Tri-Area at Albert Falls

What is a Tri-Area? Well, it’s when three Areas (in this case Natal North Coast, Natal South Coast & Drakensberg) get together on one weekend at one venue and hold their Area

Conferences together. The attendance this time was around 264 people, and what a vibe!

The newly organised club of Tourist 276 (Eugene & Dee Catherine, Fabrizio Altichiero, Wayne & Leza Stevenson and myself) left Port Alfred at around 7.00am on Friday morning. After a stop in East London to collect dress-up clothes for the Ladies, and a near-miss with some falling masonry, we were off! Some words of wisdom: the end-of-the-month weekend Friday is not one to choose for travelling via the old Transkei. We saw everything from a hearse with an Emergency Exit, gravel sections on the N2 and drivers eating mielies, to bridges being built in the middle of Mthatha (really far away from the nearest water mass).

Anyway, we finally got there (12.5 hours later) in the metropolis of Albert Falls, which is about 20km from Pietermaritzburg. After losing our way in the reserve, we found the party at the Yacht Club (yes, amazingly, a Yacht Club) and soon found our party groove. When the clock struck 3am we decided to call it night.

The next day saw me opening the Natal North Coast Conference, followed by my handing over the striped jacket and qwagga show ensemble to their Area Chairman. Let’s just say that the jacket doesn’t fit… At least he is wearing the tie. We then toured around to visit the other two meetings before ending the afternoon with Gin & Tonics on the verandah at the Yacht Club. It was off to dress-up at the house, before we made our way to the main hall for the evening. And guess what? We won the competition for Best Dressed!

After getting into more comfortable clothes, we headed back to the Yacht Club to finish what we could of the bar tokens, but at R 20.00 for a double Captain and Coke you take a while! Eventually we succeeded in getting to bed just after midnight.

The drive back was a little less stressed but we still did it in 9.5 hours, with a slight headache. I can recommend that if ever you have the time, attend a Tri-Area. There are currently two: this one I attended as illustrated above, or the one which is a combined Bushveld, Gauteng & Mpumalanga Areas. And how it works is that each Area of the three in the arrangement has a turn to host so each year the conference moves venue.

On the move - the Social Cross' story

So there I was, resting fairly comfortably under the front seat of a white Polo, chatting up an empty Hunter's Dry bottle and some loose peanuts when all of a sudden I am grabbed and carried into Marco & Maryke's house - this I gathered from all the excited chatter around me. Since my re-sanding and re-varnishing operation a few weeks ago, I was rather excited to see my old friend, the book, again and wasted no time showing off my new curves and face.

Before I knew it, we were off again to that place I know so well in Kenton: Jeremiah's - turns out that I was held by Guillym but was now given to Marco over a few drinks and pizza. Nice one, chaps, be great if a little of that whiskey made it my way! After much discussion and passing around the table, I was whisked off back to Marco & Maryke's house where the smell of coffee told me that there was more afoot than a simple after-dinner cuppa.

How right I was! Before he even realised that he was being hoodwinked, I was passed over to Ockie. Now you would think that I would be one of the more desired trophies (I mean, have you seen that Social Pot - serious pot-belly alert!) but being passed to him seemed to make Ockie a little angry.

After much laughter and discussion, negotiation and giggles we all put into the boot of Alan's car and driven to the Volo for a night-cap. Yes, you guessed it. Another plot was afoot, and after some Amarula (fake dom-pedros as the kitchen had closed by then) and a round of Locomotion round the pub, I was safely ensconced once more in the confines of the white Polo, back in the position of Guillym.

What a night to remember! I even got to chat to that sexy rock hiding in the boot of the car again. 

Signing out,

The Social Cross

That sexy rock, Rocksy

  

Somerset East Road Trip

It all started on a Wednesday... I drove through to Port Elizabeth and collected the Immediate Past President, Guy Crichton and his wife Zelda and son Andrew.

Some on-board liquid refreshments made the journey shorter and we arrived home in time to refresh ourselves before the rest of the Club arrived for a braai. The whole gang was there, including Kowie from Worcester - great catching up again. Rather an excessive amount of wine was consumed before we all said our good-nights.

Thursday morning I took the Crichtons on a tour via our Clubhouse in Kenton, the Big Pineapple and Bathurst, before arriving in Grahamstown at the Altichiero's house. We all went down to the Grahamstown Arts Festival for the rest of the day, finishing up at the Rat and Parrot for supper. Delicious pizzas!

Friday morning, after a late start, we attacked the stalls again on the Village Green before catching up with the Port Alfred Tablers and Ryno from Grahamstown 11 at the Beer Tent. Sjoe, it was a long afternoon! We then all packed the cars, grabbed Jacques and Daleen too, and headed off to Somerset East. Friday night was one of those fast, hard and short parties where most people went home reasonably early. Much fun was had by all :-)

Saturday morning us men had our Conference meeting whilst the Ladies enjoyed some relaxation and pottery classes nearby on a farm. We met up again after lunch before finding the Men's Club in Somerset East for rugby viewing and snooker. The evening was a dress-up theme of Cowboys, and again the mood was fantastic with everyone dancing and enjoying themselves tremendously.

Sunday saw us catching some breakfast together before I headed back to PE with the Crichtons and then on home. What a weekend, what a road-trip, what fun!

Jacques and Daleen - Mr & Mrs Wobberley

Alan trying out the saddle

Brunch on the Beach

With the most beautiful weather we have had in a long time over a weekend, it was decided that we needed to do something about it. Alan organised a Brunch on the Beach, and we all set off to Middle Beach opposite the Clubhouse for some R&R on the beach.

Scramble eggs, crispy bacon, tomato & onion stew, fresh strawberries, crispy apples, mini Scotch pancakes, Champagne, orange juice, mango juice, a few beers, and fresh rolls - what a spread.

We have found it!!!

Little did Alex/Kenton know that when we raided some trophies from the Grahamstown 11 clubhouse last week, that we would be making history in the Eastern Province Area.

A long-lost trophy, rarely seen by even the most veteran of Tablers, has finally come to light. The Wink-Preston Trophy has finally come to light after more than a decade of hiding in the shadows.

At last!

Grahamstown 11 Raid

On Wednesday, 8th May, we travelled up to Grahamstown - Fabrizio, Jacques, Ockie, Guillym and myself. Eugene Catherine from Port Alfred 177 joined us - thanks, Huge!

A great meeting followed, with some fellowship and much banter in the meeting. We ALL managed to pace ourselves, which is more than can be said of others... :-)

We managed to raid back some of our stuff that Grahamstown 11 had raided over a year ago, as well as getting our own back by raiding some of theirs at the same time. As always, it was great travelling in a group and seeing the guys again.

Catch-up

Ever get that feeling that you can't seem to catch-up? The more you think about it, the worse it seems to get, and the longer you put it off the harder it seems.

Guillym and I travelled through to Cradock 37's meeting recently, and not only was the drive up and back enjoyable but we also got to meet some great Tablers. We were kindly home-hosted by Jacques van Newenhuys.

We managed to find Harry Potter's grave (at 12.05am!!!) in the graveyard, which is something else one can tick off the bucket list. Great fun as always!

Photo to follow.