OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November

Subject: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 11 Aug 03 - 09:18 AM

Naemanson (Brett) and I, along with my wife Judy, will be flying into
Sydney in late November. Sandra has graciously offered us a couple of
floor spots to sing a few songs at the regular 4th Saturday gathering at The Loaded Dog on November 22nd, and we're looking forward to that. My wife and I will be staying with old friends in Glebe while we're in
Sydney, which we understand is not too far from The Loaded Dog but more
detailed directions would be welcome. We would of course welcome,
especially Brett, any helpful survival hints. If there are other
sessions we should know about, please disclose details.

It would also be great if someone has the courage to organize a song
party for Sunday afternoon/evening (after the Dog). Last time I was there, there was a great party at someone's studio near the University, and that permitted me to meet a lot of you folks one on one. I still remember the sound of John Warner's voice piercing the air as we stepped into the studio, wondering if we were at the right address; I believe John was singing "Anderson's Coast" which I'm convinced could have been heard in Tasmania.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble et al

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 11 Aug 03 - 09:38 AM

hooray!! arrangements will be made

sandra

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Aug 03 - 08:44 PM

G'day Charley (and al ... ;-)...0,

Myself, I'd walk the ~ 2½ kilometres (~ 1½ miles) from Bellevue Street, Glebe, to the Loaded Dog in Johnston St, Annandale ... but that's because the two are "way points" along my daily 6 km walk home! (For you: NW in Bellevue, left into Lyndhurst St - Bridge Rd - Right into Minogue Cres - Left into Wigram Road - Right into Booth St - Left into Johnston St and along to the Annandale Community Centre ... But you'll probably drive!)

Margaret lives just round the block from the studio in Darlington - lovely little terrace house, but not roomy (Well, she has run a few small house concerts there!).

It's a pity you're not out here a bit earlier ... in crisp, comfortable weather of our late winter ... There will be an informal gathering next week resulting from a Melbourne-based crew coming up to help inaugurate night-time sailings of the restored James Craig (salvaged from the southern tip of Tasmania ... where I saw her derelict in 1966 ... and restored to full sailing glory) from Darling Harbour. Robert Brook, one of the Melbourne lot also plays Anglo concertina - as does Gavin, who is doinmg so in a photo, with some more of the crew, on this year's A-K Sydney 'phone directory. We decided this was great chance to draw together some concer-squeezers in one of the nearby establishments and that looks like it will be fun.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Naemanson
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 12:29 AM

Octogon Zombies! Run for your lives!

I am really looking forward to this trip. I guess I better start researching the land down under and find out if there is anything to see.

I have no set agenda or plans at this time. I figure I'll just slouch around and visit with people and look at a land that I have always wondered about but never thought I would ever get to.

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Amos
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 12:50 AM

NAr, nar, mate -- nuffin t' see there -- it all fell off, didn't it?? Yer can't have this gravity goinnk both ways, naow, can yer?? Jus' make up yer min' then, gov! :>)


A

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: JennieG
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 04:01 AM

Naemanson,
Most of us have the usual 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 heads.....woops sorry, that's the Tasmanians......1 head and a brain. But we are different to the rest of the world! For starters we have the world's most vicious critters (snakes and spiders). And the most cute and cuddly (baby wombats). And some gorgeous bits of the planet (anywhere away from Sydney).
Looking forward to meeting you all,
Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Naemanson
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 05:41 AM

What I know of Australia comes from histories I've read, Aussie TV shows I've watched, novels, Bill Bryson's book, From A Sunburned Country, and my daughter's friend Liz who is currently going to school in Australia. Oh, and what I've read in the Mudcat.

Time to start reading the tourist books again. And to re-read Bill Bryson's book.

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 07:59 AM

Brett-

Yes, it's that Bryson book that provided me the necessary cushion to survive the culture shock of parachuting into Greater Oz. I remember his dire warnings about the GIANT BANANA, THE GIANT LOBSTER, and I'm sure there's now a GIANT SQUID as well.

Bob- I'd love to "borrow" an Anglo concertina in G/D configuration if you have one in your herd. I doubt if I could get mine through the security checks. Of course, if you do, it probably won't have the same note arrangement as my Bastari-30.

