more than welcome back here anytime.... even if you just want to sit and relax and catch up again, thats cool...Now....Tell us all about your adventures!!!... and that strange toilet fetish you have?... Sue told me you snuck in a picture of our loo for your scrapbook...hehehehe You outta put out a book... "Around the world and the toilets I've seen"....hehehehehe We await your post on your adventures in Oz...
-------------------- John "sarge" Serjeant Executive Director of "Hardly Normal Signs" sarge.signs@bigpond.com 3 Balyando Drive Nerang Queensland 4211 Australia 61 07 5578 2495 Posts: 255 | From: Nerang, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
Enjoyed your comments on the "long wednesday" Steve. Us down under are used to the long days or the other of losing a day by crossing the International Date Line. Pleased to know you both got back to the US safely and that your visit to NZ and OZ has had such an impact on you both.
-------------------- Norman Biss aka KiwiNorm Living and working in one of the best countries on earth... Papamoa Beach, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand norman.biss@gmail.com Posts: 141 | From: Papamoa Beach, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand | Registered: Nov 1998
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