Hubbie and I left home at 10am this morning, in company with another 29 “seniors” in age range from late 50s to mid 90s for a six hour bus coach ride to Jindabyne. This is a private tour arranged from the complex in which we live, so we are all known to each other and looking forward to a fun five nights away.
Why is Jindabyne famous? Well, actually, outside New South Wales I don’t suppose it is particularly well known. It is located in the South-East of the state, it is near the Snowy Mountains, it is a popular year round holiday destination – but especially so in our short ski season, where it plays a valuable accommodation role for those who do not wish to stay “on snow” in the resorts within the Kosciuszko National Park, such as Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass.
One of its most famous claims to fame is that it is no longer in its original position, as it was flooded and relocated when the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electricity scheme was built in the 1950s and 1960s. You (and we) will be hearing more about that in the coming days.
For the moment we have arrived, settled in to our spacious motel room, had pre-dinner drinks followed by an enormous three-course meal – and managed to snatch a glimpse at this panorama of Lake Jindabyne, which can be seen from the back door of our room. The original town lies somewhere underneath it.
Perhaps one or two of you will have seen the 2006 Australian film “Jindabyne” which was filmed on site.
Until tomorrow…
I hope it is/was a wonderful trip, Gwen.
Yes! It was a lot of fun, and I will catch up the blog stories asap.
But! Never a dull moment. Today, my girlfriend and I ran our first ever workshop on memoir writing. It was at a nearby library and timed to coincide with History Week. The theme this year was “Hands on History”.
Next up, the UCI world cycle championships come to Wollongong and Bill and I are volunteers. He’ll be a driver and I’ll be assisting spectators.
I’m dreaming of a peaceful Quinta in Portugal where I can spend my days growing zucchinis…
Sounds like life is much busier than you would like it to be, Gwen. Growing zucchinis is definitely the way to go. 😆 I hope your workshop went well.
Sure am busy. September is a write-off. Haven’t even had time to read your monthly epistle yet.
We got good feedback on the workshop and one of the participants (an editor/ghost writer) urges us to extend it to other libraries, etc.
How wonderful. I guess that will help to ensure you never retire, Gwen. 😁 One never knows what new opportunity will come knocking.
Australia runs on volunteers. There are so many organisations I could get involved with, but there is only so much time.
Yes, you put me out of my ‘memory agony’. I recognised the word ‘Jindabyne’ straightaway and just couldn’t think why I knew. Of course, as you say the film. I seem to remember slow, long shots of a wide lake and I am a fan of both Laura Linney and Gabriel Byrne.
Yes, very atmospheric film mystery. These days, it is hard to separate Jindabyne from the lake. Just yesterday, I was chatting with someone who holidayed in the original town when she was 14. All under water now since 1967.
I will catch up stories from our five-night trip there. This included Adaminaby. That town was actually relocated (although, in fact, many of those homes must be riddled with asbestos). Later towns were not – cost and effectiveness, etc, etc.
Asbestos – a nightmare waiting in the wings for any unfortunate homeowner.
In fact, in the early 80s I was employed by one of the branch companies of James Hardie, a name forever linked with asbestos building products. They sent around mobile lung-testing medical caravans. Only in my mid-twenties, it was obvious to the medicos that my lung capacity was below par. It turned out to be from having measles as a child, but the company smothered their report. It was another 20-25 years before I discovered I had bronchiectasis.
You read it at the time, but it might be timely for us both (well, certainly me) to revisit a post I wrote all the way back in 2016
https://garrulousgwendoline.wordpress.com/2016/01/09/sharing-a-message-of-hope-and-inspiration-for-2016/
Well, having just re-read your post and comments, I can see that bronchiectasis is not a great condition to have when Covid is around. I think I remember you’ve already had Covid, but don’t remember you saying it was particularly ghastly. Do you think having bronchiectasis made it any worse?
Bronchiectasis is the condition Judith Durham of the Seekers battled all her life, but mine is minor. Just a small portion of the right-hand lung damaged. All the same, I was very apprehensive about catching Covid. In the end, it followed the usual path: severe cough, low oxygen, long periods of almost comatose sleeping. The phlegm did not get trapped long enough to cause infection – so no antibiotics needed. Got out of it lightly I would say.
Oh dear I hadn’t realised you’d been that poorly with Covid and very lucky you didn’t get a secondary infection. I had no idea Judith Durham had bronchiectasis and I am surprised she was able to sing so well with a lung problem.
It was about par for the course if I get a cold which goes straight the chest. Sometimes I’ve had postural drainage, which is when the physio upends you and bashes on your back. Not in recent years, thank goodness.
All the more amazing about Judith Durham, huh? I had no idea until her bandmates were talking about it after her death. They said she would have a severe coughing fit and struggle for breath and then go on stage and sing with that incredible timbre in her voice.
Ah that’s similar to the physio for cystic fibrosis sufferers isn’t it. So pleased you threw off Covid without requiring interventions.
I was so lethargic I worried it would be long Covid. But now it is as if I never had it. Over this last nine days, with the world cycle races, I have been running in all directions. Definitely not residual problems.
That’s excellent news. It does seem that Long Covid can be quite a problem for some.
When I do write up stories from the Jindabyne trip I will reference the great efforts taken to move the town of Adaminaby. At the time, no one would have realised the dangers of those asbestos ridden houses.
Have a great trip Gwen , look forward to photos.
Many thanks Jenni. We’re looking forward to an interesting week! Xxx Gwen
How lovely, can’t wait for the next instalment Gwen. Enjoy your trip!
We’re all rugged up for our departure up the slopes today. No skiing. Just a look around and a chairlift/gondola ride.
Sounds perfect!
Gosh, Gwen, your Word Check must go crazy with a word like Jindabyne.
With a bit of luck I’ll be able to tell you what it means by the end of the week.
Beautiful. It will be interesting to see how the tour develops.
I think it will be very sedate. No skiing for us.
Wish I could get my better-half to do something like this.
It’s been on and off all year. We didn’t want to share the bus with people we did not know. Covid concerns. Not that we have much control, but at least knowing we are like-minded has given us some confidence.
I understand and agree.