The team rode the train from Diamond Creed into Melbourne to the Melbourne Cricket Ground…..seating capacity –100,000 fans! Although the attendance on this day was far below the stadium’s normal crowd, there were enough Collingswood fans and Melbourne fans to make the venue seem as though there were that many people.
The team was fortunate enough to have had a view of rural Australian Rules Football early in our visit, so that we had somewhat of an idea of the contest that was ahead of us. Melbourne were ‘extreme underdogs’ but certainly owned the first half and it wasn’t until the third quarter that the Collingswood Magpies actually lived up to everyone’s expectations and walked away with the game.
Collingswood won the match and the black and white crowd made their way to their cars and to the trains for the trip home. After the match, the team gathered at the home of host family, Geoff and Glenda Swan for great food and great fellowship and of course, great fun. The team had their final toast with their new found favorite wine, Pizzini Sangiovese, and then host Geoff cranked up the music and some transcontinental dancing ensued. Who knew that he had been a ballroom dance instructor forty years ago and that his forty years in construction hadn’t dampened his enthusiasm for dancing?
The evening ended early as we all knew that an early trip to the airport was needed to make our 11:20 flight to Sydney, LA, Chicago and Sioux Falls. Daylight savings time ends in Australia tomorrow, we’ll gain back the day we lost in the Pacific Ocean a month and ago, and our plans are to land in Sioux Falls about 9:30PM on Sunday night.
We started in Ivanhoe just a few miles south of here a month ago and now we find ourselves departing not far from that spot. We’ve seen a great deal of Victoria, met some really great people, and made lifetime acquaintances and in many cases, very close friends. Our ‘once in a life-time’ opportunity soon comes to an end and it is bitter sweet….anxious to see our friends and loved ones and sorry to leave these people that have been such an important part of our lives.
From a little north of Melbourne on our last night in Victoria Australia…..G’Day, and Good Night.
