Adding some new experiences into our travel life, we are making 2019 a ‘Year of Festivals’.  In keeping with the new mantra of ‘flexibility’ we have been already taking lots of spontaneous opportunities to visit festivals we hear about, and as part of trying to do some planning we have produced a 3 page spreadsheet listing all the ones we may want to attend sometime this year.

In January we went to a number of Sydney Festival events with friends to start off the year.  Then we heard about the Illawarra Folk Festival, sort of nearby in Bulli NSW, so had a day there with Esther and Ruth.  It was a full day, leaving around 9am and getting back 12 hours later, after catching some part of 23 different acts during the day.  That event helped to establish our plan of attack for getting the most out of the festivals (ie study the program and map a route for the day to get around all the different venues).  

On 23rd of January we headed up to Tamworth for our first ever Tamworth Country Music Festival.  That was quite an experience with 2800 acts to choose from over 10 days (we were only there for 4 days), 700 entertainers and an influx of 50,000 visitors to the town.  Our friend Chris was there with us for two days; we had one day on our own, and Kevin and Jenny were also there for two days, so it was a great social time.  

Our experiences included another Kasey Chambers concert, the iconic John Williamson, and my new favorite band, The Pigs.

 

In fact the Tamworth experience inspired us to write a song ‘Living Next Door to Abi’ [to the tune of Living Next Door to Alice], as we stayed in Abi’s driveway for two nights.  Then I wrote ‘The Ballad of Dick Stresau’ to the tune of ‘The Ballad of Jed Clampett’, from ‘The Beverley Hillbillies’.  A few days after we got home I woke up one day and announced that I wanted to learn to play the ukulele. So all this music is having an impact on me, maybe making up for lost time.

One of our fellow Explorer Motorhome owner friends said they were going to a ukulele festival in Katoomba, a town in the Blue Mountains near Sydney.  So we decided on a Tuesday that we’d go there as well on the Friday for the weekend.   Very handy having our Lestervan for accommodation.  Needless to say we have never seen so many ukuleles in our life.  We borrowed a ukulele from our friend, Peter, so I was able to go to the beginners ukulele workshop.  We were both astounded by the high calibre of many of the ukulele acts.  If you closed your eyes it would be hard to imagine that you were listening to ukuleles.  It was quite inspiring and looked like a lot of fun!

 

As we were in the beautiful Blue Mountains we managed to do a pleasant walk down into the valley beside Katoomba Falls, and being lazy we took the scenic railway back up.  It was a nice way to finish off our ukulele weekend.

So far this year we have celebrated Helen’s 29th birthday with a family dinner at the Opera House, and we enjoyed a family weekend down the south coast.  Thats on top of celebrating Dick’s big birthday in late December.  All in all its been a great start to the year, and nice to have summer in Sydney, so I’ll finish this off with a few family photos.  Have also included my two songs, just so I have a record of them.

 

 

 

 

 

PS – My two songs

The Ballad Of Dick Stresau

By Pat (Tamworth 2019)

Sung to the tune of ‘The Ballad of Jed Clampett’ (aka Beverly Hillbillies Theme Song)

 

Come and listen to a story about a man named Dick 

He hailed from the States, and he was a scientist

Sailed round the world in his precious wooden boat

Ended up in Australia just to get himself a float

 

Cash that is – needed good hard cash

 

Got a job at ETP and he made himself a name

Building detectors got him lots of worldwide fame

Settled in Sydney and made himself at home

Too busy working, so no more did he roam

 

Sydney, that is – amazing harbour, lots of boats

 

Many years went by and then he married Pat  

Got himself two daughters; and left his city flat

They got themselves a Lestervan, which is their second home

So Dick’s now back out on the road; evermore to roam.

 

Dirt, that is – bull dust and corrugations

 

Well now it’s time to say good by to Dick and all his kin.

And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly listenin’ in.

You’re all invited back again to visit at the blog

And catch all the news in their latest travelogue

Trips, that is – all kinds of adventures

 

Y’all come back now, y’hear?

 

 Living Next Door To Abi

By Pat and Dick (Tamworth 2019) 

Sung to the tune of ‘Living Next Door to Alice’

 

Jenny called, when she got the word

She said “I suppose you’ve heard about Abi”

Well, I rushed to the window, and I looked outside

And I could hardly believe my eyes

This big motorhome pulled slowly into Abi’s drive

 

Oh, I don’t know why we’re leaving, or where we’re gonna go

I guess we’ve got our reasons but I just don’t want to know

‘Cause for forty-eight hours we’ve been living next door to Abi

Forty-eight hours, just waitin’ for a site

To tell her how we’re feeling, maybe get a second night

Now we’ve gotta get used to not living next door to Abi

 

We’d never met her before, but she seemed a good sort

And she gave us some power so we didn’t run short, Us and Abi

She was good at picking music and showing us the club

Didn’t get to hear her sing karaoke at the pub

As the big motorhome pulled slowly out of Abi’s drive

 

Oh, I don’t know why we’re leaving, or where we’re gonna go

I guess we’ve got our reasons but I just don’t want to know

‘Cause for forty-eight hours we’ve been living next door to Abi

Forty-eight hours, just waitin’ for a site

To tell her how we’re feeling, maybe get a second night

Now we’ve gotta get used to not living next door to Abi

 

Jenny called back, and asked how we felt

She said “I know how to help, you get over Abi”

She said “Now Abi is gone, but Slippery Boards is here

You know I’ve been waiting for you to bring some beer”

And the big motorhome disappeared

 

Oh, I don’t know why we’re leaving, or where we’re gonna go

I guess we’ve got our reasons but I just don’t want to know

‘Cause for forty-eight hours we’ve been living next door to Abi

Forty-eight hours, just waitin’ for a site

To tell her how we’re feeling, maybe get a second night

Now we’ve gotta get used to not living next door to Abi