We were up at sparrow fart to ensure an early arrival at the rally. In the event we arrived at the gate before nine to find that there was no queue. We were all parked in a very neat little space in the market area not too far from the main hall.
On reading the programme, we found that some one had scheduled a Chapter meeting at 10 am today without asking or telling us. We hustled to the venue but only one or two people turned up, We explained that the meeting had been at Queanbeyan Showground last Friday as advertised in the newsletter and invites them to our happy hour under the flag. I put up signs on all the available notice boards announcing the venue for happy hour.
Our first happy hour was attended by most of the people parked in our little area and by some others. We arranged for "breakfast in the street" on the morrow.
The weather was cool but clear and many turned out for breakfast al fresco. We all had a pleasant meal in good company. Some of us even had the tablecloth and flowers out
In the morning Jean and I went to Dickson to do some banking and to Fyshwick to shop for a spare wheel cover for the new trailer.
Happy hour was exceptionally good with many visitors from other parts of the rally as well as many of our immediate neighbours.
One of the seminars was entitled GPS and Mapping, a subject close to my heart. In the event it was merely a commercial push to sell the latest Garmin GPS device which has inbuilt maps. Despite many attempts to get the seminar to talk more generally about the use of GPS by asking appropriate questions, the presenters would not be drawn and most people went away unhappy.
I did a couple of 10 min GPS lessons at happy hour which were much better received.
The entertainment for the evening was a concert with CMCA talent for the first half. The highlight act was provided by Tamworth Council who are bidding for a rally in 2004. They brought down, Pixie Jenkins, one of their local performers who does a high energy country music act with electric violin and lots of chat. Everyone enjoyed the evening.
In the afternoon we had a dress rehearsal of the skit.
The entertainment this evening was a duo of singer-historians who did songs from every era of the 20th century. We left early as it seemed that it was going to be pretty dull. Those who stayed said it was indeed the same all the way through.
The entertainment in the evening was a moderately good Trad Jazz band. Lots of people danced ballroom dancing but Jean and I did a little proper . . . . dancing, much to the amazement of some of our number.
Today was open day and we had invited the Bannisters. We showed them through some of the new vehicles on display but the price tags took a little of the excitement away.
We took them to a Chinese restaurant in Dickson for a yum cha lunch.
I had agreed to be one of the presenters in a seminar about life on the road full time. I was lucky to get first go so I didn't have to work around what others had already said. My contribution , based on the appropriate bit of the Highway Wanderers web site, was largely about the practicalities. The other three presenters were able to find other facets to talk about and it turned out pretty well.
Jean and I missed the Federation Ball as we were too tired.
There was a kite flying day on the lawns behind the National Library which the Bannisters had asked us to attend. There wasn't a lot of wind but we did our best to decorate the sky.
In the afternoon we had our final rehearsal for the skit. Everyone complained of the heat and the loss of fluid so I nipped down to the bottle shop to buy a slab of light beers for after the performance in the evening.
The skit went down very, very well and the Chapter regained its reputation for best skit of the rally. The compere had to dress for his own chapter skit while we were performing so we had been asked to announce their act. Muggins did the honours dressed in red hipster jocks, a green glittery bra and a full face veil. Happily not many people recognised me. The beers were much appreciated by the caste.
As the rally was over, we moved to the caravan park. In the afternoon we went to Floriade with the Procters One of the highlights for me was Barnardos Bandwagon, a beautifully restored travelling organ with lots of old, old songs on punched card. They are travelling the country trying to raise a paltry $500,000 for Barnardos homes.
In the souvenir shops I fell in love with a beautiful four foot high metal heron and, without any idea how we are going to store and carry her, I had to buy her. In keeping with the naming convention established by Dog, she is called Bird. In the evening, after dark she can be internally illuminated by a candle and looks quite stunning. I'm sure the pleasure she will give us and others will amply compensate for the minor inconvenience of finding somewhere for her to occupy in the Motley without getting in our way.