Marks Blog

Friday 14th March

6am arrival at Glasgow Airport and one of only two parts of the trip that I am not looking forward to (the flight out and the flight home) begins.

No dramas and we are off!

What was I saying about no dramas? Advised at Heathrow that we need visas to enter Australia despite Ian (Jimmy) being advised to the contrary. Panic sets in at the thought of turning back – but all’s well that ends well as we are able to buy them at the boarding desk but in doing so officially become the last people to board.

What’s a few minutes when you have 20 hours ahead?

Saturday 15th March
Flight was not as gruelling as I had anticipated – few films, few chapters of a book and a few sleeps and we arrive in Melbourne. Despite being midnight it is still hot – things are boding well on the weather front.

Chapter two of the drama begins as Iain (Doc) baggage fails to arrive! Airport staff can’t tell where or when it got lost!

Off to a motel for a few hours shut eye before catching the connection to Brisbane – hopefully Iain’s stuff will have turned up by then although I would not put my money on it.

At least he has been given a toilet bag (females) to get him through the night!

Sunday 16th
Another day - another flight! Unfortunately no bags but Iain is taking it well – well in the sense of better than me! I would have been slightly angrier!

After a short flight we receive a fantastic and warm reception including large banner from Rotarians including our host families at Brisbane airport.

The girls are presented with flowers and the boys with beer holders – hopefully a sign of things to come!!

Lorraine and I go with Hugh Dickson to our accommodation. Our bags barely touch the ground before we are on the move again to our first presentation.

We tour the Springbrook World Heritage Listed Area and see some fantastic waterfalls and my first Australian lizard – or something that counts as a lizard to a Glasgow city boy.

Within the Springbrook area there is the Numinbah Valley Environmental Education Centre. Young people can come for anything between a day and 4 days to learn about the local environment, plant and animal life. It is a fantastic set up which must provide a platform which can only serve to inspire young people to learn.

As well as school children, the centre also support s university students to do fieldwork and Jim (Rebgetz) our guide and Lorraine’s host informs that it has also been used for expedition type journeys for young people similar to the Duke of Edinburgh programme that I manage at home.

Day one and I already have a reason to come back!