Sydney & The Knee Operation.

No, it isn't a mistake! At last, this is a brand new blog post!!

I like to stress to anyone who follows my blog, that it is first and foremost a Travel Blog with a personal flavour. That is why it has been so long since I have posted anything. But it is also a personal record of our travels, and as I did not want a big gap in the story, I decided to have a catch up post. What was to be a medical time out, turned into one gigantic catch up with friends all over Australia and New Zealand, and is a travel story in its own right!! 

On the way out.

Off to hospital we go.

2017, saw us take a break from our travels while John had his right knee replaced with a brand new one! Dr. Sam MacDessi, my amazing surgeon, had convinced me that there was no sense in putting off my surgery. The knee would only get worse, so we bit the bullet, and the surgery was booked in for 27th February 2017. In the 4 weeks prior to surgery, I had several doctor visits, as well as blood tests, scans & XRays and an ECG, all to prove I was ready for surgery! Thankfully, I passed with flying colours, though my blood seemed to froth as it came out, and my liver function must have been wrong!! 

Bear & Bluey!

Carol with Debbie.

We are indeed very fortunate to have a wonderful support group of friends. When we added living in a caravan to the knee surgery recovery process, it raised a few eyebrows with the surgical team! But once we had explained our caravan setup, and the fact that we would be based at our friends home at Menai, there were some pretty big sighs of relief! To say we can't thank Wayne & Debbie enough for making their home available to us, is total understatement. I have known Wayne (Bluey) from my first day of kindergarten, some 62 years, and Debbie almost from her first date with Wayne, so ours is a very long and unique friendship, which has grown to even greater heights the longer we have been here. Carolyn played tennis with Wayne and I, before we became an "Item", so it is an all round long friendship, that spans more than 40 years.

Preparing the site!

Big 49, A pretty nice caravan park!

From the minute we arrived, and Bluey had the extension ladder and chainsaw out pruning a large gum tree, to ensure our satellite dish would receive uninterrupted signal, we knew this would be a unique stay! The Big 49 Caravan Park is a winner! Situated at the end of a steep, private driveway, and right on the edge of pristine bushland, it is a surprisingly quiet and serene bush setting. The other two neighbours on the driveway, who have known us from several earlier visits, welcomed us warmly. It was as if we were new neighbours moving into the area!! I should also point out, that Wayne & Debbie have quite a big house, and at present, for a variety of reasons, have all three "Kids" at home. The fact that these three would feel comfortable being at home with mum and dad, only serves to further explain the easy going and accommodating attitude of Wayne & Debbie. For Carolyn & I, it has been lovely getting reacquainted with Ben, Kelly and Mel. We have spent some quality time together, some great meals, and too many glasses of wine!!

The wedding party.

With Caitlin & Daniel.

The timing of our return to Sydney, coincided with a big family event in the Anderson family. The first wedding of one of Mum & Dad's grandchildren was about to happen. Daniel, the first born son of my youngest brother Ian and wife Lynette, was marrying Caitlin. It was a beautiful wedding held on the outskirts of Sydney in a grand old church at Menangle, followed by a reception at Escholl Park. The weather was fine but very hot and the whole day went off without a hitch,

Ian & Lynette with mum.

Big sister Jenny turns 70.

although I did feel for those poor guys dressed in full morning suits! I know that Ian & Lynette were very proud parents, and we wish Daniel & Caitlin every happiness and success in the life that awaits them. The very next day was another pretty big day as well, as my sister Jenny had a big milestone birthday, turning 70. We had a quiet celebration for this one! Not too much publisizing!!!

Daphne & Alan in Auckland.

Morning tea in Auckland.

In those weeks prior to surgery, we did also manage a flying visit to Auckland, NZ. We hadn't visited Daphne & Alan since the early 1990's!! Though thankfully, Daphne has been to OZ a few times, and we have been able to catch up. Daphne and Carolyn worked together "way back", and have remained friends through modern technology. Daphne has boundless energy and does a wonderful job of keeping in touch, regaling us with colourful emails and stories of her life and family. It was so wonderful to stay with them and enjoy some long overdue catching up. Alan, like John, is a golf tragic, so there was no shortage of conversation!! Not only did we catch up with Daphne and Alan but also their son Chris, and great friends Barb and Tony, who we have also met on past occasions. We strolled around parts of Auckland, especially the beautiful Cambridge Park, and even managed to fit in a game of golf at their club, Waitemata Golf Club on Auckland's North Shore. All too soon, our visit was at an end, and 3 hours later, we were back home!!

It all happened so fast!

Yuk!

