Old Farts Memories

[RedVHeartbeat]

played reps for the tigers

Good for you. My brother said I could have played reps for Saints, after a couple of yrs with the Renown U17s. But alas I developed a chronic knee injury and had to give away footy.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Everybody on here must have visited one of these. The ubiquitous 70s drive in. The below venue is in the bush somewhere and was before my time going on the vintage of the cars. My local was Caringbah Skyline but my cousins lived within cooee of Matraville Drive In, in fact we could clearly see the full screen from their back yard. Us kids made up a fun game of 'guess the picture being shown'. Well those were the days of having to amuse yourself with whatever was at hand.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Journalism was something that I would have loved doing - mainly with golf tournaments

Covering sport was the most enjoyable part of journalism for me, being a sports nut. Best part was sitting down face to face with various sportsmen/women and interviewing them. I derived a great deal of satisfaction doing this and even more when they'd ring me and thank me once they read my printed words. There was the occasion where someone was not all that happy, but thankfully this was rare. Did I tell you I once interviewed the great Billy Smith.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

The Deltones are among my all time favorites musicians. They started at the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club in early 60s think it was and it was there I first saw them perform when I was in my mid teens just after leaving boarding school. I was hooked being a devotee of the beach sounds and as a 'surfie' rather than a 'rocker'. Had to be living, at Cronulla and within cooee of their famous beach.

 

[Dragon David]

Everybody on here must have visited one of these. The ubiquitous 70s drive in. The below venue is in the bush somewhere and was before my time going on the vintage of the cars. My local was Caringbah Skyline but my cousins lived within cooee of Matraville Drive In, in fact we could clearly see the full screen from their back yard. Us kids made up a fun game of 'guess the picture being shown'. Well those were the days of having to amuse yourself with whatever was at hand.
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Yup the Drive-In. There were quite a few around the place. The last time I went to a Drive-in was at the one in Dundas - forgotten what was on as I spent more time doing other stuff with my bird and didn't see the end of the movie as it was getting "too hot in the car" so headed back home to finish the business off you know what I mean.

 

[Dragon David]

The Deltones are among my all time favorites musicians. They started at the Bronte Life Saving Club in early 60s think it was and it was there I first saw them perform when I was in my mid teens just after leaving boarding school. I was hooked being a devotee of the beach sounds and was a 'surfie' rather than a 'rocker'. Had to be living at Cronulla and within cooee of their famous beach.

The Deltones were great as were many other bands going back to my younger years. So many to name as well as the individual artists male and female. Johnny O'Keefe stands out for me. One of my greatest all time singers is Tom Jones who, among quite a number of others over the years, I managed to see in the Silver Spade Room of the Chevron Hilton Hotel with my fiance' in 1971. Because I was a fan of his I sang the Green Green Grass of Home at a hotel in Coolangatta in 1969 and won first prize for singing that song. I also sang a few songs in a restaurant in Rome when I toured Europe in 1977 - songs like "I left My Heart In San Francisco" and "Fly Me to the Moon".

A big fan of Elvis and of course the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Phil Collins, Frank Sinatra, Pedrry Como, Al Martino. Matt Monro and the list goes on.

So good to remember the good old days mixed in with the roar of the crowd watching a Saints player score a try under the posts at Kogarah,

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Yup the Drive-In. There were quite a few around the place. The last time I went to a Drive-in was at the one in Dundas - forgotten what was on as I spent more time doing other stuff with my bird and didn't see the end of the movie as it was getting "too hot in the car" so headed back home to finish the business off you know what I mean.

You filthy devil

Oh yes, takes me back. Why go to a lovers lane when you could do same and watch a movie at the same time. Well parts of a movie.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

when I toured Europe in 1977

So did I and unbelievably same yr man, '77. I was based in London in a two storey house full of Aussies and used that as a springboard to travel.

I was not all that flushed when I decided to travel to Europe so joined Con Tiki and drove thru Europe in and old Pommie red double decker bus. Saw all of the Continent other than Scandinavia and the Balkans. Even went to a nude beach in Greece.

When I was out of travel funds I did odd jobs and then off again for some more site seeing..

 

[Dragon David]

So did I and unbelievably same yr man, '77. I was based in London in a two storey house full of Aussies and used that as a springboard to travel.

I was not all that flushed when I decided to travel to Europe so joined Con Tiki and drove thru Europe in and old Pommie red double decker bus. Saw all of the Continent other than Scandinavia and the Balkans. Even went to a nude beach in Greece.

When I was out of travel funds I did odd jobs and then off again for some more site seeing..

That was the way to see that part of the world Ritchie. Certainly no problems in those days of doing your own thing. Good times were had by all.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

So did I and unbelievably same yr man, '77.

Is that a coincidence or what.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

That was the way to see that part of the world Ritchie. Certainly no problems in those days of doing your own thing. Good times were had by all.