Love them wombats! I have fond members of napping out on the river bank below our friend's weekender a couple of years back, and watching them flit through the trees...:~)

Yes, Brett, this will be fun!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 09:36 AM

G'day Chalie,

I think our eastern cousins (Billy the Bus's Kiwis ... oops! ... New Zealanders) have a claim on the Gigantic Squid (the newly discovered Really Big! one (see this weeks's New Scientist ... something about the freezing seawater in which it thrives. However John Warner does have a song about Goulburn's "giant Merino ram" ...

My G/D Lachenal is only a 22-key model ... standard diatonic "bush concertina" plus a G#/A# key on the top end of left hand 'C' row and a C#/D# button at the top end of right hand 'C' row. This is about as minimal as an Anglo-chromatic can be! It's one I rebuilt from a rather derelict B/F# ( .. ? ... ! ... ?), so there are a few soft choices in the very bottom notes of the left hand - but these are only ewer used for "vamp chords" ... so they function quite well.

I'm trying to keep as close to traditional instruments as possible ... but being very tempted to have a new Kookaburra Concertina 24-key made by Richard Evans, up at Bell in the Blue Mts (with as much slave labour as possible, by me, thrown in the discount the price!

In re JennieG's remarks about the odd venonous critter ... I had emailed "Liam's Brother", some years back, about a copperhead snake that got corrugated in a stack of roofing iron - when a friend and I were clearing old building material from a 20 acre block in the mountains, where we were organising a Bush Music Club camping weekend. Dan replied, mentioning that "We have a snake too, called a copperhead - and it's venomous!" I replied "not half as venomous as this one" and he left it at that.

Then, some months later, he emailed to say he saw a program on deadly animals ... and, of the world's 10 deadliest snakes ... 10 of them lived in Australia. Well, we just manage to maintain a healthy respect for each other ... !

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: TOO-RUN-DUN (John Warner)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 10:09 AM

Charley, you mean you've seen the famous fliting wombats? I've lived here 51 years & I've never seen them - some folks have all the luck.

But have you seen the bunyip? Not many folks see them, then it's usually late at night, in a dark swamp ...

sandra

Too-Roo-Dun
The dreamtime folk of Gippsland had a dread tale to report
Of the Bunyip living somewhere in the bay called Westernport,
They shunned the creeks he haunted, if they saw him they would run,
They spoke of him in whispers & they called him Too-Roo-Dun.
Today their tales are heard with scorn, their warning is forgot,
Beware you merry mariners all in your weekend yacht,
He opens up his gullet under anything afloat,
He swallows all the humans & he spits out bits of boat.

Too-Roo-Dun, Too-Roo-Dun
When the moon is at the full and little soldier crabs do run,
The mudflats down at Westernport I recommend you shun,
It's a mighty, massive gullet has the bunyip, Too-Roo-Dun.

His measurements are monstrous and a dreadful tale they make,
His head is like an emu, his body like a snake,
His carcass thick as several trees, his teeth just like a shark,
A frightful apparition to see gliding through the dark.
And up among the Anderson, or so the locals say,
You can see his ribmarks graven on the mudflats on the bay.
When herds of champion Herefords mysteriously have gone,
The rumour says they've vanished down the throat of Too-Roo-Dun.

Too-Roo-Dun, Too-Roo-Dun,
They say some bloke from Orbost tried to take him with a gun,
They only found his footprints at the rising of the sun,
And still he's lurking out there is the bunyip, Too-Roo-Dun.

And when the nightclouds hide the moon and tide is at the flood,
The ghastly bunyip, Too-Roo-Dun, comes creeping from the mud.
He glares between the mangroves with his wicked, beady eyes,
Looking for a juicy meal, to take it by surprise.
You might be walking on the beach, you'll hear a subtle sound,
Perhaps you'll wonder at it, maybe you'll turn round,
His eyes you'll see, his breath you'll smell, all fishy, cold & wet,
And suddenly ...................YOU'RE ATE!

c. John Warner, 1992.
from The Briggs and Stratton Pump and other Verse by John Warner (1994)

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 10:21 AM

and if you want some info on Oz, check out this thread from the Annex

Emigrating to the land of Oz.
http://www.jonbanjo.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=526&pagenum=1&reverse=False&X=61

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 12:49 PM

Sandra-

The important cautionary note about them wombats is not to stand underneath as they glide by. They're very territorial beasties, I've been told, and I was most impressed with the neat piles of wombat excrement that marked our hosts' patio.

