Welcome to Buderim

Friday, April 1

Transferred by the Woombye-Palmwoods group to the Buderim Club.  Did a bit of shopping at the R.M. Williams store where I purchased a shirt and Jonathan purchased a hat.  The owner was in the Woombye Club and had been among us for the past 3 days.  Had morning tea and then toured an old home which was very similar to our Acadian style homes.  Many of their Queenslander homes are raised from the ground so as to allow the air to circulate under the house due to the hot weather conditions (as is the case with the Acadian homes).  We next presented at lunch to the Buderim club, then each of us home to our host families for a quiet evening.  My hosts, Ray and Jeanne Mazoletti, prepared dinner for 5 and invited another Rotarian Ken and their good friend Ros.

Saturday, April 2

Following breakfast at home, we then headed for the Nambour Show, a huge home show.  The Buderim club had a booth selling sausages and drinks.  When we arrived, they put an apron on me and I thought it was a photo opportunity so I grabbed a spatula and pretended to cook while a few pictures were taken of me in action.  Much to my surprise, I was expected to work and did so for the next almost 2 hours in the booth and we kicked butt selling plenty of sausage and drinks.  The rest of the guys went off to see the booths.  I ended up with an apron and a Rotary cap for my efforts.  For me, it was really fun working with the other Rotarians.  We left around noon and then headed for Montville, a very quaint town that overlooks the valley and mountains (my previous host family lived here).  Gorgeous views.  Had lunch, shopped, afternoon tea, and then went home to get ready for a BBQ with the club.

BBQ was held at a Rotarian's home on an island where most homes are extremely nice (this one was on the market for $2.5 million).  Wonderful BBQ - the food is really great here.  Ray kept picking on me earlier in the day that I would have to sing to the club after dinner as Chris had told him I was the singer.  Well, when they called me up to sing, the only thing I could think of was to explain to them was that in some clubs in our district we sing the 4-way test to the tune of "When the Saints Come Marching In".  I quickly sang it and Ray let me off the hook for any further singing.  Incidentally, they have a sports team whose mascot is the Saints and they sing the same song when the team plays.  We left the party and continued the partying at my host's home with Quenton and his host family joining us.

Sunday, April 3

This was our planned rest day at Noosa, a beach resort community.  Beautiful beaches, lousy weather that day.  Spent most of it in the local Surf Club eating and, of course, drinking.  We did walk around some exclusive shops and got a chance to walk the beach.  Left early afternoon and had afternoon tea at a coffee shop in the next town.  Had a quiet dinner with my host family joined by Chris and Robert and his host family.  Did some packing as we were leaving the next morning.

-Harold