Sunday 20th February
I didn't think that I drank that much last night but it did seem to take a long time to get going today. It was a cold day for Australia but there was a seaside picnic and games on the beach to be had. We had a good time all the same. There was a little gamesmanship going on as the Brits turned up in shorts just to say "this isn't cold what are you whingeing about" in preparation for the games. For a while it worked! When we arrived there was French cricket already in progress. Then it was tug of war! Some people especially Barney had a challenge as to which team they should be on. The Australians very graciously allowed the Brits to win one pull out of three. But as they could pick anybody walking up the beach by asking them to help beat some Poms, we did quite well!
People were gradually saying goodbye at various stages of the afternoon. The Australians had to get back to work and some people were having to fly out back to the UK and other parts of the world in the evening. Rupert and Megan are the first of the family to leave to head on home. The first photographs had come back from the developers. The best will probably end up on a website for us all to go and look at.
The email traffic between the UK and Australia is going to increase a lot as the most often heard phrase today has been "I will email you" or "Barney and Ingrid have our email".
We have got on really well with lots of people. When we come back to Australia we are going to have to go to Queensland and meet Gayle and Wayne again. They are such fun, and if we have some good summers, we might even tempt them to come to the UK. Going to Canberra is going to be a big party meeting Col and Marg's friends again.
After the beach we went back to the beach house and watched the waves lap up and roll in. This was followed by a wedding present opening session at Barney and Ingrid's beach house accompanied by more drinks. Also this evening we say goodbye to Bina our housemate. She has been great fun to be with and hope she has safe travels to Hong Kong before she travels back to the UK. I hope to be as active as she is when I am 84.
There was an evening meal with "The Wilding Girls" their families and Harry and Elaine. Again it ended with goodbyes as Bill left with Bina to take her to the airport. Gary and Seoras fly out tomorrow and Liz and Harry leave for Melbourne to spend time with her old friend. We will next see them back in the UK. Sue and Bill will be going to Tasmania before flying to Canberra to see Col and Marg and then back to Melbourne and home. Harry and Elaine are preceding us down the Great Ocean Road. The new Mr and Mrs Ellis will be leaving for their honeymoon. We are staying an extra day in Barwon Heads for Jenny's big treat, more of which later.
The top of my head is a bit pink tonight. It wasn't a sunny day, but it was cloudy with a breeze at the sea. I did have sun block on, but did not wear a hat.
