Forty years ago in a small country school in Yankalilla sat 5 friends on ‘their’ steps. Wearing the obligatory duffle coats and desert boots we were cruising through year 10 and did everything together. When the year drew to a close, we were all separated.
As the schooling standard at many area schools was way below par, if you wanted to go to University you had no choice but to finish year 11 and 12 at city schools. With so many schools in Adelaide we all ended up going to different ones and for a short while we tried to keep in touch but it did not last.
I kept in touch with Kerrie and even went back to Adelaide for my 50th birthday so I could see the pandas. Kerrie kept in touch with Pam and last year we managed to organise a girls weekend with the three of us and we had a ball!
Whilst sipping Ink gin, we got our detective caps on and with the help of a little Facebook searching we managed to track down number 4. We had a Facetime chat and promised to organise a weekend get together. We were all to busy to schedule it in late last year but all agreed to make it happen on the Australia Day weekend.
On a very warm weekend, we made ourselves at home by the pool in Kerrie’s complex, which we had all to ourselves.
With the help of wine and plastic glasses (of course) we splashed around in the pool for 2 1/2 hours!
The next day we ventured to Eumundi markets and it took up almost 5 hours to walk it from top to bottom. The South Australian’s enjoyed buying lots of clothes that are different from the things you can buy in the usual chain stores.
We talked a lot, we ate a lot and we drank a lot. If any of us had concerns whether it might all be a little bit awkward after all these years, they were quickly laid to rest. It was so much fun to catch up on the last 4 decades of news and family happenings.
Unfortunately I had to head home on Sunday even though the others had another 3 days together, but some of us had to work on the public holiday and get paid ridiculously large amounts of money for doing so.
The only thing missing from this awesome girls weekend was our 5th partner in crime. We believe she moved to the UK and got married, but no amount of Facebook searching helped and as we don’t know her married name we just drew a blank.
Georgina Woods if you are out there and this post ever finds you, get in touch as no matter where you are in the world our next girls weekend can include you too thanks to modern technology.
Do you have life long friends?
Sharing for #lovinlifelinky at Write Of The Middle.com
Wow Nikki – how fabulous! There is nothing as therapeutic and fabulous as a girls getaway! It’s wonderful you managed to get the four of you back together again. I do hope you track down your 5th friend. The Eumundi markets are one of my favourite things to do, and yes you do need a lot of time to get around it all. Love the photo’s in this post. Hope you’ve planned your next getaway together! 🙂 #TeamLovinLife
We will keep searching!!!
I loved this post because it reminded me of the week I just spent in Brisbane – our first time in Qld. We went to the Eumundi markets – wow! And I met up with four other bloggers who I feel like I’ve known forever. LOTS of talking, lots of sharing stories – I bet you and your friends had an absolute ball – old friends are just the best – and Facebook has been wonderful for me to keep up with all my school friends over the years too. I hope you find your Number 5.
Eumundi markets is fun, especially if you have never been there before. So many different things to discover that you don’t find at your local shopping centre. Facebook is the best for keeping up with major life events of so many people I know, don’t know how I would live without it.
Awww Nikki what a lovely post. I’m so sad you lost touch with the UK connection but how wonderful that the remainder of you had such a good time together. I am currently on a girlie night away with a bestie (not of particularly old but a bestie all the same) and we are having a fine old time in Perth together. Thanks for reminding me that girlie times are of so much value and so very worthwhile. #MLSTL and #LovinLife
Girl getaways are a non-negotiable necessity….especially with champagne involved.
Oh, how fabulous! I moved schools every couple of years so never really had the whole schoolgirl friend thing. How great you managed to catch up – and on the Sunshine Coast ie my town. As an aside, you really must let us all know if you find no. 5. #Team LovinLife
It took me 13 schools to finish year 12 as we moved so much too…my father was in hotel management, so some of our moves involved other countries. Thankfully their are a couple of good friends that are still in my life after all these years.
Hi Nikki how wonderful for you and your friends. A couple of years ago, we had a 40th School Reunion and I flew to Sydney to attend. I connected with some girls I hadn’t seen for 40 years and have renewed friendships or started new friendships. Facebook is a good starting point in trying to find people isn’t it? You all looked like you had a ball and hope it will become an annual event for you.
I went to the 10 and 20 year reunions and did not enjoy myself at all. The bitches were still bitches and thankfully my close crew ensured we had a good night, but I avoided the 30 and 40 year ones with a barge pole.
How wonderful to catch up after all these years! Sadly I don’t really have any friends from my primary, high school or even college days. Still in touch with my best bud from high school but that’s about it.
I was just lucky that I kept in touch with Kerrie, its also one of those easy friendships that copes with long times between chats.