The Thelma and Louise tour (without the messy ending) is now over and both adventurers made it home safely...no disasters!

The tour blog will be a  reflective one looking back over some of the gems of the month we were traveling. It will cover:

• Somerset and family links- Connections
• Return to Sutton Veny
• London vibe
• Chaucer's Canterbury
• Magical Worcestor 
• Elizabethan Stratford -upon -Avon
• Welsh pubs and the World Cup Rugby Final
• Travel tips 

The UK has so many delightful locations to explore and immerse yourself in that often travelers will try to cover too many places in the time they are on tour. It is to be hoped that you will discover just a few of the real treasures  the UK has to offer through the blog and maybe in time consider joining me on one of my future bespoke tours of this extraordinarily diverse country. I hope readers enjoy the accounts of Thelma and Louise and they made their way across southern England. 

Thelma and Louise prepare for take off in one week...

Good travelers pack light...pack smart..and prepare for ALL eventualities!!!  The pack light bit???? Still a work in progress....

The 'Thelma & Louise (without the messy ending!!) tour' takes off in two weeks....

FRIENDS ARE THE FAMILY YOU CHOSE...

The next touring experience for Julie Reece Tours is something very special. The 'Thelma & Louise (without the messy ending!!) Tour' is all about friendship and the power of travel to change your life. 

My now, very dear friend Jo Kirlew ( aka 'Louise') and I will be driving, walking and training it around the UK catching up with close friends and also doing some planning and meetings for future tours.

This friendship originally came about because of one of my W.W.1  adult commemorative tours to the battlefields back in 2011. I originally met Jo at a Lions Club meeting where I was a guest speaker and then later at a local school we were both doing relief teaching. We started talking and the topic came up about her grandfather Walter Kirlew who was killed in WW1 and buried on the Somme. I offered to include a visit to her grandfather's grave and to do a commemoration on Jo's behalf in the tour that year.

From that point on the amazing connection blossomed where in 2013 Jo came on the  'Champagne & Battlefields Tour' and for the first time she was able to visit the resting place of her beloved Walter. To add to the power of that visit Jo placed the ashes of her father Joe Kirlew with his father Walter. Since 2013 Jo has been part of three of my tours and hopefully there will be many more in the future.

WALTER KIRLEW'S GRAVE AT FRICOURT

 And so on October 7th 'Thelma & Louise' take off on the next adventure...

• Eight days in a cottage in Somerset
• Three days in Sutton Veny with dear friends Nicky and Rob Barnard
• Overnight to the university town of Cambridge to meet with the groups' manager at the Gonville Hotel (one of the hotels in the 'Garden Views' 2016 tour)
• One nighter in London...just HAVE to take 'Louise'  to the Camden Markets
• Onto Canterbury ..business + pleasure AND yet another meal at the oldest pub in Canterbury 'The Parrot' with long time mates Keith and Rosemary
• Several days in the Cotswolds ...Worcestor and Cheltenham
• Finally it is off to Liverpool to be with Ali and Phil McGinity and their kiddies+ a weekend in Angelsey...while Jo takes off to Hereford AND will meet her idol Jules from 'Escape to the Country' 

NICKY & ROB AT SUTTON VENY...TRAMPING THE FIELDS WITH THE EXPERTS! 



So stay tuned as we return to the place we both love to be with friends we hold dear plus to the new locales we are yet to experience.

Let's just hope the Thelma and Louise tour does NOT have a messy ending!!! Avoid all canyons and cliffs. xxx

THE BEST PUB IN THE WORLD..'THE WHEATSHEAF' WITH SOUL MATE ALI....

Promoting the 2016 'Jimmy's Anzac Pilgrimage Tour'

INFORMATION SESSION ON 

THE 2016 'JIMMY'S ANZAC PILGRIMAGE TOUR'

  

An information session on the 2016 'Jimmy's Anzac Pilgrimage Tour' is available to interested travelers. The event will be held at the Adelaide Hills Business Centre in Woodside on Monday 5th of October. 

The hour long session will begin with a presentation of 45 minutes featuring a short film of all the key highlights of the tour. This promotional film is particularly special as it showcases the leadership skills and talents of two former Connecting Spirits' Youth Leaders Ashleigh Martin and Flo Bourke. Ashleigh compiled a moving film using many of the tour photos from over the years along with the original music composed and performed by 2008 Youth leader Flo Bourke. Details on the daily itinerary, commemorative opportunities, hotels and catering arrangements will be outlined along with a display of relevant World War One artefacts. A question and answer time will complete the night's promotion. The session is FREE and includes light refreshments, tea and coffee. Bookings need to be done online via the  AHBC link listed below.

As places are limited to 12 you need to book early. Further sessions will be available based on demand.. I look forward to seeing you on the 5th of October at 7.00 pm. 