And thanks for posting John's wonderful Bunyip song; I can still hear his maniacal laughter. (See, JoeO, this is a music thread!)

Bob- I'll look forward to being introduced to your G/D Lachenal. Does it bite?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 13 Aug 03 - 12:04 AM

Charley,

You are slipping, you didn't mention our BS: Meet The Giant Squid! thread. Yes, Bob, those big critters do belong on our side of the Tasman. As to me joining you in Sydney, as you suggested elsewhere, Charley? Not a show mate. Not enough dough for starters. Then, I've never been out of NZ and haven't even been on the mainland for the best part of a year. I'd never survive the flight over the ditch without a puff on me pipe! And, Sydney's even bigger than Auckland they tell me. I'd get paranoic, and never cope. No, mate I'll leave my big OE to the odd visit to the South Island.

If you could transmute me instantly from here to the Sydney Sessions, I'd love to join you. Have a great time in November. In the meantime, I'll stay as:

Stay-at-Home - Sam

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Naemanson
Date: 13 Aug 03 - 05:00 PM

Dealy creatures? Bunyips? Flying wombats? Oh my! Snakes! The 10 dealiest on Earth! Oh dear!

I think Guam is nice. Carabao don't bite though they might slime you with there noses.

This is my last post from my "hotel" room. It's time to start living in a house and I will have no Internet access from home for a while. I'll sign in when I can.

See ya!

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Aug 03 - 11:48 PM

G'day Charlie,

The G/D Lachenal is a nice traditional instrument ... no use at all to those aspiring to play Irish 18-to-the dozen modern stage style - but a nice squeezebox to an old-style player in the Gaeltach. Certainly a nice box to accompany a few shanties ... or pump out a hornpipe.

It doesn't bite ... and, as long as the seals are all tight, it shouldn't attract too many poisonous snakes. I seem to remember an old bush story ... maybe it was an aside in Henry Lawson's story The Drover's Wife (basically the prose counterpart to his poem ... latterly a song ... Past Carin') where a snake's intrusion into the family's bark hut is blamed on the "hissing" of the leaky bellows of a squeezebox!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 02:45 AM

Aaarrgghhh

You lot have really got me going. I've pulled the old Lachenal Anglo, #46265, tracked down Concertina.Net, and dated it to ca 1886-95. No wonder it's like me, and a bit wheezy - not hissing at the bellows, just sticky in the reed department. Apart from that, and knacked thumbstraps, it's in better nick than I am. I see there's a good repair section on the site. I've always been scared to take the lid off - my hands shake too much. But --- me old Oz-Cob, "Compo", has steady hands, a good eye, and loves a fiddly project. Furthermore, he's heading to "Seed-Knee" in a few weeks time.

Bob, can you give me a phone number, so I can put "Compo" in touch with him. I'll see if he'll take the squeeze-box with him, so you can cast a hairy-eye-ball over it, and give him some advice. Then I'll try to learn to play properly after all these years.

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Hrothgar
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 04:16 AM

Are you blokess getting to Brisbane on your trip?

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 08:26 AM

Hrothgar-

My wife and I have thought seriously about Brisbane. Such a BIG country! We'll be up in Port Douglas for a few days before we return to Sydney to join Brett and The Dog. And afterwards, we'll be in the Terrigal/New Castle area. Brisbane is right in between, but a long in between.

Still, we know you've got some fine singers, and there's the waterfront of the famed Harry Robertson to wander round whistling an old shanty, if it all hasn't been transformed into one wall of condominiums/hotels. Tell us more!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 09:01 AM

What a shame, that we shall not all meet, when me and the staff arrive in Sydney on about 24th October, for a short visit.
Giok

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 11:56 AM

Giok-

We could start an "X&O" game at the Rocks end of Circular Quay for nomadic Mudcatters. It's your responsibility to lay out the grid and make the first move.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Hrothgar
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 11:13 PM

The wharf at Pinkenba is still there, but mostly used for bulk cargoes. All the wharf areas closer to the city have been gentrified, as you feared.

If you get across the bay to Tangalooma on Moreton Island, you can still see a lot of the old flensing works from the whaling of the 1950s and early 1960s. Story - A few of us did some Harry Robertson songs at a concert here a couple of years ago. Afterwards a woman came up to me and said that the songs reminded her of being taken to Tangalooma when she was a child, and she could smell it again. It nearly made her sick in the middle of the concert. Now, that's real singing for you!

