In my last post some commenters were interested in that the friends I had back in the 60's in PNG had managed to find one another 40+ years later in Australia. Here is the story of how some of us got back together.
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| Scooter Club outing 1964-Sogeri Markets |
Some of us belonged to the Judo Club and the Scooter Club in Port Moresby, PNG in the 60's. We all came back to live in Australia at different times. Charles and his wife Penny stayed in PNG the longest. In 1980, Del and her husband revisited PNG. She made phone contact with Charles and left her address. Del had also kept in contact with Graham, Ray and Martin. When Charles returned to Australia he managed to find Del again even though her husband had died and she had moved towns. Charles decided to have a reunion at his house in Modanville in Northern NSW. Others had to travel quite some distance to get there.
Charles also writes an article in every bi-monthly publication of a local magazine, 'The Dunoon and District Gazette.' He wrote about his special reunion after 41 years. In his article he mentioned how none of them knew the whereabouts of some other members of our group of friends including me. He mentioned our names but our names before we were married.
It just so happened that, Bill Bergen, a guy I went to ASOPA (teacher's college) with, was visiting a relative in Lismore and he read the local magazine. He contacted the magazine publishers who in turn contacted Charles and told him that a reader knew me (we had a college reunion the previous year). Bill couldn't remember my married name. However, when he returned home to Bathurst he managed to find out my name and rang Charles with the information.
Charles punched my name into Google search and hey presto my blog came up. After hunting around my blog for clues to make sure I was the right person he found stories and information that gave him no doubt that he had found me and my email address. So from an article in a magazine, to a chance reader and the magic of blogging I was found. I was invited to the next reunion and every year since. Charles wrote the sequel to his article in the 'Dunoon Gazette' See the two articles below. Charles writes,"we became like a big family to each other as we were all away from our homes in Australia and away from our families too."
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| First reunion in February, 2007 (before I was found) photo by Diana (Graham's wife) |
The second reunion in July 2007, but my first, was held at the Treasury Building Casino in Brisbane.
People had travelled a long way for this special lunch. Some stayed overnight in Brisbane.
The third reunion in 2008 was held in Tweed Heads on the border of QLD and NSW. We stayed in cabins close to the Tweed River.
Our friendship picked up where it left off 43 years ago. New friendships were made when we met each other's spouses, Penny, Diana and Bill.
Graham took charge of the BBQ like he did 43 years ago. The BBQ was a bit more upmarket though.
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| Graham 1964 in PNG |
"Our family" on a scooter club outing in 1964. I had a broken finger, which had been slammed in a door blown shut by a viscous wind. I grabbed a snooze on a picnic table away from creepy crawlies in the grass, while the others prepared lunch.
Later reunions have already been posted on my blog here
our world today is indeed a small world.
ReplyDeletethe internet is a wonderful thing!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! There is nothing more important than the people who shared part of our life, or all of it for that matter.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to get in touch with old friends again. Loved this post Diane. It was great seeing the then and now photos.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read your posts about PNG Diane there seem to be a lot of similarities to growing up in Africa. Certainly not city life that's for sure, much more relaxed. It's wonderful that you have managed to keep up the friendships, wonder if you will ever find Elwyn? My sister in law went out with a guy in a band when she was 17, he left to go back to Ireland and she came out to Australia, divorced many years later she found him somehow on the nett and now they are happily married .. amazing!
ReplyDeleteGreat how you put the names of people on their T-shirt.
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
Filip
What an amazing story. I have just had 3 people from school days in Rhodesia get in touch with me. One lives in the UK with a holiday home in France, one lives in France and the other lives in Portugal. Sadly everyone almost has left Rhodesia (oops Zimbabwe). Have a good day Diane
ReplyDeleteDiane, nice story! I am so glad that you have been having these reunions! What a lot of fun, you must have all gotten along perfectly then and now.. Great post and photos. Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteI like that Treasury building shot.
ReplyDeletelovely story and so interesting. sometimes the internet is a good thing. lovely photos too
ReplyDeletea good friend went to PNG, but she hasn't got a scooter.
ReplyDeletewhen I first saw the Treasury building, and hordes of people going on a Sunday, I thought it was a departmental store having a big sale. Until I asked. LOL
ReplyDeleteThat is so great to meet again.
ReplyDeleteThe bush telegraph is working or was working well to find everyone.
Good times you are still having with your friends from PNG. Good on you Diane.
What a marvelous story! It more than makes up for some of the unpleasant things we might hear about social media. I'm glad all of you were able to reconnect again.
ReplyDeleteYour post is so interesting . I like it.
ReplyDeleteSee how great it is to blog ! How nice that you found each other after so many years ! The daughter of Mr. G.'s cousin found me on Facebook where I have my married name. They had lost all contact and spoke together after 40 years ! We don't have the problem with changing names, in Belgium you keep your maiden name from birth on until the end ! Which I think is logical, imagine you divorce 10 times. In most of the other European countries it's the same.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing to find old friends by internet, how have we ever lived without....
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing. My internet miracle is when I first got to know Dianne in South Africa. I told her my son was in SA for two years on a church mission. She asked what his name was and I told her. Next day there was an email from her with a picture of a guest book of her mothers that had his name on it when they went to eat dinner at their house one night in October during 1990 and 1992. Incredible!
ReplyDeleteI agree the Internet can be a wonderful thing. I'm certain there are so many connections being made every day that otherwise would never have happened.
ReplyDeleteAnother really interesting article.
ReplyDeleteGreat Work Diane. You are a genius. We did have so much fun in the early days of PNG and later, here in Australia.
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you have been able to have so many great reunions the world seems so small now days thanks to social media and blogging
ReplyDeleteHow lucky to have formed such friendships and then to be able to find people and continue this friendship 40 years later.
ReplyDeleteThat's so nice Diane. I do love the two photos of Graham tending the barbeque - years apart :D)
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued, who are you? Unknown? send me an email, find it on my profile.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun story this is.
ReplyDeleteA great bunch of people!
ReplyDeleteHow great to not only have reconnected with friends from the past, Diane, but also now to have a new group with their spouses included. I agree that the internet serves as a great tool to "find" people and so glad having a blog also was a help. Thanks for the uodates and photos, past and present.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, what an amazing story. I'm just stopping by to say how delightful your blog is. Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
ReplyDeletehttp://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.ca/
That's a great story. Blogging and the internet are a wonderful way of keeping in touch over the years : calling it the "web" was an inspired choice.
ReplyDeleteYour blogging helped them, it is a small world today with the net....love the way you labeled all the pics
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful that after all these years your group has reunited. The internet can work wonders.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to be able to find old mates from the past this way! I'm sure you had a nice time reminiscing and catching up. Your photos from that time must bring back so many good memories for everyone from the past, Diane.
ReplyDeleteSo amazing that our modern technology has made it possible for you to reconnect. What a wonderful time you must have at your reunions to renew friendships and relive memories!
ReplyDelete