 <http://www.adelaidehillsbc.com.au/local-press-release> 

********EARLYBIRD BOOKINGS********

For those clients who book the tour at the end of the session, an Earlybird discount of $200 will apply to your tour cost along with the free copy of the book 'Jimmy's Anzac Pilgrimage'. A booking deposit of $500 will secure your place in the tour. Payment conditions will be outlined on the night. 

2015 A final look back as Connecting Spirits looks forward….

The Centenary of Anzac Day: Connecting Spirits at Westminster Abbey

Last month on that special day in April, the 2015 Connecting Spirits group  of 30 students and adults from Meningie Area School, Findon High School, Mannum Community College, Lameroo Regional School and Unity College completed a three week pilgrimage to the former WW1 battlefields of the western front. 

The fitting end to this amazing journey was Anzac Day in London on the centenary of that fateful landing on the shores of Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. So in looking back at this tour months on from its end, I return to that day and all of its memories.

4.00 am…London hotel Anzac Day 2015…the day began with bleary eyed travelers gathering in the hotel ready for the walk to the Australian War Memorial in Hyde Park. Normally it would only be a 15 minute stroll but due to the massive numbers attending the service and the extensive security checks in place, it took nearly an hour to enter the area of the service. Young Aussie and Kiwi expats were everywhere along with members of the military, political and Royal family. 

APRIL 30, 2015 Reflections on the 2015 Connecting Spirits journey…Sutton Veny

The Anzac children's service at Sutton Veny school. Our day at Sutton Veny school is one the students just adored. 

Our group was the only other Australian school taking part in this unique and long standing tradition in this tiny English village of honouring the Anzac men and women buried  in  this corner of the UK. 

Many of their headstones have dates that come after November  11, 1918….they had survived the war but not the peace. Ravaged by the Spanish flu, millions lost their lives post war and here these war survivors were some of its victims. 

 Each year the children  of Sutton Veny show that they haven’t forgotten these people from our country with a beautifully  child centred service. In the morning 180 posies are made with the three elements of flowers from the village. …rosemary for remembrance….and greenery for victory.  

This year our students worked with the SV kids and after recess our group showed them how to make traditional Ngarrindjeri feather flowers. It was a perfect day and another layer of friendship was created across the globe.

APRIL 19, 2015 Tuesday April 14 to Saturday 18…..am losing the blogging battle!

The relentless pace of being on tour has resulted in a tardy management of my blog….sad but true. However on this glorious day off in my most favorite place in the world Ypres, i have a little spot of time to cast over the last few days and focus on a few highlights.

For the first time we stayed in the beautiful city of  Arras and it did not disappoint.  Several major squares make up the town centre with many gorgeous  shops and eateries.  A mild night saw us enjoying dinner outside watching the world go by. Quite magical.Wednesday was the Vimy Ridge , Flunch, Fromelles and onto Ypres day…lots to pack in and by the time we entered the elegant town I adore I was ready for the luxury of a 6 night stay. Oh how I love this place…my soul home.

The next few days had many high points starting with our group witnessing the re internment of 6 unknown British soldiers at Prowse Point Military cemetery.  What an experience that was…it joined many dots for the group. Yesterday we learnt about the lost soldiers of Fromelles known unto God for over 90 years and here we were witness  to the re burial of 6 such men. Seeing real coffins lowered into he graves was a sobering experience. That day ended with Dries Chareles unique music night he wrote called “Goodbyee” a dedication to one English solider John Gamble who lies in the Lijssenthoek Military  cemetery  near Poperinge. A perfect ending to an intense day.

Friday and Saturday were the days of Marty Neagle and the Ngarrindjeri Anzacs and as always  they challenged us all to keep emotions  together.  By this stage of the tour tiredness makes commemoration even harder however this is not meant to be a holiday. …it is a serious pilgrimage of Remembrance and Connecting Spirits has always placed that at the centre of all we do. So to end last night with the group at the Menin Gate was the best. Today's day off was just at the right time.

Do not forget Australia….

Day two on the Somme and the weather gods were on our side today. The Somme was just glorious...brightly bathed in spring sunshine made a perfect backdrop for our emotional roller coaster. 

Our first commemoration was in Adelaide cemetery at Villers Bretonneux where Sophie told the story of a young Findon man, Ralph Drummond. The impact of this experience on young ones like Sophie is always moving and today was no exception. No Australian visitor can visit this village without seeing that iconic sign at Ecole VICTORIA .....'Do not forget Australia '....symbolising the close bonds formed between France and Australia because of the war. 