It will probably be too late for any whale watching at that time of year, unfortunately - the migration usually passes by in September.

I take it you're flying to Port Douglas? It's 1200 miles from Brisbane, 1800 from Sydney. Don't even think what that is in kilometres.

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 09:42 AM

Giok - looks like you'll be getting in the day before the October Dog! Guests that night are Touchwood, & Callie & Chicky are 2/3 of that group.

If you are free that night, pop in - the music will be great. And the company's not bad, either,

sandra

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 10:03 AM

Hrothgar-

Thanks for the update on Brisbane. I'd really like to check it out but it would be quite a s-t-r-e-t-c-h. The Newcastle area, where we'll be for our final week, looks to be a long day's drive from Brisbane.

Yes, we'll likely fly into Cairns from Sydney and then van up to Port Douglas. Last time around we tried to connect with the Cairns Folk Club, only to find that the restaurant they gathered at, across the tracks, had changed its name, and that the Club had changed the regular date of their meeting that month, moving it up to the week before we arrived. Well, we were puzzled at the time, but maybe they had checked out the Charley Noble postings on Mudcat and decided that discretion was called for.

As for whaling songs, the only one currently in my repertoire is one about the sad demise of the fresh-water whaling industry in our Great Lakes, back in the 19th century.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Helen
Date: 16 Aug 03 - 10:57 PM

Newcastle Folk Club has their regular monthly meeting on the 1st Saturday of every month from 7.30PM to 10.30 PM at the Wesley Senior Citizens Hall.
Located on William Street, Hamilton, Newcastle

They have a call from the floor, or you can set up a spot by e-mailing the club from the above link.

Charley, you said you would be here in Newcastle between 12th January and 12th April - you really are planning a long stay in lovely Nukes. *g*

Oh, sorry, did you mean 1st December to 4th December? It was hard deciphering that Ameri-speak (LOL).

The club night would be 6/12 (or to translate, 12/6). They do have other events as well, but if necessary I can still organise a session.

Helen

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 12:01 PM

Helen-

Thanks so much for the info on the Newcastle Folk Club and your reminder that date format Downunder is, of course, reversed! LOL

Now if that December 6th Saturday, 2003, is REALLY gonna be a Newcastle Folk Club gathering, and not say a special Christmas program, we might be able to s-t-r-e-t-c-h our stay to make it. Could you talk to a real person associated with this Club to determine what's happening, or provide me with a name and e-mail address to do direct follow-up?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Helen
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 01:23 AM

Talking to wetware??!! That's a bit out of the ordinary isn't it?

Yep, I'll phone a real person and find out. I had already thought I'd better check the reality as opposed to the theory.

Helen

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Naemanson
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 02:02 AM

Oh my! How things happen when you are off line for a while. I need to get a map of the country and figure out where all these places are you keep talking about.

But I also need to keep unpacking and get myeself settled into my new abode.

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 08:47 AM

Brett-

Maybe we should split up at some point. This Land of OZ is such a big sprawling country. You could follow up Harry Robertson's waterfront haunts in Brisbane while we're getting our ashes hauled in Newcastle.

But then you might want to check out the Blackheath Folk Club in the Blue Mountains; I wonder if they're still gathering at the Ivanhoe Hotel? They were such nice friendly folks when we were there two years ago. I can still hear Denis Kevals extolling the virtues of pouring concrete into the surrounding valleys, "all so gray and smooth." And then that's where we met Sydney political singer-songwriter John Dengate and his wife and heard his songs for the first time.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 08:49 AM

Denis "Kevans" of course!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 09:04 AM

G'day Charlie & Brett,

I gather the Blackheath Folk Cub is still in full swing - I'll chase them up and see if a meeting fits in with your trip schedule.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 09:14 AM

The Dengates are the folks who live in Glebe & walk to the Dog - I'll suggest they add the Nov Dog to their diary.

John now has CD - a double recorded at a house concert & released earlier this year. His Sydney CD launch will be at Jenny's club in Sept.

sandra

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 05:38 PM

Sandra-

With regard to "floor spots" at The Loaded Dog, how many songs should Brett and I be planning to sing? If we could each lead a couple that would be very nice. Of course I haven't sung with Brett for months and I don't have a clue what he's planning to sing; he may have gone over to the DARK SIDE...

