Saturday February 28. Rain, fog.Chilly 18 C.
This morning around 5:00 we were awakened by a thunder and lightning display that took us over an hour to sail through, even the captain said it woke him up. It has rained all day and is rather chilly out. 'Welcome to Melbourne' The captain mentioned that the weather will not likely to be so bad in Melbourne, Fellette and I have decided that it is a Long Pants Day tomorrow for us.
By the way, the captain is leaving tomorrow. Hopefully the new boy is a bit more socially inclined than the current one.
Tomorrow is a big day for me. We are being squired around tomorrow by our friend Lyn. We met Lyn and husband Rod on the P & O ship Adonia on a World Cruise out of Southampton in 2004. We became close friends and visited them in Australia as they did at our home in Surrey and Langley. Rod passed away last year while at their summer home in Henderson Nevada.
My friend Keith goes back somewhat further. In 1960 I got laid off during my apprenticeship as a compositor typesetter. I decided to take a chance and live my dream of travelling in Europe before I searched out a lady to spend the rest of my life with. On Valentine's Day 1960, I boarded the train in Downtown Vancouver, went right across Canada to St. John New Brunswick. There I boarded the Empress of Britain to Liverpool, then train to London, then train to Nice France where I met up with a family friend, paid him for half his Vespa 125cc Motor Scooter and started my six month trip of 17 countries in Europe.
Along the way we met this tall lanky Aussie, also on a Motor Scooter called Keith. I got along just super with Keith, but my Canadian friend, not so much. We buzzed around Europe for quite some time together, doing 17 countries in total, not all with Keith.We lost Keith in some city in Europe but we had exchanged addresses and when I got home we connected and have been friends for 66 years. Keith and wife Jenny made it out to our home in Surrey once, maybe half a century ago. Fellette and I have visited Australia many times by ship and land. However I think we have only met up with Keith and wife, Jenny about six times in those 66 years. Methinks tomorrow will be the last time these two old guys see each other, sad to say. Bittersweet.
A Good Day.
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