Hello,
I last spoke
to you just before Christmas, from Toowoomba, Queensland. Catriona,
my granddaughter, and I had been there for two weeks. We were visiting my brother Ian and his wife
Alison and my niece Valerie, her husband Mark Chesterton, Laura (13) and
William (10) joined us from Sydney for Christmas week. Catriona, Laura and William had great fun
piling more presents around the tree, playing boule and getting to know each
other. Both Laura and Catriona are keen
dancers and had plenty to talk about.
We all went to Queen’s Park, where the
illuminations were simply unbelievable – what a show…… On Christmas Eve we and other residents in
Blue Hills Drive made lanterns to glow up and down the roadsides. They were made with brown paper bags weighted
with sand and a tea light, bedded in the sand, flickered away for hours. That was very special…… I do not think such a decoration would last a
minute in Plockton – I might try! Do you
know that tea lights with little on/off switches, can now be bought – they are
wonderfully colourful and probably thought up for windy wet corners!
Christmas Day was marvellous with everyone round
the lovely white-lighted tree, a beautiful Christmas dinner – yes, outside in
the shade, in shorts and T-shirts! –turkey roast, a big ham which lasted a
week, veges and roast potatoes, followed by Alison’s pavlova (made under
supervision by Catriona). Catriona and I
had cooked a Xmas pudding, but it waited till we were next hungry! Later we phoned Moira and the family in
Edinburgh – having a lovely Christmas morning, but in appalling weather which
lasted most of the near six weeks Catriona and I were abroad.
Alison and
Ian had bought a table tennis table and so everyone played a lot – outside on
the new patio, where the BBQ and outside dining table were. That was such a thoughtful thing to do. We had some lovely meals outside, where the
noise of the cicadas at dusk was quite amazing.
Ian’s new gas BBQ was a big success!
In the week
that the Chestertons were with us, Catriona enjoyed some family outings, the
most memorable being to a “Wild Water “ theme
park. At Dalby inland lake she also
learned about catching “Yabbies” – in a container like a prawn creel with bait
of prawns and soap - and did a little
kayaking. I am not quite sure what a
Yabbie is – I know it is black…..Alison , Ian and I went to Brisbane to visit Alison’s
Mum one of the days – lovely to see Marg. again.
On New Year’s
day the Sydney family set off on their two day journey home. It had been very good to bring in the New
Year with them and our hosts, Alison and Ian.
I had not been away from Plockton at New Year for more than forty years.
We had a
great day in the Bunya Mountains, in which the Bunya tree exclusively grows –
an impressive very tall straight tree with almost candle/fern like symmetrical
foliage. Catriona’s day was made when
she got close to two wallabies, each with a baby in her pouch! The ice cream coolers were very good too,
Ian! While on the food subject, you
would really go for Alison’s pizzas – very special!
There is so
much that I could recount! One amazing
thing is that the Toowoomba buses take you to your door, if asked! They will collect you too, if phoned. What this means is that buses meander through
many streets, popping off happy passengers, when asked – what a service!
On January 7,
having done our best daily to water the new lawn (there was only one heavy
shower in our whole time in Australia), having done not enough gardening –
sorry – having enjoyed every day of our stay in Australia, Catriona and I were
deposited at the International departure area in Brisbane by Ian and Alison – a sad
farewell……
We flew to Singapore
and had three nights there, while we saw the sights, visited Raffles Hotel, China
Town, went on a night safari and visited Alix Burrell and her daughter Heather,
who is a Plockton friend of Catriona’s each summer! That was fun for the girls! By the time we boarded the plane for London
Catriona had mastered chopsticks and had bought each of the family a pair!
Some
seventeen hours later we were on the final lap, to Edinburgh, where Moira was
waiting. We were early to bed that
night, as Catriona had school next day.
I left for home the day after that and am feeling a bit lost still! It was wonderful having Catriona’s company
for so long and being with Ian and Alison and their family too.
Catriona and
I thank all the relatives and friends who made certain that we enjoyed the
holiday of a lifetime…… we have the many photos to prove it! I’ll add some shortly.
Ann
