Dropping the Anchor

[Richard Quartermaine]

Prompted by Doc Vernon and John A Evans in their Powys, Wales posting after years, and some very many years, living on board in somewhat confined conditions waking up in different nooks and crannies around the Globe, where did the anchor drop and why.
For Margaret and me if our daughter had not left Singapore to go and stay in Australia when she was eighteen we, as expatriates hired from Scotland, would no doubt have returned to Britain. Our daughter married an Aussie, our son turned twenty-one and was no longer a 'dependent' in Singapore immigration terms. Eventually we moved back to Australia; first to Perth and then to NSW to be near the extending family.
But where? We had hooked up a caravan in Perth and drove the south coast road and across the Nullabour to Adelaide, and Melbourne, up the coast road to Sydney and parked at Emu Plains on the banks of the Nepean River at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Trips around the district became more frequent to Leura and Katoomba and as summer got into gear we needed little excuse to drive up to the 3,300ft elevation for a drop of 10 degrees Celsius.
That was twenty-nine years ago, come October. I got involved with what I knew best and retired at 79. Here's what it looks like. Top 10 Most Viewed Tourism Profiles in 2015 - Blue Mountains News | Fresh Air Daily - Blue Mountains Australia
Who's next?
Richard

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Richard.
Thanks for those pics, we miss the Blue Mountains and the Gazette, I had many a letter printed in it.
My wife was only saying yesterday if she wins lotto she will go and stay in the Hydro Majestic, we had many a cup of tea and cakes there, with views over the Megalong Valley to die for, we went down there horse riding. And a great thrill riding down on the scenic railway.
Thanks Des


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[happy daze john in oz]

Having sold two pubs in UK to come to Oz we started with my brother in law. He had brought us up to this town on a visit and it did at the time reminds us of parts of England.

We lived in a number of suburbs before coming back to this town. It was then still small with a population of about 14,000. we built a new house on a new estate living there for almost 6 years. Then our next door neighbor, the one with the wife from hell, made me decide it was time to move. So we did, 400 meters up the road and built the same house again. Where to from here, who knows, but while we wait to decide will continue to sail on the cruise lines.

[Richard Quartermaine]

Yes Des, I set up Biznet Now called Blue Mountains Regional Business Chamber in 2000, developed it for four years and got life membership. Keeps me going as I can never pass a freebie. We had about 150 at Hydro Majestic for the third of our Christmas Celebration Dinners. What a beautiful setup it was and as you say, that view across the Megalong Valley is stunning. The Hydro had a long spell of inaction but new owners have spent millions and it is now flying high. In days of yore it was a very popular honeymoon retreat. My sister, now 89, had her and my late bro-in-law's there as did our daughter's in-laws. See the changes?
Let your dear Lady have a peek at Home . There is always their Boiler Room restaurant if Lotto doesn't chip in.
Cheers
Richard

[Doc Vernon]

Des
The Hydro Majestic has taken a marvellous update after being dormant for a long time!
It is now restored ,but that lovely Tea Lounge they had there is no more,mind you in place they do have other Eating places and a nice new section!
Yes we too used to go up there on many an occasion for the Tea and Cakes and just sit and look out at that lovely view!
Its really very nice now again,
So glad that it was restored!
Its always full too,at Weekends especially the Cars are crammed full up!
Cheers

http://www.news.com.au/znfipad/escap...-1225955881141

[Doc Vernon]

Richard
There was some time ago a Thread on very similar lines,i will have to look for it!
Not that it matters at all,would be good to Merge the two though!
Cheers

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Richard /Doc
WE once had a Xmas in July at the moving restaurant, lovely dinner with friends who were driving so I was able to indulge a little, stepped off the side of the moving circle to order a drink and turned around to find them all on the other side, took a few wobbly steps to get back.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

Was getting a bit old for the North Sea winters and also the edge had gone as re. job satisfaction once again. Work is work and one goes where one can get the best out of life. Saying that we came out here because I had family a sister recently widowed, came out for a holiday went back and filled in the paperwork. My target in life then was to get a job sweeping up the mall and living off the difference in house prices at the time. The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray (think that one was Rabbie Burns Marion.) The house in UK was not sold for a couple of years, so had to get a bit better paying job than sweeping up the Mall. Hence back to sea, which I have said in other posts was well worth it and some of the best conditions ever had in 50 years. I knew Australia as any seaman who frequented here over the years, so was not stepping into a strange world, in fact most seamen out here at time were ex British MN. As per Richards views of the Blue mountains and such have also visited these parts as well as most ports in Oz. Is a beautiful country with varying aspects, the original settlers out here must have been a hardy bunch and Oz has its own history to look back on. Apart from its convict heritage there were many others apart from this which also included members of the British armed forces of the day who also stayed and made a go of it. To have a convict background out here is considered an honour. Don't know about the guards (soldiers) and such like as these must have been more numerous than the convicts. Went to Port Arthur once in Tasmania and although is in the history books as a terrible place re convicts, to me was a beautiful place and would imagine some of the convicts would have considered it paradise compared with the rubbish strewn streets of London. Everything is in the eye of the beholder, Australia to me in the latter years of my life I consider home. Cheers JS

[cappy]

there was a short showing of a north sea rig rescue vessel on the tele a couple of nights ago .....in hurricane force winds and very very big seas ......it was not the sort of thing that would make anyone desperate to go to sea............therwas not much chance of getting a decent kip on that one......lol regards cappy

[j.sabourn]

#9. Can you remember the name of it Cappy. During those type of weather conditions it is usually only the safety boats out there. Most others can find an excuse for going in, I always did unless was unfortuanate enough to be caught with a rig on the end of a piece of string. Cheers JS