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It’s hard to believe that this time last month I was rushing around and stressing myself from here to the end of next year in an effort to prepare for my first trip to Australia.

Now, I’m back, and I find myself rushing around and stressing myself out from here to next year getting back into the swing of the things and putting my life and my business back into perspective and where they duly belong!

It’s hard to believe that the time I spent Down Under went by so quickly, it took ages for the day I was due to leave to get here, I mean it was planned in November last year and had been on the cards for quite a few months before that, and as they say, everything does come to those that wait, and in my case it did.

I’m no stranger to overseas travel, but visiting Down Under felt different. The only common denominator in the equation was the friend I was staying with, the rest was totally an unknown entity. Like I’ve said many times before, this trip was actually about people and meeting as many as I possibly could, especially ABBAMAILers, and I’d like to think I achieved that. That on it’s own was pretty daunting, I’ve been on ABBAMAIL for many years and have literally come to ‘know’ so many people, but until you actually meet them face to face, you don’t really get to know them.

I left South Africa on Friday 15th February nearly 2 hours late. The temperature outside was so hot, the plane could not take off due to the change in runway as well as it’s weight. At one stage they asked for 60 passengers to volunteer to disembark so that the flight would be able to leave, which did not happen and was given up as a back joke, especially in light of the fact that the entire load of baggage would have to be offloaded and identified, claimed and then re-loaded! Eventually, the entire load of cargo was off-loaded and we eventually took off for Sydney, only to be told by the Captain, that we would be stopping off in Melbourne to re-fuel due to the amount of fuel used on take-off from Johannesburg. The majority of the passengers were not at all stressed out about this, myself included, I fly myself, so I understand the reasoning behind a decision of safety. Some people, however, were not quite as accommodating. I could have clouted the idiot sitting in front of me, the entire flight, he blamed the airline, tackled every crew member and was just a pain in the arse. His inconsiderate daughter was no different. It’s bad enough flying that distance and for that length of time, you’d think people would behave.

Anyway, we eventually arrived in Sydney, three hours later than planned, and yes, we did stop in Melbourne to re-fuel, and yes they did re-fuel and no, the people who were supposedly ending in Melbourne, were not allowed off the plane and had to proceed onto Sydney and catch connecting flights back to where they were. Inconvenient, but that’s air-travel in any form. Be that as it may, the airline was very good and extremely accommodating to passengers under the circumstances. A great welcome to Sydney I thought, until I got to Customs! They are so strict in Australia, you can’t even have dirt under your shoe when you arrive! I’m sure they have their reasons, but it’s pretty daunting. Thankfully, I got through without a stress.

That’s when the Australia thing for me started, when I walked out the doors and saw a familiar face, that of a friend I had not seen for nearly 4 years and it was just like the other day we’d last seen each other. Naturally, we keep in touch by email and telephone, but there is nothing better than the real thing. The first few hours were spent catching up and making plans and then it was onto day one of meeting people.

I’d spoken to Graeme before I left South Africa as well as on my arrival in Sydney and we had made some tentative arrangements. Apparently, both Graeme and Grant intended meeting me at the airport but apparently could not due to the delay of my flight. I think they just had a better offer, which could not be turned down! I have to believe they changed their minds the next day and regretted the decision they had made on the Saturday.

Anyway, I met these two Australians on Sunday 16th February, and it was like something just clicked, total strangers, but we had a fantastic day together. I can honestly say the same for every person I met in Australia. Of course I made my presence known at the Lewisham Hotel on my first Wednesday in Sydney and the next one too! Who wouldn’t? I met a few ABBAMAILers on those two nights, as well as non-ABBA fans, and again at the fantastic Saturday afternoon function that had been organized in my honour. There was a limited edition 6 CD set produced for the occasion and so much was talked about, not just ABBA, but I must admit, I loved hearing about the ABBA “craze” in Oz. As Graeme, quite rightly pointed out, it never really died, the record sales proved the opposite. Like the rest of the world, many Australians just became closet ABBA fans.

I also did quite a bit of the tourist thing, sight-seeing and shopping, mainly to buy souvenirs for people back home, and for myself of course. I collect Lilliput Lane pieces and managed to acquire a piece of the Opera House for my collection. Which brings me to the next thing, the Opera House needs a bath as far as I am concerned. For as long as I can remember, every picture I have ever seen, be it in a book or on a postcard, it’s white. Well, it’s not. I told Graeme this who promptly told me to get my handy-andy and sponge out and give it a clean then!

At least my Lilliput Lane piece is a true reflection of it, it’s the same colour as the real thing!! Not many people took favourably to my comments about one of Australia’s most famous landmarks, but then since when has my opinion ever bothered me? Oh, and by the way, I did stand on the steps ABBA stood on all those years ago. Graeme will no doubt make some kind of comment about my Lilliput Lane fad somewhere on ABBAMAIL, his face was a picture when he saw the piece. But then, Graeme I’m convinced is a Duracell bunny on speed with one thing lacking in his life, a wooden spoon!

Australia, as quick as what the trip was, was an amazing experience. One that I’ll never forget, it was nothing like I thought it would be. Everybody I met went out of their way for me, total strangers, but yet, I was made extremely welcome. The places I visited were beautiful, the Koala I touched was so soft, the Kangaroo was too.

But, and as they say, all good things come to an end, and the last few days involved saying goodbye to so many wonderful people. My initial reservations and fears about what I would be experiencing in my short time in Australia, were long forgotten, my trip to Australia had proven to be a truly amazing experience!

Neil