George and Mary's Travels

Trip to Australia – April 2026 Mary was going to Atlanta to stay with Janie and “never say no” Martha, and I headed off down under on Wednesday, April 15 via San Francisco. Had seven hour layover there and old girlfriend from 1968/69 Rosi collected me and we went for a walk with her dog, and dinner before she deposited me again at SFO for flight to Brisbane. Hadn’t seen her for over 20 years and only a couple of times in last 53 years ! Hired car and drove to 26 Langside Rd. The lovely home of Gina and Tim Fairfax. Relaxing day there but caught up with Sarah and Joseph, and James and Prue. Evening and dinner at number 26 after refreshing swim in their pool. Saturday 18th Quiet morning, swimming, exercises and downtown with Tim to his magnificent office on the 44th floor. And when I say magnificent I mean extraordinarily magnificent! Then met up with Neets at a downtown restaurant and took ferry with her back to Gina‘s from where she went on to Bridget’s house. Another quiet evening and dinner with Gina & Tim. Sunday 19th Our 52nd wedding anniversary. 1st one not together. Drove with Gina out to Rob and Claire’s house where a party for 87 - a family gathering to beat all family gatherings. Generously and magnificently organized and hosted by Rob and Claire, and Gina and Tim. Huge credit to Gina for preparing a comprehensive family tree displayed for everyone to see, name, tags, etc. Speeches, including mine, reflecting on wonderful relationship between Scottish and Aussie Russell’s over the last 100 years. Much to be thankful for. Back home to No 26 and a quiet evening with Gina and Tim reflecting on an amazingly successful day. Goodness how generous they have been to me. Monday 20th Drove my hired car to Toowoomba, took my hat off to No 55 Margaret Street where Bob and Betty used to live, and entertained me, in 1965, lunch at the cafe by the traffic lights there, and on to Rod Stirling’s nursing Home for a lovely 45 minutes together. He’s doing well albeit physically frail. Mentally sharp as a tack. Went to print shop and organized for Tennyson‘s poem, Sunset and evening star to be printed and laminated and delivered to Rod. Drove out to Binnie and Robyn‘s houses both right together outside Toowoomba and a quiet evening with Robyn at our house. Tuesday 21st Drove back into Toowoomba, and a final farewell meeting with Rod. “Marvelous George “ ! We recited “Sunset and evening star one clear call for me” one more time together. A very moving and appropriately ( for us ) rather formal final handshake and off quickly. A very fitting farewell though, and minds full of wonderful memories of an extraordinary friendship. Walked around to Toowoomba Grammar school and moved by the list of names of people lost in both world wars. Thinking of those who gave their lives at Gallipoli and the first world war and just tragic to me given that the war arguably should never have been fought. Lions led by donkeys if ever there were such an example, Robert Harris‘s Precipice and Asquith‘s behavior in 1914 quite despicable. What brave men those were, who came out fresh from Toowoomba grammar school in 1914/15 heading for Italy and for what?! Shades off Lewis Grassick Gibbons novel Sunset Song and Long Rob of the Mill! Back to Robyn’s and took her out to dinner after meeting up with Cammo for a walk and a drink at a pub. Sad situation in about a dozen different ways for him and his family. Wednesday 23rd Returned hired car to Toowoomba Wellcamp airport where Rob picked me up and we drove out to Charlotte Plains together via St. George where we shopped for provisions for the next few days. A 9 hour drive. Straight to the Bore site and the tourist operation, which is thriving. Met up with the two Argentinians Guada and Lucas, and Virginia and Philip. Thursday 24th Up early, exercises and meditation as usual and off to the bore site with Rob where we unloaded and planted five date palms. Big trees, which will soften the car parking site substantially. Will be interested to see how they are in five years time. Back to the Homestead for lunch and back to the Bore site for afternoon chores but mostly reading a book and relaxing by the water for me. Friday 25th Mustering 400 or so sheep , very sensibly declining riding the 650 cc motorbike and more safely in the buggy collecting stray lambs put in at the footwell beside me. Got the whole flock into the yards and then a leisurely 2 hour lunch at the Homestead before returning to the yards and drafting out the wethers and ewes and lambs. 250 wethers went off to auction early the following morning at $200 a head. Up to the Bore site again for piña coladas and prepare for the Anzac day 5:30 AM service the following morning. Saturday 26th Anzac Day Up to the Bore before 5am. Anzac Day service live broadcasted from Canberra and about 50 people circulating round the open fire in front of the bar area at the Bore. All standing at the appropriate moments, the one minute silence and singing the New Zealand and then Australian national anthems. Some moving speeches from Canberra. Very leisurely for rest of day reading, catching up with emails and not really able to help Rob much but trying occasionally. Sunday 27th. Drove Rob up to the Bore where he got along with a million different tasks and I returned to the Homestead showered, packed and got ready to go off to Cunnamulla Airport where I caught the plane back to Brisbane via St. George and Toowoomba. Took cab to number 26 and had the evening there on my own, Gina and Tim being on an air trip around their various cattle properties in the north and west. Monday 28th Gina kindly lent me her car and I drove up to Maleny to see Ian where I had a happy 24 hours. His dementia meant conversation was limited at times, but we reminisced happily, drove out to the Mary Cairncross Woods , museum and coffee shop, and then I departed 12 noon the following day. I suspect that was the last time Ian and I will be able to have any sort of meaningful conversation or reunion . He’s been a wonderful cousin and friend. Our adventures together in Australia and Scotland are legion. His carers all seemed quite delightful. He has a different one every day. We had Liz from Brazil on Monday night, Kylie from Maleny on Tuesday , Amy on Wednesday, Sophie on Thursday, etc , etc! Extraordinary, coincidence meeting old friends of Ian‘s at the coffee shop who said they came from Glen Innes , NSW. I said longshot but did she know of a Cathy Gordon ( nee Winston - Smith ) , a girl I had a shipboard romance on board SS Iberia with in January 1965. She said Cathy was her best friend and that her husband was her first cousin. Quite amazing. A small country Australia still is, it seems. Back to Brisbane and No 26 and a delightful evening with Gina and Tim in their dining room and amidst those wonderful paintings three of them by Russell ( Tassie ) Drysdale our famous Australian artist cousin. Thursday 30th leisurely morning by pool at number 26 and breakfast with Gina. Tim as usual in his office by 5:30 AM having been up since before 4 AM, swimming, etc. Remarkable. Then lunch with my first cousin Bridget and dinner out at a good restaurant ( which we had to ourselves ) with Gina and Tim . Last chat with Robyn and then Neets, but sadly not able to get Georgie. Caught early flight this morning to Melbourne en route to San Francisco and Denver. Train to hotel and on Friday May 1 Bustang to Glenwood and M collected me from there. What a quite remarkable 17 days. I have been greeted and entertained royally everywhere I went . Many thanks to all but especially to Gina . What a lady!