That is the future, but reflecting on what I did and what I saw, nothing can detract from, nor diminish, the impact of the wonderful time I had in all of the countries that I visited. It is impossible to thank those characters who drifted across my path and told me snippets of their stories. I’m not sure that I gave back much in return, except perhaps a listening ear and the occasional stifled yawn.
And I drove all those miles without giving a thought to what might happen if I needed to change a car tyre. From memory, I could probably tackle a tyre on one of Peter Briggs’ MGs, but a Holden V6 Commodore… that I very much doubt. Luckily, I wasn’t put to the test.
Finally, as a message to all those mums and dads whose children have headed off to pastures new, smash the piggy bank, pack your own ‘George’ and go and have an adventure. It’s your turn now.
Hello Sydney… reunited with my family in time for Christmas
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to Tim Beer for his fun and quirky illustrations which add a lively dimension to the text. After a fulfilling career as a Rheumatologist, Tim now devotes his time to painting and sculpture. As the ‘fatalistic’ father of my adored daughter-in-law, Alice, he needed little persuading to swap paint brush and clay for sharpened pencil. In this ideal medium he captured some of the weird and wonderful moments of my trip to see how our offspring were faring. Tim’s more typical work can be viewed at timcbeer.co.uk
In addition, I would like to thank the various organisations, whose publications, attractions and activities kept me informed and entertained, for allowing me to include extracts from their promotional literature in the body of the book’s text. And especially I would like to thank Footprint Travel Guides, Trailfinders and Waitomo Adventures for their kind words of encouragement which eased my furrowed-brow and were greatly appreciated: I hope the memories of my ‘mission’ will not disappoint.
And I owe a personal “thank you” to family, friends and the team at The Book Guild:
To Kevin, Matt, Alice and Kate – without you I would be spending my retirement flicking a duster and re-arranging ornaments. “Thank you” doesn’t do it justice!
To Anne Herbert, Christine Hicks and Stephanie Spink – how lucky am I to have friends like you! You all believed in George when I wavered with a timid “really…”
To the Heyshott Book Club, who cheered me on with a glass or two of vino and much laughter and only occasionally quizzed “how long…” to write a book.
Last but not least, to Jeremy Thompson and his enthusiastic team at The Book Guild: Philippa Iliffe, Hannah Virk, Jack Wedgbury and Katherine Ward. Without your imagination and support George’s travels would have come to an abrupt and inglorious end.
Thank you one and all.
Web Addresses
The following web addresses are current but I stress that they relate to attractions and venues I visited in 2002 and 2003 so aspects of the places I mention may have changed.
Australia
Canberra
Parliament House, Canberra: www.aph.gov.au
New South Wales
Bridge Climb, Sydney Harbour: www.bridgeclimb.com
Snowy Mountains Scheme: www.environment.nsw.gov.au
Northern Territory
Adelaide River War Cemetery:
www.adelaideriver-warcemetery.australianwarheroes.com
Bowali Visitor Centre: www.kakadunationalparkaustralia.com
Uluru Cultural Centre: https://parksaustralia.gov.au
Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre: www.nt.gov.au
South Australia
Art Gallery of South Australia: www.artgallery.sa.gov.au
Mount Gambier: https://mountgambier.sa.gov.au
National Motor Museum, Birdwood: www.motor.history.sa.gov.au
South Australia Museum: www.samuseum.sa.gov.au
Victoria
Cape Otway Lightstation: www.lightstation.com
Old Melbourne Gaol: www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au
Sovereign Hill, Ballarat: www.sovereignhill.com.au
Split Point Lighthouse: www.splitpointlighthouse.com.au
Western Australia
Art Gallery of Western Australia: www.artgallery.wa.gov.au
Brig Amity and Old Convict Gaol, Albany: www.albany.asn.au
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse: www.lighthouses.org.au
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse: www.lighthouses.org.au
Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Wildlife Park: www.malcolmdouglas.com.au
Old Settlement, Margaret River: www.workinglife.com.au/margaret-river-old-settlement
Princess Royal Fortress: www.albanyregion.com.au
Royal Flying Doctor Service: www.flyingdoctor.org.au/wa
Shipwrecks Museum, Fremantle: www.museum.wa.gov.au
Swan Bells Bell Tower: www.swanbells.com.au
Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk: www.valleyofthegiants.com.au
Whale World, Discovery Bay: www.discoverybay.com.au
Willie Creek Pearl Farm: www.williecreekpearlfarm.com.au
York Courthouse Complex: www.nationaltrust.org.au
York Motor Museum: www.yorkmotormuseum.com
Cook Islands
Cook Islands Museum: www.cook-islands-library-museum.org
Kuala Lumpur
Lake Park: www.klbotanicalgarden.gov.my
National Museum: www.kuala-lumpur.ws/attractions/national-museum
Petronas Towers: www.petronastwintowers.com.my
Los Angeles
The Getty Center: www.getty.edu
North Island New Zealand
Dargaville Maritime Museum: www.dargavillemuseum.co.nz
Discover Waitomo: www.waitomo.com
Kauri Museum, Matakohe: www.kau.nz
Kerikeri Mission House: www.heritage.org.nz
Otorohanga Kiwi House: www.kiwihouse.org.nz
Russell Museum: www.russellmuseum.org.nz
Wai-o-tapu Thermal area: www.waiotapu.co.nz
Waitangi Treaty Grounds & Museum: www.waitangi.org.nz
Waitomo Adventures Ltd: www.waitomo.co.nz
Endnotes
1.Ashley, Clifford A, The Yankee Whaler (USA: Dover Maritime, 2014) p.114
2.The Kauri Museum, http://www.kau.nz
3.Waitomo Adventures Ltd Information Sheet, http://www.waitomo.co.nz
4.The Old Melbourne Gaol, www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au
5.O’Brien, Katrina and Andrew Swaffer, Footprint West Coast Australia Handbook (Bath: Footprint Handbooks Ltd, 2003) p.129, www.footprinttravelguides.com
Travels with George Page 23