My surgery day came all too quickly. It was the weirdest feeling, walking into St George Private Hospital with Carolyn, feeling fantastic! A few forms to sign, a kiss goodbye, a promise by the nurse to look after me, and I was through the doors, gowned and prepped!! I did throw a spanner in the works when my temperature showed up elevated past the safe surgery level!! There was chaos as first the anaethasist, Marty, and then Dr Sam were consulted. Marty was a scream! "John, what the hell is going on!! Maybe the machine was wrong Marty? Good idea John. Nurse, get another gauge, in fact get two. You don't feel hot big fella! Not my type Marty! Very funny John. OK we've got two normal and one high. Find one more normal gauge, and three's a go!! OK we're a go!!" So, off I went. The last thing I remember was Marty telling me how the epidural worked!!

Auckland City.

With Daphne & Alan.

I woke up in recovery, bright as a button. I knew my leg was bandaged from toe to groin, but I felt no pain or wooziness. The nurse asked me if I'd like a sandwich and a cup of tea. I was starving, so happily agreed, and then I was on my way up to my room. Carolyn arrived in my room to see me sitting up waiting for dinner. Dr Sam had already called her to put her mind at rest, and advise that all went well. As soon as dinner was done, my physio arrived and told me it was time for my first walk!! So out of bed I got, less than 3 hours after surgery, and with the aid of a high arm walker, did a lap of the floor!! Marty called in to tell me that everything had gone extremely well, and to explain how the intravenous antibiotic and pain killers would work, and how I would transition from intravenous to oral pain management on day 2. 

So many friends to catch up with.

Lunch after the Seniors Concert.

Pain Management was a key part of the teams program to ensure a smooth and quick recovery. Both Marty and Dr Sam stressed that if you feel pain, your brain is inclined to tell your body not to do it again. So pain management was critical and for me it worked a treat. They had warned me to expect pain as the intravenous pain killer wore off, and boy did it come!! But I called the nurse for my painkillers and it was quickly overcome. I never felt any real pain again. Sure there was swelling and stiffness, but I iced the knee constantly and did all the exercises and walking I could. All of the staff were fantastic. I was in a private room looking out over Botany Bay, extremely happy with how things were going. I had progressed from walking frame, to two crutches to one crutch. On day 4, I was ready to transfer out of St George Private Hospital, to Kareena Private Hospital at Caringbah.

Family get togethers.

Mum at 93 with Great Grandson Marcus.

Because I would be living in the close quarters of a caravan, the team had suggested that I do my first week of rehab, as an inpatient at Kareena Private Hospital. I couldn't believe how quickly I became mobile. I did two sessions a day at the gym, and walked around the hallways regularly. It was really like staying at a resort! The food was great, there was a very nice coffee shop for patients and visitors, and the staff and facilities were outstanding. When I arrived, I went into a room with a very elderly gent recovering from a fall, but also suffering from quite bad dementia. It was an interesting first night, mostly sleepless, as he had all the lights on and was in the shower at 2.30am, getting ready to go home!! When I found out that this was all in his mind, and explained what had happened during the night, I was hastily relocated to a private room!! After a week, I was sent home, walking pretty much unaided, except for needing a walking stick for support up and down stairs, and to beat off those people walking straight at you,with their heads down, staring at their bloody phones!!

At the Tramsheds with Robyn.

With Mark, Geoff & Robyn.

So home I came to the caravan, 10 days after the operation. Prior to the operation, I thought I had researched everything pretty well. However, I had glossed over the tiny paragraph that mentioned that a possible minor side effect of pain killing medication could be constipation. Bloody hell!! That should be in bold type!! Minor side effect!! I'm not sure the back door will ever shut properly again!!! The pharmacist was running through the countless options for relief, but I stopped him and suggested something on the scale of Semtex was required!!! Talk about a great incentive to give up taking pain killers!!! Still, I survived, but only just!!

Out with Wayne, Deb & Kelly.

Great mates.

Once home, I enrolled in an Outpatient Rehab program at President Private Hospital, recommended by Dr Sam. This was a huge help. I did two to three sessions a week, each visit for three hours. There was an hour in the gym, an hour exercising in the hydrotherapy pool, and an hour of Occupational Therapy, only recently introduced to the program, and from my experience, hopefully soon to be unintroduced!! Aging patients don't go back to school well!! I think the entire OT program was best summed up by old George. We were having our walking style videoed on our mobile phones, by the 20 something teacher. When she told George it was his turn, the reply was priceless! "Love, I'm 85 years old. I've had two knee replacements and one hip replaced. With due respect, I don't give a shit what my walk looks like. I'm just excited to get there!!" I led the applause!! The remainder of the program was fantastic. All the physio girls were thorough and pushed you as hard as you were prepared to go. It was a huge step forward in my rehab, and after week six, I was sorry to see it end. 

