TinnerStreet

In 1981 Carole and I were asked a question that would change our lives one way or another. Did we want to all start looking for a new house OR would we rather go on a trip back to the mother country? "Gee, tough question"," I thought. "Do I really want to uproot myself from my friends and live somewhere else or would I rather become a jetsetter at the age of 14/15?" Tough one!" I remember thinking my parents were a little dim asking me such a question - of course I want to travel!

Over the years through my short life I'd heard many a tale about places they'd visited, things they'd done, and of course the vast number of family members they'd been hiding from me all this time! It had been decided that the following year (1982) we'd join the millions of jetsetters around the world and make the trip back "home".

As Mum and Dad continued to work hard, save their holidays and earn the necessary money to fund such a trip, Carole and I enjoyed the status of "soon to be travelling" with our school chums.

We knew it was going to be a big trip, apart from mine and Carole's ever growing list of sights we wanted to see, Mum and Dad had the job of trying to fit all of these things around trips to see family, we set them a task and a half but they pulled it off well!

I have to admit that it was pretty daunting knowing we were going to meet all these people who were family. What if they didn't like us? What if they didn't understand our 'Orstralian speak'? What if this.... What if that.... What if??

The trip had been booked, flights planned, passports in pocket....now we had to wait it out! Not all that long before we were to fly out, we had incoming visitors from Mum's side of the family, her Aunty Madge, Aunty June and Uncle John. "Phew....at least I'll know someone when I go to England". Their visit to our sunny nation went well, and I'd suddenly found myself with three more relatives. At the time I felt that was great, I could tackle anything.

Mum and Dad had always told me of the countless relatives back home, no matter how many times you hear about them you don't really get a sense of how many there are – until you're dumped in their laps! While it did help a little already knowing the jet setting three a couple of months earlier, I was not prepared for the numbers to follow.

The first thrill of the trip of course was flying over there, strapped into the Qantas Boeing 747 was a buzz, so much so I ignored all the well meaning advice to get some sleep on the flight to keep jet-lag to a minimum. Jet-lag? I'm young....I won't get jet-lag! What a flight that was, stuck on a plane for 26 hours as it was back then, with only three one hour stops to refuel.

Imagine the thrill of hearing the Pilot on the loud speaker saying "We're starting our descent into London, and are on schedule. The current temperature in London is zero degrees." ZERO!!! But it's spring? What's this zero degrees? Dad....you never told us it would be this cold! It really didn't matter, in only a short time I'd be stepping onto British soil and that's what really mattered!

I land the plane at Heathrow

To add insult to injury, customs took what seemed like another 26 hours, so it seemed like an age before we were out in civilisation. When we walked out into the sea of faces waiting to pick people up, it was then that I saw a couple of familiar faces, Aunty June and Uncle John were there to meet us, with some lesser known faces we soon got to know.

Stepping outside of Heathrow Airport into that nippy zero degrees was enough to almost freeze my watchimacallits off - they never told me zero in England felt so cold, colder than what we'd ever felt in Melbourne. We had two cars to transport us up to Nottingham, and Aunty June and Uncle John took Carole and I with them. I remember Aunty June saying, "We'll just take you for a quick look around London first". Of that drive through London I remember her nudging me awake as we drove around Trafalgar square - yes, jet-lag had set in!

After a nice little snooze we arrived in Nottingham, Sandiacre to be precise, this was going to be base camp for us - we were all staying with Aunty Rene and Uncle Bill. The first week I was in England my memory of things is a little foggy, due to that jet-lag I wouldn't get. In mid conversation, dinner, whatever - I'd nod off whenever it suited my weary body.

During that week I remember going to Wales Chapel where Mum and Dad got married, one of their long time friends, Roy Staniforth M.B.E. had set up a 'This is Your Life' type of thing. Now, I'd imagine it would've been a scary enough thing for the parents to go through, though they did really enjoy it - imagine Carole and myself getting thrust into the spotlight by default - where's that hole in the ground to swallow us up?



The Aunties in "Ladies Corner(?)"

In the sea of faces that followed the presentation, I heard stories from more relatives I was meeting, old neighbours and friends of the family, and whoever else happened to stop by that night! Too much for that young mind to absorb, I probably slept through some of it though so it's not too bad.

Once the jet-lag wore off, we were on our way; we went here, we went there - we went everywhere! And each place we visited had new family to meet and get to know. During each visit to the different areas we'd tick off different things we'd visited, we did all the typical touristy things and what was interesting was so many things were new to Mum and Dad. It was a great adventure for us all.




Drinkin', talkin', and smokin' at the party

I have some wonderful memories of that trip, some good, some great, and some not so great, but they're all important. I saw some amazing places and met some amazing people. I won't tire you out too much talking about everything we did, I'd probably fall asleep typing it all anyway.




Windmill powered by muscle! Who would've thought 26 years later
I would end up marrying the young boy on the right?

What was so memorable about the trip you might ask? Family - family spirit mostly. People who didn't know me but knew of me took me in as one of their own, of course I am one of their people, but it was something I've never seen in Australia, and still haven't in all these years. There is a sense of community and blood ties are important and that's something that I've cherished ever since. It's for this very reason that I'm so family orientated now. Another great thing about that is I was able to get to know some of them over the years and still keep in touch with a few which has only strengthened the bond of family or as we say over here in the land down under - mateship! I can't finish up without saying that I learnt something else; I'm from bloody good stock! (Oops, sorry Dad - haha)

Can I ever top such a trip? Probably not, but I intend to have just as good a one this year when I head back over to the chilly shores of the mother country. So, for those living over there, I'll be seeing you soon!

Wendy Preece (nee Street), 2004