THURSDAY 5 MARCH     HEALESVILLE

Still cool.

I did a final wash.

In the morning, John changed the wheel on the van – he was not happy with the way the valve was sitting on one of those on the van.

In the afternoon, John went to bowls. He got diesel in Healesville  – 70 cpl.

I did some packing away inside the van.

We left in time to be at the farewell function venue, at Mt Burnett, beyond Cockatoo, by 5.30pm. It was an excellent occasion. John was really happy with it. I am glad we stayed on, to enable this to happen, because it has provided a positive conclusion to his career, rather than the anti-climax it earlier seemed. John was presented with the farewell gift of a set of Pentax binoculars, the same as mine. I’d earlier suggested this, when asked for ideas about what he would like. His younger daughter R was there and gave a good speech and a present of a tiny clock for the van.

I was to drive back to camp, so John did not have to count his celebratory drinks through the evening. I drove quite cautiously for the 50 or so kms, that was mostly through bushland. Did not want to have any unplanned encounters with wildlife, in the dark! It was after midnight when we got back.

A great way to finish up the Melbourne time.