Lunch with Karen & Rafael.

Dinner with Sue & Al, Wayne & Deb.

By now, I was pretty much back to normal activities, and much to Carolyn's relief, back to driving. She had been my personal Uber Driver long enough!! My dear old mum celebrated her 93rd birthday. We all gathered at the cafe at her Aged Care home, and had a lovely afternoon tea. As her dementia worsens, she has become increasingly dependent on the familiar surroundings of her newish home at Ferndale Gardens, so it is so much better for her that we celebrate family events there. The cafe is excellent, and the lady who runs it is so nice, and does an excellent job of catering. We have now availed ourselves of the facility for two birthday gatherings as well as Mother's Day, all going off without a hitch.

Lunch with Bev & Fred.

Easter with the de Closey Family.

Easter came and went. We headed down to Bev & Fred's for a couple of days to catch up with all the family. They will become first time grandparents in September,which is very exciting for them. Both the girls, Katrina (mum to be) and Leia were their, with there fellas, Malek & Dan, and we had a huge couple of days enjoying traditional de Closey hospitality! Way too much food and drink as usual, finishing with a long Sunday lunch, down at Shellharbour Village at Relish Restaurant, which was its usual high standard. On the Easter Monday, we were back at Ferndale Gardens for the second of the family birthday get togethers, this time celebrating my brother in law David, plus Carolyn and me. All through April and May, we seemed to be on a never ending program of catching up with friends over lunch or dinner. Sorry if I don't mention every lunch and person in detail. I hope we caught up with everyone at least once!! It is great being back around to see all our Sydney based friends.

Birthday number 66.

Off to the footy with Kelly, Mel & Wayne.

April 22nd, we celebrated my birthday with the Ayerso's. Carolyn and Debbie did all the catering work, and we enjoyed a fantastic evening of food and wine with the whole family. We backed up a week later and did it all again, this time celebrating Carolyn's birthday. These are fantastic nights full of fun and laughter, and the hours just fly by. In that same week, we managed to fit in the Stage Show Kinky Boots, which was a dazzling show, as well as the traditional Anzac Day Footy match between our St George Dragons and the Sydney Roosters. This was my first big outing after surgery! Wayne, Mel, Kelly and I, all headed off,

Out to Kinky Boots.

Carol's birthday with Ben, Mel
Wayne & Deb.

dressed in our finest Dragon's gear, and met up with Graham and the rest of his clan, for this annual pilgrimage. A train trip into Central, then the slow walk up Foveaux Street, stopping to quench our thirst several times along the way, at the pubs that are overflowing with fans. The game was near to a sellout, and following the moving Anzac Day tribute, it was on in earnest culminating in a heartbreaking extra time loss by one point!! So we headed back down the road, this time drowning our sorrows along the way. We eventually made it home, to be told by Mel we had walked over 9 kilometres since leaving home. My knee is definitely on the mend!!

Dinner at Pendolino.

Incredible Ravioli!

Last weekend in April, I took my darling wife, driver, nurse and all round best friend, into the city for the weekend, to celebrate her birthday, our 34th wedding anniversary and as a thank you for all her special care. We spoiled ourselves at the Swissotel Hotel in the heart of the city. We drank champagne, enjoyed a wonderful meal at The Restaurant Pendolino, did a little shopping, and took the ferry to Manly on a sparkling Sydney Sunday. We love to ride the Manly Ferry, and walk along The Corso to Manly, to stop at the Sunday Markets, then wander back to the ferry wharf, and stop in at the Manly Pier Hotel to gaze at the harbour activities over a cold glass of wine. Sydney at its finest!! Our long weekend ended on the Monday, with a surprise High Tea at the Queen Victoria Tea Rooms, where surprise guests Nancy & Keith joined us to celebrate Carol's birthday and our Anniversary. It was a truly memorable weekend. A week later we caught up with Cheryl & Chris for one final celebration of Carolyn's birthday. That girl sure knows how to celebrate!!

Out to see The Bodyguard.

High Tea with Nancy & Keith.

We moved into May, and I had my two monthly check up with Dr Sam. He was extremely happy with my progress, putting me in the top 5% for this stage. He told me to keep the joint moving and gave me the OK to slowly get back into my golf, which was great news. We continued our round of catch ups, and did our bi annual Eye checkups. This time, we eventually got the all clear, but not before John had to get some minor laser work done to fix a partial tear in his retina!! With eyes in perfect working order, we headed back to the theatre. With Debbie, Wayne and Mel, we finished off a busy Mother's Day by heading into the Lyric Theatre to see The Bodyguard. It was excellent, even though we were disappointed that the star of the show, Paulini, was having a night off. The understudy was very good.

