Foggybear

my favourite Filipino beer is Red Horse despite my Filipino partner informing me that only "rough people" drink it. He says that is too strong. He too is happy with San Miguel Light although give him a Corona & he is even happier! At least it is not Colt 45 -another beer not as I first thought a bourbon! !

I was thinking of you & this story when I heard about the Cyclone some days ago!

I'm really enjoying reading this yet again. Thankyou so much! It is interesting, as I write, the A.F.L. is holding it's draft tonight. Looks like Sydney pick up 3 players!

Jason Ball & Jason Tuazon-McCheyne are both great blokes & personal friends each in their own way! Jason like myself has a Filipino partner & together they have done great things with the Purple Bombers! Rainbow Swans had a get together pre-game function some years ago prior to a game between our two sides! We happily met @ the Beauchamp on Oxford St., in the city. That was the first time I had met Jason! I made several friends that day who I still treasure today1 A couple of them share our love for Heritage Trains & we have met up on several occasions!

I remember that game with Phil Hughes. We were deeply shocked. Thankyou for deciding to include it! I recall that a good mate - A cricket Umpire & a NSW AFL Umpire (now deceased) was particularly devastated - we were all in shock of course! He was also a Member of Rainbow Swans who encouraged me to go to the Swans with our group & ended up in facilitating a meeting at swans HQ THE S.C.G. which resulted in the Sydney Swans officially accepting us & appointing a staffer to oversee us!

Paddy McCartin & (his brother I think?) ended up with the Swans last year. the Swans are pretty good with giving former players another "go!" ( I KNOW - I'm biased) they made a pretty formidable couple!

I had forgotten about Amos, but then I don't have all that much time for Hawthorn especially after 2014! Then I should remember that Lance Franklin came from Hawthorn, kicking 13 Goals in one game in 2012. it is interesting that one of the articles you've quoted mentions Chris Fagan who is now under fire for some of the treatment handed out to indigenous players during his time at the Hawks! it is so easy to be wise in hindsight - I am stopping myself all the time!

I recall that Grand Final very well! We left as soon as the game had ended - it was humiliating & most frustrating! The only good thing that could be said (pretty much the same as this year as it turned out) is that we at least made it when 16 other teams did not!! The same with the 2016 Grand Final, but that was due more to the umpires than the Swans playing ability. it is indeed unfortunate that that G.F. has gone down in the history books as being one of the most blatent examples of Umpire bias in GF History! However I am getting ahead of myself again. I am really enjoying rereading this series. Thankyou Graeme for writing & posting it!

I am re-reading this series. It is still as enjoyable as when you first wrote it! My partner (a Filipino) & I really love our football and are Swans Members. I have stepped down as the head of Rainbow Swans as I was finding it too much! Don't ever get old! We are all very upset that The Swans have signed up Qatar as a sponsor, but at least the guy who put the deal together met with us at one of our pre game get togethers, to explain his reasons. He still doesn't get the idea that it is crazy to say on one hand that your club is inclusive & the next to sign up a sponsor which is known to be homophobic. The Club has been fantastic & as you probably know, are actively involved in the Pride Round that the AFL hosts each year! The swans generally play St Kilda (who just happen to be my "second team) I would love to see the GWS GIANTS & their Rainbow Giants take on the Purple bombers in another game in that round. Jason Tuazon McSheyne (Head of Purple Bombers) is all for it. Just to keep you in the loop, all clubs now have a "PRIDE" Team1Rainbow Swans always have a pregame Function when it is our turn to host the Pride game & I'm proud to say that Andrew Pridham, the Swans C.E.O. was in attendance. he is a great bloke & the club is most supportive. We have 4 players as group allies who are not embarrassed to sign Guernseys etc.,

I"VE NEVER ACTUALLY DONE IT! I don't like heights much either. However the Hammons (senior - Mary & Harry) were customers of mine & my sister used to work for them in the Revolving Restaurant (see, I was a good bear & did not refer to it as he Revolting Restaurant) until she poured boiling water all over herself- I doubt that she'd remember much about that now. WHEN SYDNEY Is covered by fog it is hard to see anything - even the Bridge & Opera House can get completely covered in it, & of course the Airport gets closed etc. Thankfully those days don't happen too often down there.

the EDINBURGH military Tattoo is something that is customarily shown on our TVs on New years Day of the following year. It is something we really look forward to. I'd love to attend in person but I don't think my partner is interested. Every time he gets time of from his work he (naturally enough) wants to visit his family in the Philippines. I did live in N.Z. years ago & have been back 6 times. My partner, now that is he truly an Aussie, no longer has to get a VIsa, we can just go anytime! Thankyou for this story, it is really inspiring1

The Qld Cane Toad is poisonous & has become a huge pest that are gradually moving into other parts of Australia, unfortunately. They were initially brought over her to combat another pest, but adapted so well to Aussie conditions, that they quickly became out of control. Now they are a terrible nuisance for which there seems to be no easy way of keeping them contained!