Helen-

Did you find out anything more about the Newcastle folks? We may do better having a party than trying to line up with their regular session; Judy and I need to be back in the States by December 4th.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 08:49 AM

Charley - dunno yet, I'll have to get back to you.

A normal Dog has the support doing 30 min, with the main act doing 2 sets of 30min & 60min, but The Bums always do less than 90mins. As I want individual Bums to do floor spots too (they are a talented lot of folks) I have to sort out timing.

I'll contact Canberra Chris to see how long the Bums want & how many of them want to do a floor spot.

sandra

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Naemanson
Date: 01 Sep 03 - 11:07 PM

The Dark Side? Charley, did you think I'd trade my 12-string for an electric bass? I'm shocked!

Of course, Ina-Gadda-Da-Vidda sounds great on the 12!

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Hrothgar
Date: 02 Sep 03 - 06:05 AM

If somebody is coming to Brisbane, let me know.

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Sep 03 - 09:14 AM

Chris's tentative reply (before rehearsal) was that maybe 6-8 Bums would do solo spots. I still haven't received a reply 24 hours after rehearsal, so maybe I will need to be bossy (I'm good at that!!) & make executive decisions. But I'll remind him again.

Brett, will you be bringing the 12 string? What if THEY poke & prod at it, being Alert but not Alarmed (as our Prime Minister Little Johnny so eloquently puts it)? You might be able to use a local guitar, I could ask if you're interested.

sandra

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: JennyO
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 01:49 PM

I am finally back online after almost a month without Mudcat, having finally completed the dreaded house-moving, and I've just found this thread.

It occurs to me, Charlie, that the perfect place for the song-party the day after the Dog, might be my new digs at Earlwood, seeing as my new housemate and partner in crime is none other than the aforementioned John Warner. He hasn't seen this thread yet, but I'm assuming that date will be alright. Without going into too many details at this point, I'll just say that many plans, musical and otherwise, are afoot, and there is much to celebrate.
Magic is in the air!

No doubt a lot of the wonderful friends who helped me move will be there too, and you and Brett can help us warm the house some more (by then I imagine we will have already had a few parties and sessions to start the warming process).

Also if both or either of you are in Sydney on December 4, there is my folk club, North By Northwest, at Gladesville. We will have an excellent band "Wheelers and Dealers" performing, supported by Ian Macintosh, who is one of the people who helped me on moving day and a member of the Wheeze and Suck Band. If we know you are coming we could probably arrange to have some of the Roaring Forties there too, and a decent sized floor spot would be in order.

I'll tell John about all this tomorrow, and see what he thinks.

Jenny

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 05:51 PM

Sign me up! I am really looking forward to this trip. However, I am having trouble figuring out how to arrange things for travel. None of the Internet sites have flight information out of Guam! I need to talk with my co-workers about how to do this.

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Sep 03 - 08:41 PM

JennyO-

I'll be based in Glebe, overlooking the famous Grayhound racing rink. Now I know how to find Bob Bolton's neighborhood but I haven't got a clue which direction Earlwood is; you may want to e-mail me the specifics but general directions are probably OK to post here.

Is there anything interesting going on Friday, December 21st? That date might also be an option for a song party.

Brett-

When are you planning to parachute in?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 06 Sep 03 - 09:11 PM

G'day Charley,

Earlwood is about 10 km/6 miles south west of Sydney centre (that makes it an inner-west suburb!) It's on a train line, but equidistand between the Princes Highway and Parramatta Rd (Great Western Highway) ... and it's also John Warner territory.

For better map references, press the Horvaths ... that's what geographers are for!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Naemanson
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 02:57 AM

Charley, I haven't any idea yet. I cannot find anything about flights on the internet. None of the usual suspects carry information for flights out of Guam. Continental seems to be the only choice and their price is around $600 for a package deal to Cairns. Still researching. I may fly into Cairns and take the train to Sydney.

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 09:44 AM

Charley & Brett - John & Jenny's house has a bus-stop outside & I would normally get there by bus - buses leave from the CBD.

Friday nights are often session nights!! One will be arranged.

