My Story Continued:
At the end 1982, I was happy that we had got through the year okay. I got used to teaching again and juggling the family chores as well as coping with Bill having a heart attack. It was time to visit Bill's parents and have a holiday in Switzerland. It was tricky packing for the family as we were in summer clothes but we would arrive in Switzerland in winter. So layers it was. Summer clothes on, with winter jumpers and jackets in our cabin luggage.
Needless to say the kids were excited and we were too.
We stopped in Singapore to change planes. We wandered around the airport shops for a few hours before our next flight to Frankfurt.
We stayed with Bill's parents in Durrenast a suburb of Thun on the lake of Thun. It is a lovely town at the other end of the lake to Interlaken. It was cold.
A friend of Bill's parents lent us skis and took us up in the mountains. See them in the background of Thun Railway Station. We caught a train to Aschi.
Making snowballs in Aschi.
Bill remembering his childhood but he doesn't like skiing, much to my amazement.
The girls didn't have skis so I gave them a ride on mine.
It wasn't long before I lost one off the back.
During the time we were there, Bill was interviewed about living in Australia. The photographer took this photo.
Bill and the girls in the main town square in front of the Thun Castle built in the 12th Century. Bill had bought a new movie camera so I didn't take many photos but later I realised it is best to take both movies and stills.
After spending Christmas and New Year with Bill's parents, visiting friends and going sight seeing it was time to return home to work. We stopped in Sydney on the way back to Brisbane so that we could visit my mother and dying father. It was a sad time.
My dad was in palliative care in hospital. It was the last time we saw him. He died three months later.
We took the girls to see the city, the bridge and the opera house. They are standing on the forecourt of the opera house. Little did we know that one day Sonya would work at the opera house as a production manager.
Lovely Diane. A great adventure way back them to fly to Bill's parents and go skiing.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to read your life story. We have lots of family photo's too as my husband has always made photo's. I like to watch them too so now and then.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great trip for your family, lots of fun memories. It was good you were all able to see your father before he passed. Take care, enjoy your day!
A great adventure for sure, and you and your daughters having no local language. Do they remember it well? It is fairly clear your Dad was very unwell. Videos and stills, but more importantly don't miss the experience because you are trying to capture it.
ReplyDeleteDiane, while it was sad to read that this would be the last time you and your family saw your father, it was still good you all did. Going from a warm weather climate to one with snow and cold was quite a change too. Interesting to read that Bill is not a fan of skiing.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what your daughters remember of this international adventure. It was a lovely time, but so sad to end with a last visit to your father.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great time
ReplyDeleteIt's always so much fun going on trips when the kids are young Diane, what a fun time you had in the snow ❄️ How lucky you were to see your dad a last time before he passed. So many wonderful memories 💜
ReplyDeleteI just imagine you and the girls for the first time in Switzerland ! What a diffeerence to Australia, I have a friend in Switzerland but she lives in Genf and is French speaking but also a bit Switzerduits ! It's another world. Snow for kids is wonderful but when I grew up and was a teenager I hated all winter sports !
ReplyDeleteThat must have been quite a trip for you after Bill's health scare and knowing how ill your father was at that time. A real adventure for the children and fortunate for you to have that last visit with your Dad
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