From there we made our way to the Australian national memorial that dominates that part of the landscape. Gordon Rigney, Francis Varcoe and George Grinter are just three of the 11,000 Australians whose names adorn the memorial to the missing. ...men with no known grave. ...'Known Unto God'. Our group were so fortunate today to have a friend of Mal Jurgs with us who played The Last Post to complete our ceremony. Despite the expectation that many tour groups will come to Villers Bretonneux, we had this spiritual place to ourselves. I don't think that will be the case in a week or so.  
The final part of the day after lunch at Hamel, at Heath cemetery belonged to Kiera Walker a wonderful young student who proudly shared the stories of three indigenous men one her own direct relative Thomas Walker and two famous Military Medal winners Harry Thorpe and Reginald Rawlings. To all who did commemorations today...thank you for your dedicated tributes.

APRIL 11, 2015 Commemoration on the Somme

Ngarrindjeri Anzac remembered.

Saturday April 11…today we began the process of immersing the group into the tragic story of the First World War and no better place to start but on the open spaces of the Somme valley. 

Jackie Bedford would be with us for this sector of the tour expertly and passionately recounting this
massive narrative. Our sunny spring days were replaced by and cool windy conditions which stayed with us all day. The famous locations associated with loss and grief such as Pozieres, Thiepval, Mouquet Farm, Lochnagar crater were our focus.

 However as often happens on these tours, an unexpected and powerful moment drew us tightly together. …and this was because of a fine young man, Trae Rigney.

Proudly representing his Ngarrindjeri people, family and community, Trae moved us all to tears with his heartfelt and eloquently delivered commemoration to his Ngarrindjeri soldier Arthur Walker. Here in front of our group was all that Connecting Spirits has been and achieved over the last decade.

 For Mal Jurgs co founder of the CS project and myself, it was a special moment one we will both treasure. Thank you Trae.

APRIL 10, 2015 Paris in the spring

Our Parisien experience may have been brief but the city the world adores really turned it on for us in the last two days.

Thursday was a full day of taking in all the sites so well known including a cruise on the Seine. Yesterday though was a contrast as we devoted the morning to amble down the famous Champs Eleysee taking our time to soak it all in.

As I waited for the group I found myself parked on a bench…ipod in place….sunning myself and just watching the world go by in all its rich diversity. Divine.

The group had a bit of retail therapy then soon it was off north to the city of Amiens and the beginning of our WWI commemorative journey. It was a sleepy coach as we left for our Somme base for the next three days.

Connecting Spirits pilgrimage begins…

Spike takes in the sights of Singapore river

Day 2 /3….Singapore to Paris. ……The Connecting Spirits journey has begun and after a full day in Singapore on Wednesday 8th, it was time for the long haul flight to Paris.

Our Singaporean experience was rich with cultural immersion of all the senses as we shared in the story of this amazingly resilient and innovative nation.

The Malay and Indian sectors filled our morning with a superb Indian lunch with all the gorgeous tastes and smells of its rich cuisine.

 The afternoon changed focus to the stories of WW2 and as we made our way to our first commemoration at Kranji war cemetery, the true purpose of the tour became apparent. In the afternoon heat Nigel shared the story of his relative Colin Treloar a young air airman shot down in the prelude to the Pacific war.

Finishing the day at Changi museum the group was not left in any doubt about the horrors of war….something they will continue to feel for the next 3 weeks.  

Joan North says:

)

My husband and I went to Villers Bretonneux and I saw your card on Francis Alban Varcoe. I stood still and had him in my thoughts.
What a wonderful project you are doing.

APRIL 4, 2015 ‘Brothers in Arms’…we DO remember them.

    

THEO PFLAUM                                                                         RAY PFLAUM

In just two days time the fifth ‘Connecting Spirits’ group from Meningie Area School will travel to the other side of the globe to begin their 2015 commemorative journey. In this centenary year, the founding school is joined by four new partners; Findon High School, Mannum Community College, Unity College and Lameroo Regional School. 

Over 40 W.W.1 and W.W.2 soldiers will be commemorated by the group with each man’s story shared with the group and recorded in film, photography and social media. As in previous Connecting Spirits tours, each veteran has his story told on the project website each with a dedicated page to their memory. (go tohttp://www.connectingspirits.com.au to follow the project) The 2015 CS soldiers are relatives of our group or have some local connection which enhances the impact of the commemorative process.

On some occasions students have selected ‘their’ soldier for other reasons which are of interest to the person doing the commemoration. As in previous years a number of brothers are remembered and the Pflaum boys from Birdwood have a special place in Connecting Spirits history. Ray and Theo born in Birdwood came from a family of 14 children. The Pflaum family home is now the admin centre for Birdwood Primary School and has a unique link to Connecting Spirits.