The Titanic Exhibition.

Visiting the Titanic.

We met up with Robyn for a visit to Fox Studios to see the Titanic Exhibition. It was very good. Your entry ticket is a boarding pass of one of the actual passengers, and you get to check the manifest at the end of the tour, to see if you survived!! I don't know why, but I sensed a feeling of great relief when I found out that Carolyn and I both survived!! Alas, poor Robyn was not so lucky!! It was a good exhibition, and gave a great insight into the tragic event. I heard someone say that there was wasn't much stuff from the Titanic on display!! Scary how some people think! It did sink 5 miles down into the freezing Atlantic Ocean!! Later that week, I ventured out for my first game of golf, which was very rusty!! But it was great catching up with my old mid week crew. No one set the course alight! Maybe next time?

Lynne & Paul's new house.

Beautiful Tamar Valley.

Next up for us, was a flying visit to Launceston, to visit our friends Lynne & Paul, who moved down there last year. We are still getting over the shock of their decision to move to Tasmania, but managed to pick up a cheap Jetstar fare to pay them a visit. We went down for 5 days, and had a lovely stay. Their home is lovely. A restored Federation style place, very close to the centre of Launceston. Everything is so handy. Lynne has quickly turned the

Cosy dinner with Lynne & Paul.

With Lynne, Harley & Kenzo.

house into a home. The dogs, Harley and Kenzo, have settled in, and Paul has quickly settled into all the things he loves to do around cars, bikes and boats! Kenzo was delighted to see Carolyn. They have a bond those two!! We did the sights of Launceston, including a tour of the famous Automobile Museum, where Paul volunteers one day a week. We drove out to see the famous murals of Sheffield, but the rain was just too heavy to enjoy the day, so we were driven inside for soup and toast by the fire. The weather was much kinder the next day, when we drove up along the Tamar to Beauty Point, enjoying a delightful lunch at a cafe across from the river.

Our next big adventure.

We have had so much time to ponder life after surgery. Where to next?? Well, we decided, that as this year was already out of the normal, we would do something out of the normal! When we do finally leave The Big 49 Caravan Park, we are just heading up the coast for a few weeks, before turning around and coming back, as we will fly out of Sydney 21st August and head to northern Europe to do a cruise of the Norwegian Fjords and Baltic. This has been on our wish list for some time, and we decided this was the right time to do it. With Kelly Ayers being a travel agent, it couldn't have been easier. She works for herself as a franchised agent under the MTA Travel banner. So, a quick plug for Kelly. If you have any travel needs and don't have a travel agent or aren't happy with who you last used, get in touch with Kelly. Contact us for her details.

The MCA.

The Opera House.

Vivid Sydney is an event we have always missed due to our desire to avoid the cold of Sydney's winter. So this year we decided not to miss the opportunity. On a cool Tuesday evening, Wayne, Debbie, Carolyn and I took the train into Circular Quay to take a look at some of the best sites. You can't miss the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the buildings around the Rocks, and we had heard the Botanical Gardens were also very good. The intel was good, and we joined the throng

Enjoying the sights.

The Botanical Gardens.

as we wandered from Circular Quay to the Opera House, and up through the Botanical Gardens to the Conservatorium of Music. It was fascinating to see the vast array of lights and colours. From there, we wandered down to the Rocks, where the Museum of Contemporary Art was the focal point. Watching the lights create patterns all over the facade of the MCA was just amazing! By this time we were getting pretty thirsty and a bit hungry, so we found a cosy spot under the outdoor heaters, at one of the pubs in the Rocks, and enjoyed a couple of drinks and a good feed!! From there it was back on the train and off home after a great night, finally seeing Vivid Sydney.

Birthday girl Moira.

Moira & Carolyn.

Our time in Sydney was coming to a close, but there were still a couple of major events to attend. Our new and dear friend Moira, was turning 60! The major obstacles were the fact that the party was in Perth, and that the notice was quite short!! Good old Frequent Flyer points came to the rescue, and we were amazed that flights were available!! So we booked, and with Moira and Geoff taking care of the accommodation at their beautiful home in the lovely riverside suburb of Shelley, we headed off for a fantastic long weekend. We did not stop from the time they met us at the airport. Friday night was dinner with Graeme and Diane at their home, with daughter Bec. Saturday morning we were out to breakfast, then the afternoon was party preparations. The party was at the nearby Bowling Club, with Diane doing the catering, and the club serving the drinks. There was quite a crowd, and we had a wonderful night, getting to know Moira's family & friends. We had heard so much about their family, and now we found first hand what a lovely group of people they are. It was a special night.

