Sydney Reunion 2003 – A very brief summary
FRIDAY 19/9/2003
1430: Eastern Standard Time : Fell out of the air and smacked down on the runway at Sydney Airport – at least that’s how I remember it. Cleared baggage collection and took a taxi to the Duxton hotel north Sydney. Went straight out after checking in and walked under the bridge through to Kirribilli House but The Prime Minister could not benefit from my advice due to the presence of some very obvious “heavy” security ( 2 very large member of New South Wales finest cops)
1730: Went to the bar and met up the rest of the reunion party and caught up with people I knew, people I should know and people that I have only met through the PC. After a couple of white wines my nervousness dissipated as is the norm with a couple of belts of chardonnay . At some stage during the evening someone suggested we go for a meal. That seemed like a good idea to all so we headed off to the Kirribilli RSL for food, more wine and more catching up. I think Neil Brewer led the charge to the Club and I recall Robert Lownes had some steering difficulties with the wheelchair or was that a braking problem ? The main thing is that we all got there and all of us came back but as to what time ? before midnight I think. I slept well anyway.
SATURDAY 20/9/2003
0800: Walked across the”Bridge” down to the Rocks area and then walked back across the Bridge just in time for Lunch with the group. Met some more people and finally caught up with Frank and Gina Dolphin. At lunch some interesting photos and some very interesting school reports were produced – especially Margo and Tina’s school reports . Thankfully my reports were lost many years ago, I remember mine were pretty ordinary. How can you get an “F” for needlework ? ( no name) Lunch was over all too soon so Marge and I went back over the bridge, by train this time, and went back down to the Rocks to visit Susannah Place. Back across the bridge (walking again) and this time went up the 200 steps in the pylon for a fantastic view of the bridge and city. By this time my idea of travel was definitely not by foot.
1815: We all gathered in the foyer for our walk to the restaurant for dinner. Ishbel led the way up the hill and I recall thinking “ at least its downhill back to the hotel”
At the restaurant there were several tables all set up with place names and a little bag of goodies for everyone including a small sachet of “Vegemite” for the non Australians to take home !. Wine was soon flowing freely and the noise level went up a correspondingly. The meal and the company were great and soon cameras were flashing and I recall a video camera or two being used. Get those shots for the web please people. Certain people were ( no names here) trying to sing and the evening just flashed by. We eventually left ( or were ejected ) and wandered back to the hotel ( some wandered – perhaps some staggered?) Frank Dolphin had Roberts’s wheelchair under control and Robert had the brakes under control – just in case. We piled into the bar at the hotel at around 12.15 all present and accounted for. What a happy bunch of vegemites we were. I gather some of us were not the brightest crayons in the box in the morning but Marge and I had to check out that morning and head off to Kings Cross so I did not get to see the casualty list. What a fantastic night that was. Organised to perfection by Ishbel. Well worth the trip across from the west Next time the Barossa Valley where they make the wine- perhaps ? and maybe this time drive there !
Dave & Marge Heeley