Qld Folk Clubs
http://folk.mountaintracks.com.au/Folk_Australia/clubs_qld.html

Cairns Folk Club
http://folk.mountaintracks.com.au/Folk_Australia/clubs_qld.html#cairns

Towsnville & Mackay are on the way from Cairns from Brisbane & have folk clubs - maybe Hrothgar can give you more info. I've sent him an email.

sandra

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 10:55 AM

Opps! I see I mistyped "December 21st" above and I clearly meant "NOVEMBER 21ST."

And thanks for the directions to Earlwood, "across them Western Suburbs we will wander."

And Brett, if you fly into Cairns around November 12th you could vanpool with us to Port Douglas for snorkling the Great Barrier Reef and other adventures. A train ride from Cairns to Sydney is one adventure that Judy and I will skip (maybe some of you folks from Downunder can fill Brett in with lurid details of trainwrecks, bandits, and train cuisine). You do want to make it to Sydney for The Loaded Dog and associated musical special events.

Sandra-

Do the Friday evening "sessions" rotate among people's homes? It would be truly wonderful if one could be set up in November within walking distance of where we are in Glebe. And Bob, we did do some walking, all the way to Glebe Point Road for breakfast every morning! Although I admit that distance is relatively modest compared with your trek from your neighborhood to downtown.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: JennyO
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 11:14 AM

Charley and Brett, John and I would really like to have a party for you here at Earlwood, and I don't think it matters much whether it's the day before or the day after the Dog. As Sandra mentioned, it's really accessible by public transport, with several buses stopping right outside our door.

Charley if you want to PM me what street you will be staying in, I will find out some details about what buses will get you here. Having only just moved here myself, I am not familiar with them yet - also what actual dates you will be in Sydney.

Brett, do you know where you will be staying, and what dates you will be in Sydney?

Jenny

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Naemanson
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 06:52 PM

Charley reminded me in an email that time is short and the water is rising. He also made me look at the schedule and revise my plans. For some reason I thought the Loaded Dog was on the 28th! Good thing he gave me his itinerary.

I do not yet have any definite plans but I will work on that this week. There is a rumor of a $199 special to Australia from Guam so I need to get on the horn to the airlines and check it out.

Oops, gotta go. I will continue this later.

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Sep 03 - 09:39 AM

www.sydneytransport.net.au

When you are in Sydney call them on 131 500 & they know everything. I assume the website will offer the same service as is offered by phone - say where you are & give the address of the place you want to get to & they hit the keyboard & say catch bus X to corner of this street & that then walk down the road, turn left etc. It's great!

The 412 Campsie bus from the CBD goes to their door, & there are lotsa buses from Glebe to the CBD. More info later by PM.

sandra

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Sep 03 - 09:42 AM

Bob Bolton has been tantilizing me with descriptions of the renovated tall ship the James Craig at Darling Harbour. I think she had just appeared there when we were in Sydney back in December of 2001. I've since read several articles about her history and the battle to bring her back from Tasmania and fully restore her. I would love to sing one of C. Fox Smith's fine sea poems in her honor if someone could smuggle me aboard.

The place Judy and I will be staying while we're in Sydney is located near the corner of Bellevue Street and St. John's Road. It's one of those famous Sydney terraced houses, not very wide but with at least 4 floors. We did manage to walk over to John Dengate's house, and had a wonderful evening of wine and songs. I'm generally a good walker but I was somewhat slowed down from an accident up in the Blue Mountains while I was attempting to demonstrate to my wife how Govett achieved his magnificant leap; them mossy rocks are slippery!

I'm in the process of adapting a Jon Campbell dockside song to Sydney and was wondering what the area around the Fish Market is called. Is it Darling Harbour or Blackwattle Bay? Darling Harbour scans better but I really don't want to make too free with the local geography (see, Joe, this is a music thread).

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 06:37 AM

Train from Cairns to Sydney is about 1800 miles, and you will have to change in Brisbane. i think Cairns to Brisbane is about 3 to 4 days. Brisbane to Sydney is overnight (or all day).

I'll dig out a bit more, if you like. Fares, for a start, might cause an intake of breath ...

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: JennieG
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 06:45 AM

Charley,
The original name for Darling Harbour was Cockle Bay, if that helps.
Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: OZ Foray from Maine & Guam-Late November
From: Hrothgar
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 07:52 AM

06.37 Guest was me.