Ancient History...

Once upon a time in Europe, there were many young people foot-loose and fancy-free travelling around seeing the world on motor scooters before they settled down got married and had children. Two such people were an Aussie named Keith Stafford, and a Canadian named Doug Robins.



Keith was on a long-planned trip, I was there because in 1959 there was a shortage of work at my place of employment, [ Nicholson Printing]. At the time my father was the plant superintendent and my Uncle Bob, [Graham] was the boss. I was laid off. [Don't think just because your uncle is the boss and your Dad the foreman that you have job security!]

Tom Anderson, the owner of a printing company where I started my apprenticeship took me back on, bless his heart. Five months later we ran out of work there, and I was laid off again. It is now January 1960. I left home on Valentines day, of that year to tour Europe. The route was by train to St. John NB, and then a Canadian Pacific ship, Empress of France, to Liverpool. I had the flu by the time we sailed, threw up for three days in my cabin, and emerged at my assigned table for the first time on the fourth day, much to the surprise of my table-mates. I still have the receipt from the ship's doctor, C$2.50.

I arrived at Liverpool, took the train to London, got a cab and asked the cabbie to take me to a hotel. He did, The Strand Palace where I stayed for a week. I got boots, a pack-sack, and took the Boat Train to Nice, France. The arrangements were that I would meet my friend in Nice, and check for mail at the American Express office there when I got there. I did that and there was a note from him telling me to go to the Promenade across the street at 10 AM, he would check there every day until we met. I did, he did and we met up. I gave him money for a 1/2 share of the Vespa 125 scooter, [$300 C$], and soon found out we were incompatible! It was not a pleasant relationship, particularly when we ended up doing 12,000 kilometres together on that little scooter.

That is where my friend Keith Stafford enters the picture. As there is today, there was a circuit or route that young travellers and hostellers usually take in a country or area. You compare notes and places to eat etc. with fellow travellers that have been there. My friend and I kept bumping into Keith at various hostels, the first was in Madrid, and eventually we ended up travelling together, Keith on his big powerful scooter and my friend and I doubled up on our under-powered machine that kept failing us.

After some considerable time we got separated from Keith while leaving Italy, going into Yugoslavia. Many weeks later we saw Keith leaving Vienna as we were coming in. We stopped, chatted and said goodbye. That was the last I saw of Keith in Europe. My friend and I travelled together in 17 countries in Europe and separated the day we got to Dover. By this time we had learned to make the most of it, worked together and actually, had a wonderful time. I then hitch-hiked around England and Scotland for a couple of months and came back home where my job at Nicholson Printing was now available again. It is now September 1960. I met Fellette in November 1961, proposed in January and we were married in June, 1962. I was on schedule in my life's journey, in the correct order as well. Jeanette arrived in March 1963 and the rest is history as they say.

Incidentally, the Canadian friend that I met up and travelled with have only seen each other once again, for a few minutes in 1961.

Keith and I had fortunately exchanged addresses in Europe. Keith is also more organized than me, [he eventually became a bank manager], and lo and behold, he sent a Christmas card with a note, when he got back to Australia. We then exchanged Christmas Cards for years, Keith writing a summary of his life's progress each year, me, just a card. Fellette shamed me into writing something on his card and the relationship continued. Somewhere along the line email came into being.

The next quarter century seemed to pass at the speed of light, us only hearing from each other once a year. Things happened, wives, kids, houses, jobs, problems, just life, to each of us.

We met again for the first time in 25 years in 1985 when Jeanette and I had a few days in Melbourne on business. Keith and Jenny then visited us at the Farm in 1989. Our third meeting was in 2004 when we visited them in Melbourne for 10 days. The visit now is only the fourth time in 47 years that we have seen each other.


When planning this trip to Australia it was intended that we would spend a few days with Keith and Jenny, however their daughter and her two young daughters were staying with them for some time so the home stay was put off and a lunch together was scheduled. I only found out a few days ago that Tracey had left, and our circumstances also changed so I phoned Jenny at 10 AM Saturday and asked if they could take two vagabond Canadians in for a few days. Six hours later Rod and Lyn dropped us off at their home and it was like we were back in Europe 47 years ago together. Fellette and Jenny get along like old school chums, last night furiously knitting and catching up on life, as Keith and I chewed the fat and compared notes.





We stayed with them for three nights and then Keith and Jenny drove us to Maryborough where we had lunch with the Lindroths. Now back to finishing some tasks and a little sightseeing around Maryborough before we fly back to the land of water aplenty next week.


It was a wonderful four days together and the relationship is a special one, there is no doubt about that, and I cherish it greatly. Their granddaughters are slightly younger than the age that their two kids were when Jeanette and I met him for the first time in 25 years in 1985.

PS When I wrote this at our first morning here, our hosts were asleep and a wind and rain storm was pelting down outside. It appears their weatherman is as unreliable as ours, either that or we have bought "The Robin's Rain" to this area as well. [It was however hot as heck for the rest of our visit.]

Melbourne is also on severe water restrictions. Keith and Jenny save the hand wash and shower water for the garden. I am looking forward to our first shower here where we share the shower stall with two pails to catch the water. The local paper is pitching in with free shower timers!