Mostly good times David. When a mate and I drove to Italy the following yr, firstly his camera and passport and other confidential items were stolen then his car's big end went. Well it was our car actually as we both put money into it. We were sure it'd get us to where we wanted. He returned to England but I was determined to carry on having contracted the travel bug even tho I was down on funds as the car was to be our transport. I was forced to hitch for first time in my life when I could not use local buses and trains, but nothing was gonna stop me. Even picked grapes in rural France to replenish my funds.

 

[Dragon David]

Is that a coincidence or what.

Yes that was a coincidence for sure. I went there with my first wife. I was 30 and she was 26. We arrived in England in May 1977 and stayed in a hotel in Earls Court and did the usual tourist thing sightseeing, then we hired a car and drove up to Harrogate, in Yorkshire and stayed at my wife's aunts' place for a few days. Then we drove up to Edinburgh, Inverness, Tongue, the Isle of Sky, etc staying at bed and breakfast places and then back to London. Must have driven for about 2,000 miles, picking up hitchhiker and all along the way. Then in London went back to Earls Court for a night and then joined the Trafalgar Tour for our under 30's tour of Europe. Great time for about 3 weeks. Following that we flew to Vancouver, Canada to stay with friends for a month who we knew when they came to Sydney for a few years. Been to Canada a few times now.

Life was grand when young. Feeling it now though.

 

[Dragon David]

Mostly good times David. When a mate and I drove to Italy the following yr, firstly his camera and passport and other confidential items were stolen then his car's big end went. Well it was our car actually as we both put money into it. We were sure it'd get us to where we wanted. He returned to England but I was determined to carry on having contracted the travel bug even tho I was down on funds as the car was to be our transport. I was forced to hitch for first time in my life when I could not use local buses and trains, but nothing was gonna stop me, Even picking grapes in rural France to replenish my funds.

Good on you Ritchie. Never say die.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Life was grand when young. Feeling it now though.

How true David. Speaking of traveling thru England/Scotland, four of us Aussies headed off in the clubs VW Combi van intending to just drive and sleep inside. On our second day the Combi's big end went as we arrived in Edinburgh, would you believe it the second time for me. So our trip was ended before it had begun. Myself and a girl I had recently met decided to hitch back to London, first nite we slept in an old barn, second we were invited to spend the nite at a house of a generous middle aged woman who had stopped for us. On the third nite we treated ourselves to a b&b at Middlesex just north of London.

The next morning we stopped for a drink at a local watering hole called the Popes Grotto and I happened to ask if there was any work going. As luck would have it they were short one bar and one dining staff and because this was hi season the manager employed us on the spot. I knew how to pull a beer but because this was a rather posh place I was also expected to mix cocktails about which I was rather clueless. Luckily one of the bar maids helped me and before long I was mixing them like a pro.The beauty of the job was it was live in with meals inclusive and despite the lowly salary, there was a sense of feeling settled so my girl and I stuck it out for bout six mths by which time we had managed to save about 100 pounds each, sufficient for some more bus traveling with Con Tiki.
The Pope's Grotto is still operating as I spotted it a few yrs ago while surfing the net.

 

[Dragon David]

How true David. Speaking of traveling thru England/Scotland, four of us Aussies headed off in the clubs VW Combi van intending to just drive and sleep inside. On our second day the Combi's big end went as we arrived in Edinburgh, would you believe it the second time for me. So our trip was ended before it had begun. Myself and a girl I had recently met decided to hitch back to London, first nite we slept in an old barn, second we were invited to spend the nite at a house of a generous middle aged woman who had stopped for us. On the third nite we treated ourselves to a b&b at Middlesex just north of London.

The next morning we stopped for a drink at a local watering hole called the Popes Grotto and I happened to ask if there was any work going. As luck would have it they were short one bar and one dining staff and because this was hi season the manager employed us on the spot. I knew how to pull a beer but because this was a rather posh place I was also expected to mix cocktails about which I was rather clueless. Luckily one of the bar maids helped me and before long I was mixing them like a pro.The beauty of the job was it was live in with meals included which was covered in our lowly wage packet, but there was a sense of feeling settled so my girl and I stuck it out for bout six mths by which time we had managed to save about 100 pounds each, sufficient for some more bus traveling with Con Tiki.
The Pope's Grotto is still operating as I spotted it a few yrs ago while surfing the net.

You never know your luck when things look hopeless. Things turned out for you in the end which was good. The beauty is when you are young you can easily bounce back from any set backs. Good memories for you Ritchie no doubt.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Where did you meet your wives mate. I met mine at the CBC bank later NAB where my older brother worked as assist mgr, she worked in his dept. I had arranged to have lunch with him but he had to cancel last minute so he suggested I take my future wife instead. It was a long three hour lunch. Our first date of many.