Adelaide: Get Together, April 1, 2007

[Marius]

There will be a get together in the Adelaide Hills this Sunday 1st April 2007 form 1pm onwards. Ria started the arrangments ( thanks ), see more detial unde the Adelaide SA communities forum. Bob has provided the venue ( thanks Bob ), the directions to his place:

"Alright . . . . see you troops on Sunday 1st April in the early afternoon, Mount Barker Springs.

Directions:

Go along South - Eastern Freeway past the Hahndorf turn-off.

Go another 10 mins along Freeway until Mt. Barker / Littlehampton / Nairne turn-off.

Turn off at this exit.

On coming off the Freeway, you'll come to a set of robots (traffic lights).

Turn right . . . . you should be going over the bridge which spans the Freeway itself.

Go into Mount Barker, past the two sets of robots.

At the second set of robots, there will be a B.P. service station on the left.

Go past the B.P. and take the next street on the left . . . . . Gawler Street.

A Commonwealth Bank should be immediately at the top of Gawler Street, if you are taking the correct street!

Go down Gawler Street, past all the shops, past the Mount Barker Police Station (300m), past an old railway yard (600m), over the railway crossing (800m), past the St. Francis de Salles Catholic school (900m), past the Mt. Barker graveyard (1.2km) and the "Wetlands" (2kms).

Gawler Street has now become Springs Road.

You will eventually cross over Bald Hills Road (3.5kms) and keep taking the Springs Road for another 2 kms before you come to a fork in the road (5 kms).

Take the left fork and immediately come into Mount Barker Springs (5.2 kms) with about 6 or 8 houses.

Go over the bridge and up the hill, keeping Mount Barker summit to your left all the time, until you come to a road (Summit Road - 7kms) on your left.

Go past Summit Road and you will soon hit gravel road with patches of bitumen where housing is.

We live about 2kms past Summit Road, which will have come up on your left.

You'll see lots of trees . . . we planted 1200 . . . and a house (9 kms) with a dark green roof together with a big green shed to one side."

I can unfortunately not make it, I have other pressing commitments I have to attend to. I hope to catch you all on the next one. We must have one a month as Ria suggested, so watch this space for the detials.

[Bob]

For all those troops having lived in Adelaide for a while, if you have camp chairs it might be better to bring them, as you'll get bot-rot after sitting on them for a couple of hours

I don't expect newcomers just off the plane to have anything but their 20 kgs of luggage, so will drag out the chairs, etc. for those folks.

Bring meat for the barbie, any boerwors that you might want to try, "snags" (saugages) for the rug-rats (kids), paper plates, knives, forks and spoons + any drinks.

I'll throw some ice in the eskies and put the Engel outside to keep the beers and drinks cold.

I'll leave the door open for anyone coming early.

Just make yourselves at home if we're not around.

We shouldn't be far away.

"Chuckles" doesn't bite . . . . at least I haven't known him ever to???? . . . that is, with Aussies!!

He might be in his favourite disguise . . . with shades on. . . in case you don't recognise him straight away!

Above all, one thing that might strike you guys first is how informal Australians are.

If you aren't waited on hand and foot, don't take it personally. We don't have servants here and everyone's expected in Australia to "muck in" and help themselves.

We don't stand on ceremony, so just be yourselves, stick your feet up and enjoy!

Edited March 30, 2007 by Bob

[kangaroo]

Bob, you are such a star for having the Adelaide bash at your place!

As I've said, I myself am still in RSA, so unfortunately won't be in Adelaide for the big 'kuier', but will hopefuly join you guys at one of the next events in the not too far-off future!!

Love the photo of Chuckles - how cool is he? I was so glad to see the kindhearted attitude Aussies in general have towards dogs (animals in general as well)...I believe one can tell a lot about a nation by the way in which they treat their animals.

Oh, and BTW: thumbs up to the informal Aussie way! Who needs all the unnecessary standing on occassion anyway? It's all about having a good time together and everybody helping out where they can.

You do realise that in RSA leaving the door open for guests while you're not there would be considered utter madness? ...But, of course, Oz is a different planet from RSA... Thank goodness for that!

Enjoy and have fun on the 1st!