We’d booked the taxi for 7:45am to take us to the airport. He arrived ten minutes early and we had a very quick run arriving at the T2 domestic terminal at about 8:15am. We’d allowed plenty of time at the airport in case there were long queues but this wasn’t a problem either. So we had lots of time to sit and relax before taking off.
Adelaide airport was quite impressive. Apparently the terminal is only a few years old – it’s clean, modern, spacious and efficient. Dave had offered to pick us up from the airport. He arrived while we were at the baggage carousel and it took no time at all to get to his car because the cark park is right outside the terminal door.
Dave had dropped Judy at the markets in the city before he came to collect us. The markets are right next door to the Hilton Hotel where were booked for the night. Luckily our room was ready for us and so we could drop our bags in our room. The room was on the fifth floor on the corner of the building and so we had a good view of the city in several directions. I’d joined the Hilton Honors club last year and so this probably helped in getting a good room.
We soon went downstairs to meet Dave and Judy in the markets. It was certainly good to see them both. We’d seen Dave last year on one of his business trips to Sydney but we hadn’t seen Judy for about 25 years. We’d probably only seen her a couple of times since we left uni.
They drove us back to their house at Stirling in the Adelaide Hills. There is a freeway from the city to Stirling and so it only took about 20 minutes. The setting for their is beautiful – 2 acres of tall trees that were losing their leaves in preparation for winter. They have a lovely two storey house with large windows looking out onto their gardens and their tennis court.
After coffee and cake, they drove us to two nearby wineries in the Adelaide Hills area – Nepenthe and Harndorf Hill for cellar door wine tastings. At the first winery, we had a late lunch consisting of platters that the winery had prepared plus a bottle of their finest red.
Dave and Judy have two daughters (Kate and Emma) and one son (Michael). Kate now lives only a block away from them. Emma lives in Melbourne whereas Michael lives in another suburb of Adelaide. Michael is getting married in December and the reception is to be held at Dave and Judy’s house.
Kate and her husband (Mark) have two young children (Lucy and Jack). Soon after we got back to Dave and Judy’s house, Kate and family arrived together with two other families. There were about eight young kids altogether.
In the front yard, they have a small fire pit. The plan was for the kids to toast marsh mellows in the pit. The kids loved it. Dave introduced me to everyone as the best man at his wedding (many years ago).
Before it got dark, Dave and Judy took Suzy and me for a 50-minute walk around the streets of Stirling with the two youngest kids in a double pram.
Judy had bought salmon at the markets for dinner. She cooked a beautiful meal and Dave opened a couple of the best bottles of red from his cellar. We learned more about their family and travels. Over the years, they have holidayed all over the world including Europe, South America and the Himilayas.
Judy has never been a big drinker and so she drove us back to our hotel at about 10pm.
It had been a fabulous opportunity to see Dave and Judy and catch up with them after so much time – far too long. When we were at uni, Judy was a stunning blue-eyed blond and she is still a stunning blue-eyed blond. She seems to get a lot of exercise because she is in great shape.
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