I'm still recovering from the intense emotional experience of Anzac day and the journey to and from it.

I want to share this journey and encompass some issues which may be of interest or help to others.

I departed Melbourne suburbs on Thursday morning, arriving at a friends farm around 9.30am. We travelled together through Gippsland toward a Sth NSW coastal town. My friend had spent 10 yrs in charge of a defense intelligence establishment, and has seen information at the highest level, during the most difficult of times. I didn't ask about it, and he never shared about it other than what I mentioned above.

He has come through a difficult and messy divorce. But as we drove, he mentioned a time in his life when, due to his mums mental illness and his Dads distance, he and his siblings were placed overnight in a government orphanage. This was many years ago, and he related how he'd returned to this place more recently to connect with his past. He suffered no sexual abuse, nor did his siblings, but they did suffer.
Strict discipline, rigid regimentation, but most of all, lack of love.

He broke down while driving, and cried profusely as he related this, and for the first time, I found myself with one who has personally endured such things.

We arrived at our destination after about 7 hours of driving.
A guesthouse/retreat of a major religious denomination, now managed by another friend, who also had responsibilities not only for the highest levels of defense intelligence, but included satelite deployment and the defense related aspects of these.

9 of us, some with wives gathered to recall experiences of 1965 during our training, up to now.
(.. continued)

Continued)

We all shared a light dinner, and at this gathering, some more colorful members expressed smiling sympathy for my travelling companion, at having to endure 7 hours of "Bible Bashing" from me during the trip.

Of course, it was all in light hearted jest, and when you've known people for 40 yrs, the over-riding emotion is love and genuine affection no matter what one's individual beliefs might be.

After a night of banter, and general ragging of each other about past exploits, and catching up, we all hit the sack.

Reveille was at 0500 then off to the dawn service.
Unfortunately, I missed the service, no one woke me up, and those outside all thought someone else had taken me.
But they reported back, how we were reminded of our 'Christian' heritage, by those running the service.

The March was at 1100hrs, so we gathered at a location for this. They in their suits and medals, some displaying their parents medals as well, me in more casual clothes. (I don't have a suit)
Then, the march.
What a wonderful experience. Aussies from all levels of life, came out, cheered, clapped, and we marched to the time of a school band.
All generations were represented, and I'm sure most of the young ones didn't have much clue about it other than "It's Anzac day"

The memorial service was intensely emotional. I learned one new thing.
The protocol for wreath laying where people put their hands over their 'hearts' in not that, the idea is to put your hand over the medals, and hide them, in humility, emphasizing that this service is not about we who survived, but about they who died for us.

(...continued)

For the rest of friday, we caught up with each other on a more 1-on-1 basis, sharing our struggles. Some of costly divorces, splitting of assets, others of the high's and low's of life and marraige and of career directions. One is very high in Qantas... many of your lives depend on his decisions re Air Worthyness, if you fly Qantas.

A funny incident happened to me during the night. I arose to goto the loo, and I sleep in Jocks and T-shirt, no jarmies. I staggered to the door of my room not thinking much about anything, and to my surprise one of the wives also had 'the call' at the same time. We almost bumped into each other as I exited the room. She then took my arm and escorted me down the hall with a smirk "We must stop meeting like this" :) and we went to our separate ablutions.

DINNER and BREKKY
At Saturday dinner, they all mourned my poor mates 2nd experience of 7 hrs of "Bible Bashing".. and on Sunday morning we left. Many a great convo was had at Breakfast, particularly with one wife who was a former US Marine, on the issue of mixed gender military operations.
I just can't imagine a bathroom with male urinals such that females can waltz past and have a shower..Not that it would bother me as long as no 'stares'.

THE RETURN.
I found this very informative. My mate related how he has found 'something' which works for him.(To reduce stress and bring about a tranquil state of mind)

"KNOWLEDGE"
He attended a 'knowledge' seminar which had 'no catch'. It focuses on exploring the self, what makes us tick, and gradually leads the participants to a physical act of placing the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth, and keeping it there. At the end, no book, no 'sign up' no nothing, just 'have a nice life'. This was not religious at all.
He asked me a lot about the background of the Bible, and I was happy to share.

Dear David,

What a superb and meaningful journey you've had.

Good for the mind and soul.

You described it so vividly for us and allowed us to share this

experience with you.

I enjoyed reading about it very much.

Thank You - it's a great start to the week.

I do not agree with you on this one, Foxy.

This is an opinion forum - not a Dear Diary. If DB is burning to share with others the knowledge of what he wears to bed, and how influential his friends are I suggest he gets a blog of his own.

I don't find it particularly hilarious that he got up to go to the loo at the same time as someone else. I am not particularly interested that he took a seven hour trip from somewhere to somewhere else. But I do note that this is not the first time he he has told us all how wonderful it was that people clapped and cheered him...and draw my own conclusions for his need to repeat this information.

His thread and he can post what he likes. But I do not see how an almost 1,000 word essay on How I Spent My Holiday has any relevance to an opinion forum. Or am I alone in this particular opinion?

Quite so Romany. I wasn't going to bother with this or the "They Clapped and Cheered" thread, precisely because they both seem primarily to be about Boazy's narcissistic need to be noticed.

However, I think you're correct - there's little more to this or the other thread than another "Look at me, look at me" from Boazy. Interesting that he's posting this twaddle instead of responding to more difficult comments on other threads.