The Taits,Yet another Coincidence and it's a Girl

We arrived in Ormiston (yes, there are East Lothian links) on the outskirts of Brisbane whilst we carried out some domestics, mainly washing, and had the vehicle electrics tweaked. We intended to stay a maximum of three days, however a word of warning to any of you who might be tempted to visit Willie and Helen, their hospitality is such that it is very difficult to get away and here we are, almost one week later, still in Ormiston. As I type I have just been served another cold beer by Jenny, their older daughter – why would we want to leave to live in a tent?! However we resume our journey tomorrow.

Brisbane is a city with a population of over 2 million and the only ones we knew were Willie and Helen. However, as I needed to have the car electrics looked at by an auto electrician, my cousin Cath in Toronto recommended I contact her nephew Paul who has an auto-electrical business in Brisbane. I’m not quite sure what my exact relationship is with Paul (possibly 2nd cousin once removed) but it was great to finally find a relative who had some practical skills! I took the car round to Paul and he did a really great job and the car is now like a mobile power station and I should have no problem charging the computer, cameras, lights etc.

I mentioned in my last post that the coincidences were continuing at an uncanny rate. Regular readers of this blog will recall how our guides round the Hunter Valley vineyards were friends of Sandra’s sister’s ex-husband; how our host in a small town in New South Wales knew my Canadian cousin as they went to the same boarding school in Scotland over 40 years ago; how in the middle tens of thousand spectators at the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney I bumped into an ex-colleague from Edinburgh; how one of my Canadian cousin’s daughters happened to be in Sydney at the same time as us and we met and went for a meal and night out. The next coincidence gradually emerged as I realised that Willie and Helen knew my cousin Paul, his wife Pam and children.

It turned out that Helen, who is a teacher at a private school in Brisbane, had taught Paul’s son David (and indeed David’s sister) and was his housemistress. What’s more, the Tait’s son Cameron plays in the same rugby team as David and the team is managed by Paul. Willie and Paul, whilst not actually friends, knew each other. On Friday night we all met up and went to watch the boys playing rugby – then back to Willie and Helen’s for a meal and a drink. As I keep saying – “It’s a small world!”

With the domestics completed and the car fixed we could have left but stayed on for a few more days to do a bit of touristy stuff. We took the ferry to Coochiemudlo Island (known locally as Coochie) and did a circumnavigation. There is an interesting golf course on the island originally built as a 6-hole course by a local farmer, Douglas Morton. Now expanded to 9 holes I was very tempted to have a round but time was against me.

The following day we got the train into the city centre and found ourselves in the botanical gardens. It’s funny, it doesn’t matter where in the world we go, Sandra always manages to find the botanics! There was also a garden show on but even Sandra realised that, in our current circumstances, half a dozen new plants was not a good idea.

Crossing the river we went to the South Bank – a trendy leisure area right in the centre of Brisbane with shops, restaurants, gardens and many water features – a very pleasant place to wander. Unfortunately (or fortunately!?) we were too early for the weekly market – mainly arty, crafty stuff, which was just being set up. However this was not to big a loss as we had been before and it was where Sandra had bought her first Orgasmatron. The Museum next – very modern with artefacts well presented - then back on the train for the hour-long journey back to Ormiston.

On arrival at Ormiston Station Sandra received a phone call from Steven with the news she had been hoping for. Sandra had two boys, as did her sister Gill – Johann was slightly less prolific with one boy –Jon and Lisa also had two boys. Whilst loving each and every one of the boys (most of the time) Sandra has felt deprived as she has never had a girl. Steven however has now rectified matters and the train journey to Ormiston will always be linked with the news that Ana had been for a scan and the baby, due about September, is a GIRL! Sandra is delighted.

We finally said goodbye to the Tait family on Sunday morning and headed off once more – this time we plan to go to the Carnarvon Gorge. Whether or not we actually get there I’ll let you know.