With Moira & Geoff & Family.

At Core Cider House.

Sunday was a family day. We headed up into the Perth Hills, to meet up with Moira & Geoff's kids and grand kids at the fantastic Core Cider House. What a place!! They had booked a long table on the high terrace, looking out over the apple orchards. It was a beautiful day, the food was great, the cider was good, and the company was exceptional. It was a wonderful day. Next day, without Geoff who had succumbed to the flu, we headed out to the Swan Valley to the little town of Guildford. Diane and Graeme were with us too. The old pub was destroyed by fire, and has been incredibly rebuilt, incorporating many of the fire damaged sections of the old pub.

Diane, Moira & Carolyn.

At Mandoon Winery Swan Valley.

From there it was on to Mandoon Winery, another Swan Valley icon. What a setting on a sunny Public Holiday!! People were scattered around the lawns on picnic rugs, there was great music, and any number of food & drink options. This is a lovely spot and well worth a visit on any trip to Perth. That night, we headed across the street to have drinks, that turned into dinner, with Moira's neighbours, Yvonne and Laurie. Laurie is an ex SAS Soldier, made a paraplegic in 

Wine tasting at Mandoon Winery.

Graeme & Diane at Guilford

an accident 20 years ago whilst destroying old WW11 ammunition. What an incredible couple, who have overcome so much. It was an extraordinary evening with amazing people. Tuesday it was all over, but not before we had one last breakfast, this time with Geoff's mum Beth. We had spent a little time with Beth at the party, and now it was lovely to get to know here a little better. What a lovely lady, living life with an attitude way below her 86 years. Moira dropped us at the airport, and we crashed all the way home!! What an amazing long weekend it had been.

With Kerry & Gary.

Ready Steady Go....

We flew into Sydney and winter. We had left warm, sunny Perth, and the mid 20's, and arrived to torrential rain, cold winds and mid teens!! Take us north!!! Friday night we celebrated Debbie's birthday. During all our travels, Mel & Kelly had also celebrated birthdays. We finished the night with a final round of Trivial Pursuit. This time the girls won, but not before I unsuccessfully protested and insisted we get new question cards!! These 40 year old cards have countries as answers that don't even exist any more!!!! The Queen's Birthday weekend would be the end of our stay in Sydney. It seemed so ironic that Wayne & Debbie would be heading off on holidays before we left!! We had talked about their holiday ever since we arrived, never thinking for a minute we would still be here! Saturday afternoon we said our goodbyes, and headed into the inner city for Saturday night, where we were celebrating Gary Johnson's 60th birthday.

Relaxed birthday boy.

Incredible cake.

The venue was the Harold Park Hotel, so we had booked into the nearby Best Western Hotel, along with many old friends we hadn't seen in a while, who were also part of the celebrations. It was a great night, with lots of frivolity and good food, and Gary's perfectly matched music!! We caught up with a lot of people we hadn't seen since moving from Illawong 20 plus years ago. It was just another great night. Next morning, the crew who had stayed the night at the Best Western, all met back at Gary & Kerry's apartment for brunch. It was the perfect end to the party.

Ready to leave.

Never know we'd been here!!!

We headed back to Menai, to find the place empty. True to form Wayne & Debbie had left with Cheryl and Guido, heading for South Australia and the Flinders Ranges. Monday, we met up with brother Ian and wife Lynette for lunch, which was very nice. We were home in time to wash the caravan and car, and get the caravan ready for departure. That night, we farewelled Mel, Ben and Kelly, as they would all be off to work early, and finalised our plans for departure. It has been so long

Hardly know I'd had
an operation!

since we have packed up and hitched up, we might have to get the manual out!! The neighbours even came by to say farewell, as they saw us packing up! In the morning, all went smoothly and the caravan followed us up the hill, just like in the old days!! After almost 4 months, our Sydney stay is over. We have had an incredible catch up with family & friends. Oh, and as far as the knee goes, it is all progressing incredibly well. I have no pain at all, just a little stiffness remains in the joint, but this will disappear over the weeks ahead. My leg is now very straight, and I couldn't be happier!! So now we are back on the road again, and first stop will be the farm at Gloucester. And of course, one final round of thanks to Wayne & Debbie for making our stay possible, and so enjoyable. Be back soon!!!