All place names starting with the letters "Wh " are all pronounced as if spelt with an "F" - quite a trap for the unwary!

I read this story quite some time ago, but I am learning so much more this time around. I have been to Melbourne many many times, even sailed on the Sprit of Tasmania, Have been to Philip Island & yet I didn't know about "The Rip" or how dangerous it could be. I do know that Bass Strait & Cook Strait (It separates the North & South Islands of New Zealand, are amongst the most dangerous in our world. Thanks for the reminders about the South West of Western Australia!

Mountain Goat Beer is not a bad drop!

I am really enjoying reading this again for at least the second time around! I did read it first some years ago, but seem to be getting much more out of it this time around! I love the "Australianisms" you've resorted to - some of them are really "spot-on!" Thank you!

Fourex Beer is prized only by Queenslanders because they can't spell the word "beer" - It is not a particularly pleasant drop & "light" version "Fourex Gold" is disgusting! We'd rather have V.B. or something!

The (Sydney Harbour) Bridge Climb is conducted and owned by the Hammon Family, the people who run "Scenic World" mentioned elsewhere in this story!

Thank you for introducing us to "Embers" - I am reading every chapter. As per your own work, I can relate to those stories so easily, having lived through the "Black Summer" fires of 2019 - 2020 !It is all to real & brought back so many memories. i do enjoy these stories (of CJ & Ozzie) so much - much of what they say & talk about resonates with me. Living in the Blue Mountains for most of my life (all except for 14 months when I lived & worked in Wellington, N.Z. Sydney & the Hunter Valley are very familiar to me. I do enjoy the odd glass of Wine or two as well!

I hope that you really enjoy your visit here! Sydney is 106 km (or as you guys have it about 66 Miles) away about 90 minutes if you get a clear run in the car or 2 hours on the train (which I recommend - the view from the upper deck of the train carriage is phenomenal as the train hugs the cliff edges more readily than the highway)

When I was in High School (yes, Katoomba High) we had to run up & down those stairs for P.E. (Physical Exercise during our double Period - 80 minutes) - needless to say that our School wont the "cross Country" running Championship that year! I couldn't even walk down them now!

I can remember when I was just 4 years old & we were faced with the 1957 fires my dad taking me down to Echo Point & showing me what seemed to be an orange line burning in the Jamison Valley - it was burning in an area known as The Ruined Castle (a bunch of rocks that looked like the ruins of an ancient castle) - it was a fire that later came up the Kedumba Valley & destroyed much of Leura & Wentworth Falls - the adjoining towns! I appreciate the way in which you've used "Yarran" to relate the true story of the Legend of the Three Sisters. It is most refreshing - usually the first story is the one that's bandied about. Incidentally the word "Kedumba" is supposed to be an derivative of the aboriginal word for "falling water" a word from which "Katoomba" gets its name!

Unfortunately, Chris. it is something we have lived with for all our lives. The Blue Mountains is one of the most fire-prone areas of Australia. The Fire Season starts on October 1 every year. It is also extremely beautiful - I am so fortunate to have been born & brought up Here!

You obviously had a tough time when you were here! Belated thanks for your efforts1 We were lucky (fortunate) to have help from all over. As I write this people over the other side of Australia, south of Perth, are copping fires badly. It is a beautiful area & it is such a shame that it is burning. Once again, a Wine producing area is burning - the Margaret River area! And you've mentioned Katoomba High School- where I spent too many years of my life over half a century ago! One of the most poignant memories of that time was our 1968 (yes, I'm no longer young!) History Excursion when our two buses were almost trapped in the bushfires burning that day . It was horroriffic with trees burning either side of the road. So many homes & business were destroyed that day - some of our group had their homes destroyed - many have never been replaced.