If ever there was an example of the power of our project’s name it is with these two soldiers’ stories. When Ray was killed in the Battle of Fromelles on July 19th 1916, his family would have to wait for nearly a century before they would learn of his fate. As one of the 250 men’s remains in the Pheasant Wood pit, Ray Pflaum was finally located and positively identified in 2010 and reburied in a proper grave with his name and identity returned.

In that year former Birdwood High student and CS member in 2006, 2008 and 2010, Ms Flo Bourke wrote a song dedicated to the young man who had been ‘Known only Unto God’ up to that point. When Flo wrote her evocative piece she was 19 ….Ray was 19 when he died…two young Aussies from the same town but a century apart. And to add to the Connecting of these spirits….the room where Ray was actually born in, was the very same room where Flo learnt music as a Yr 7 student at Birdwood PS.

When we play Flo’s song ‘Known Only Unto God’ on Wednesday April 15 in the early afternoon at the grave of Ray Pflaum in the Pheasant Wood cemetery at Fromelles, these two will once again be connected.

LEST WE FORGET.

THE PFLAUM SISTERS ALL WORE A LOCKET CONTAINING THEIR BROTHERS’ IMAGES

The W.W.1 centenary: the 'Anzac Industry' Published on 3/29/2015 2:34

In the last twelve months I have often been asked 'What will you be doing for the centenary? '

A not unreasonable question I suppose but in many ways it is frustrating as I will be doing what I have since 1999...and that is working with students and adults alike assisting them in their own research into the lives and experiences of those who went to war many never to return home.

The notion of 'doing something special' for the 100th year since Anzac troops landed at Gallipoli (along with the British/French/African/Indian and other Dominion nations) does not always sit happily with me. For many fine people I have come to know over the last 15 years the process of research, commemoration and visiting our war dead has been ongoing and significant for many years and in some case generations.

The incredible story of the tiny village of Sutton Veny and its school is just one such example. The powerhouse behind the annual Anzac children's service, Mrs Nicky Barnard, has been inundated with many requests and inquiries about the very same issue...what special things will the school be doing for the centenary? In many ways the question diminishes the work Nicky and the school have been doing for many, many years....going right back to the origins of this unique commemorative event in 1918 when a couple of lads from the village stole flowers to place on the 143 graves of the Anzacs buried there.

The school ALWAYS does something special for Anzac Day and throughout the year this tiny school permanently honours the memory of the Australian and New Zealanders who lie in the their soil by the names given to the seven classes at the school; the Auckland (FS2) , Brisbane (Yr 1), Canberra (Yr 2), Darwin (Yr 3),  Elliston (Yr 4), Geraldton (Yr 5) and Nelson (Yr 6) classes give daily recognition to the sacrifices made by our countrymen and women by their names. Every person in the village who attended Sutton Veny Church of England Primary School since 1918 all know why foreigners are buried in their village: this is what true commemoration is all about . 

So Sutton Veny school WON'T be doing anything special  in 2015 BECAUSE of the centenary as they are always doing something special. On Friday April 24 it will be the enormous privilege for the Connecting Spirits students and teachers to share their special day and to see how this beautiful little school and village have not forgotten our men and women who never come home.

(The school has given permission to use the images below. Photos of the 2011 Sutton Veny Anzac service were reproduced in the book 'Jimmy's Anzac Pilgrimage'. - published April 25, 2013. The toy kangaroo 'Matilda' who features in the story is now a permanent resident in the school's Anzac room) 

MARCH 25, 2015 Six sleeps to go…

The Australian War memorial in Hyde Park London. On the centenary of Anzac Day, our 2015 Connecting Spirits group will attend the dawn service here at this significant national memorial.

The joy of travel is not just restricted to the actual time away, but for me the lead up and anticipation of taking off is equally special. In just six sleeps time the journey down the south -eastern freeway to Adelaide airport will take place with all my lists and extras needed to run a large group tour in place.

The 2015 ‘Connecting Spirits’ project is unique as it involves students from five schools across diverse urban and rural communities. The 16 students travelling come from Findon High School in the western suburbs of Adelaide, Meningie Area School (the original school that established Connecting Spirits), Mannum Community College, Lameroo Regional Community school and Unity College in Murray Bridge.

Within the student cohort are many who have never left Australia before and some who will experience their first ever flight. Two young women who have taken part in previous Connecting Spirits tours, are our 2015 Youth Leaders and Tamika Williams and Mollie Sandercock have performed superbly in their roles thus far. They will assist in the daily running of the tour and be there as mentors and support for the students on tour.

 As in previous years the project website will provide a daily blog from the group so you too can be a part of this amazing journey. (www.connectingspirits.com.au) I will be keeping a record on my public face-book page so feel free to go to http://www.facebook.com/JulieReeceTours to follow our tour from April 7 to April 26.