In the morning, the Coonabarabran party split into two groups. Those travelling direct to Coonabarabran got up early, loaded vans and set off on the eight hour drive. Five of us (Julian, Alex, Derek, Will and Si) had a more leisurely start as we were to be Tom’s guests at his wedding to Annie in Toowoomba, a mere 90 minutes from Brisbane (in reality over two hours drive by the time we’d got the better of our SatNav and Brisbane’s unfathomable one-way system).
On arriving, we checked into our Motel, changed into GBMRT blazers (what else to wear at a Team member’s wedding in Australia?) and took Tom off for lunch at an excellent local refreshment establishment. The Vicar dropped by and charged us with ensuring Tom was not over-refreshed in advance of the service. We also bumped into several other wedding guests, including Nic, a friend of Annie and Tom’s who arrived in Australia that morning having managed to get on one of the first flights out of the UK after the volcanic flight ban was lifted. Sadly Silke, Tom’s first choice for Best Man, was not so lucky with flights and was unable to make it to the wedding; Julian was therefore enlisted to take her place at the eleventh hour (which involved his writing the speech between details of the Woomera)
Some beer, lunch, and specially imported Trinity College Port later, we headed for the church. The Vicar kindly accommodated our request that “his and hers” Woomera-Match-Australian-map-pen-holders (see Prizegiving and Speeches Day – 21/4/10) be suitably placed much to Tom and Annie’s surprise when they came to sign the Register. Otherwise the service went without incident, save that none of the Australians knew “Jerusalem”... and these GB MR shooters are not famed for their singing ability...
Annie looks perplexed by the souvenir penholder
Tom and Annie are now Mr and Mrs Tom Smith.
The service over, all moved a short distance up the road for the reception hosted by Annie’s parents. This relaxed affair, in true Tom-and-Annie style comprised refreshments, speeches and dancing, punctuated by further copious refreshment opportunities, which a more relaxed Tom availed himself of fully, assisted keenly by the guests.
Then back to the motel and bed late then up early to head south west to catch up with the others already in Coonabarabran.
Alex Cargill Thompson blogged today.
