HISTORY STARTED HERE

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Jeff Thorpe
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HISTORY STARTED HERE

Post by Jeff Thorpe » Thu Jan 28, 2016 4:34 pm

HISTORY STARTED HERE

Travel’s featured largely in the history of our clan
be by plane, ship, train or car or van,
starting nineteen seventy-seven when long service leave beckoned,
ten weeks away from work would be paradise, so we reckoned.
Three daughters aged nine months, two and five didn’t matter much,
this was an adventure, a live fairy tale, as such.

The trip was wisely planned, t’would run like a swiss watch,
no mishaps contemplated to take it down a notch,
we were none the wiser about the fabled Murphy’s Law
much like the little pig whose house was built of straw.
The wolf was close behind us at many times it seemed,
“Utopia” we’d envisaged more a fantasy we had dreamed.

Christchurch in New Zealand was our first port of call
with Murphy there to greet us, throwing a curve-ball,
our rental car expired four hundred metres down the track
from the rental depot so, Dad and Miss five trudged the distance back.
Did I mention Christchurch temperature at the time was about ten
a far cry from sunny Brisbane but, this was here and now not then.

So, much delay in fitting us with replacement car,
but, this one with a heater with any luck to take us far,
an upgrade too to compensate for our inconvenience,
maybe overall, a not too bad experience
however, the family’s littlest member was surely unimpressed
letting this be known with strongest wailing she possessed.

Her “car seat” simply hooked upon the squab of the bench seat
and there she hung ‘tween Mum and Dad with dangling legs and feet,
she had a case, I figured but, not much we could do,
child car safety apparently, a long way down the queue.
Thus, the great adventure began as hardly bliss
with thoughts along the like of “are there ten more weeks of this”?

With the days passing though, our fortunes did improve,
as travellers with young kids we slipped into the groove,
plenty of parks and playgrounds to keep the brood amused,
while our first sight of snow kept everyone enthused.
A flight landing on a glacier kept adrenaline running
while scenery ere we gazed was absolutely stunning.

On to the North Island with new car and new car seat,
the baby in the back with her sisters to browbeat,
she thrived from that point on, taking her first step,
like a flower blooming, full of life and pep.
Comfy motels every night, now we lived the life
though little did we know, soon there would be strife.

Russell, in the Bay of Islands a glorious place to be
but that was where we almost lost daughters one and three,
awakening one morning to find these two had disappeared,
with water all around, the worst at first was feared.
Search all around the motel, no trace of the two,
we were at a loss of just what next to do,

At last we found them on the beach gazing o’er the water,
miss five playing mother with her shorter daughter,
just as well she didn’t try to take her for a swim
happily the exercise was still at the prelim.
Our stay at Russell therefore not the best part of our trip
but etched into our memory if not that of blue chip.

NZ done in four weeks, six more in Aus to go,
motels swapped for Kombi van, from mountain to plateau,
a place for everything and everything in its place
first impression told us there was not a lot of space,
no annexe, just the vehicle, this to be our home
and as motor homes go, this one was a gnome.

Parents up the front with three kids down the back,
one could move back and forth to referee or whack,
only problem quickly found, the bulkhead in between
positioned just at forehead height, if you know what I mean.
Mother and this barrier often met but let’s not dwell,
suffice to say she’d come out punching if she heard a bell.

First day on the road saw us reach Dubbo,
a long day’s driving so, we bought fast food to go,
this ill conceived as in the small hours of the night
daughter one was violently ill, not a pretty sight.
She and father shared the Kombi’s pop top bed
while mother and the littlies on the collapsed table spread.

Visions of that night still remain with me to today
and try as I might, they will not go away,
comforting miss five and clearing up the mess,
welcome to camper vanning, share your holiday with stress.
Luckily the van park had a commercial laundromat
which washed and dried sleeping bags, so we did not fall flat.

A lesson had been learned though and no more takeaway food,
remembrance of that fateful night in our brains imbued,
as well, after this incident in site selection we were smart,
parking close to amenities if in need of a head start.
From then on we blossomed, chewing up the miles with ease
despite the ever present Kombi camper squeeze.

Canberra, Snowy Mountains, and the Murray, among places we stayed
before the famed Barossa Valley leading on to Adelaide,
then the long trip home, this time round the coast,
Robe, Mount Gambier, Great Ocean Road, all these had us engrossed.
A stay with friends in Melbourne and a Puffing Billy ride
kids making whoopee with legs hanging out the side.

Next we called on Sydney rellies living on a yacht,
who thought they were cramped until they saw our lot,
sailing round the harbour the highlight of our stay,
a break from blacktop bitumen to the maritime highway.
Then on to the road again with the end in sight
ten full weeks of memoirs, a historic tale to write.

Often we have wondered ‘bout the merits of this trip,
in terms of accomplishments, we’d won the premiership.
Would we do it all again, the jury is still out
yet the travel seed was sewn, of that I have no doubt,
those “kids” now list travel high on their game plan
while I have silent chuckle whene’er I see a Kombi van.


Jeff Thorpe © 15 January 2016.

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Maureen K Clifford
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Re: HISTORY STARTED HERE

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Thu Jan 28, 2016 5:41 pm

Good one Jeff - shades of I've been everywhere - sounds like a beaut trip and I laughed at the car seat - my son had one exactly the same - makes one wonder how these kids of the 60's and 70's ever survived our abysmal parenting skills.
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I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

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Catherine Lee
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Re: HISTORY STARTED HERE

Post by Catherine Lee » Fri Jan 29, 2016 1:20 pm

Great idea for a poem Jeff, and a most enjoyable read!

Jeff Thorpe
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Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 3:54 pm

Re: HISTORY STARTED HERE

Post by Jeff Thorpe » Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:12 pm

G'day Maureen, Hi Catherine

Thanks for your comments. This poem was a homework topic from my Writer's Group, "A Tale from your Family History". It certainly brought back some memories writing it.

Regards, Jeff

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