1968 School Magazine

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This is the story of 2 buses, a Grammar girl and a pair of blue-suede shoes-not forgetting the lemaining 67 snow-seekers who left the golden sunshine of Brisbane to veniure to the cold south- ern regions of our continent. I am, as my intelligent readers have undoubt- edly guessed by now, the blue suede shoes, the grammar girl is anonymous and the buses ( pardon me-coaches ) are Continental. And the 67 other girls? \Well, they are an assorted bunch. The story began on a rather misty Monday morning, the 19th to be exact, with a sorrowful? adieu to all the people (and shoes ) who were unfortunate enough to be staying behind. Sixty eight excited pairs of shoes and 68 Grammar gids scrambled eagerly onto the already-late coaches and at last we were off. Being on Bus 1 we all knerv that our driver Johnny ( alias Uncle Scrooge ) would transport us safely-to our destination namely the Snowy Mountains. Though on Bus 2 the situation seemed to be slightly different as everyone could be heard chanting something like "Cyril's driving we're not safe, we'fe not safe", However this proved to be quite fictitious as both buses atrived safely but not altogether soundly at all our destinations, including (to the regret of everyone) back to Brisbane. Our first stop-over was the Travelodge at Armidale with all the comforts of home - tele- vision, radio and heating in every room if only the rooms had been sound-proofed as vrell! Armi dale will always be remembered (and I suppose a certain couple won't readily forget us either)- surely the buses could have found another park-

ing_ place on that deserted look-out. Did they really have to park on either side of that car! The follovring day travelling along the New England Highway we found the country varied and interesting-we passed through towni such as Tamworth, Scone and Musselbrook. Although I must admit I didn't get much of a look out of the window - shoes don't you know. Tuesday, 20th is a day which I am sure all the girls will cherish, yes cherish in their hearts forever - for that is the day that $/e hit "Homesdale" and I'm sure if anyone ever goes to Katoomba again they shall be irresistibly drawn to that delightful guest-house. Delightful did I say - well apart from the cold, the food, the beds, etc., etc., it was great. The day after, I, plus the anonymous Gram- mar girl and the 67 other snow-seekers set out for the Jenolan Caves and actually saw some snow. At first only on the distant mountain-slopes, then scattered on the ground quite close to the road.,' Some of it was in fairly deep drifts. I didn't count the steps of the Lucas Caves (the largest of the Jenolan Caves ) but by the time we stepped into the open air again my soles had worn down at least a * of. an inchl Most of the girls were struck by the beauty of the limestone formations, as indeed, I was., On the way back we all indulged in a snow-fight \Mhich was one of the highlights of the trip and en1'oyed bv all- all those, that is, who didn't get buried in the chilling cold of the wet snow. A short visit to the three Sisters, the look-out and Echo Point concluded our sight-seeing of Katoomba.

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