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<font face="Arial" size="2">1st December 2001.</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">Well here I am back home in Brisbane Australia after the adventure of a lifetime!</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">My November 2001 adventure has taken me across the Pacific ocean (by jumbo not Amphi!) on a 16.5 hr flight to L.A. then across to Virginia on the east coast , N</font><font face="Arial" size="2">orth to Canada , south to Fort Lauderdale then home again via L.A.- Wow - what a Ball I've had!</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">The warm hospitality shown to me throughout the trip has been exceptional. As well as collecting a few essential parts for my red '64 patiently waiting under my house back home , my intention was to have a taste of your lifestyle and get a bit of an insight into where fellow Amphibians live.</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">Washington D.C. was my first port of call after visiting my family in Norfolk for a few days.Borrowing my Sister's Dodge Caravan allowed me to travel at my own pace in any direction andcollect any Amphi Goodies as I traveled. Once I worked out you guys drive on the wrong sideof the road and I followed suit , things got alot easier. I stayed with Bilgey and his family , they certainly treated me to a great couple of days. Had it not been for the Midnight Cruise with Bilgey and Dave The Wave last year (you may remember the lap dance with the fish!) , I may never have grown fins and joined the Fray! This year Bilgey took me along the Occoquan R.for the mandatory splash in OLDBUOY- thanks Bilgey it was great! I also had the pleasure of meeting Bill Connelly Sr who was down visiting from Maine & if hadn't been for the expert directions given to me on navigating my way into Boston I most surely would have got badly lost!</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">The following day saw me heading northward to central N.Y. state to meet up with John and Linda Croshier at Wampsville.</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">Yes , Wampsville does exist and this is where I saw my first snow! The Croshiersshowed me great hospitality and I had John in fits of laughter most of the time over the differences between our two versions of the English language! My rear engine hood came fromthe Croshiers - thanks , it's going to a good home!</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">My route then took me North via the Thousand Islands to the top of Lake Ontario , across those wonderful steel suspension bridgesinto Canada. The water far below was royal blue and the terrain changed dramatically to massive firs , spruces and rugged</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">outcrops of rock - I was sure I'd see a bear ! A quick lunch at</font><font face="Arial" size="2">Kingston then it was on to Orillia to visit GordSouter , family & friends. Gord has a wonderful country property with one of the bestequipped workshops you'd see - even an in-ground car hoist to elevate Amphi and allow you to wander around and check out his underside ! I was lucky enough to get a lesson on the finer points of Amphi front end assembly. I counted many Amphi's around the property and there seemed to be more cars & parts in every shed I looked in ! AlladinsCave of new old stock Amphi parts was underground , in the cellar below the house - un-believable , you gotta see it!</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">Variations in seasons in Australia are very mild , so I was quite intrigued to see everyone battening down for a long cold frozen winter . Gord had his winter projects all organised , the workshop is heated and he was about to embark on a full amphi restoration , expecting it would be done in about two months - If mine is on the road in 12 months I'll be happy !</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">I did purchase quite a few goodies of Gord , but don't worry , he's still got plenty!</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">My route then took me south through Niagara , Buffalo then east to Boston.</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">Boston is Beautiful , I was lucky enough to catch the last of the Autumn leaves. After a mandatory downtown Boston Duck Tour aboard a W.W.2 army duck I arrived at the doorstep of Charles and Nancy Gould.</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">The Gould's have a lovely home in Newton and treated me to some wonderful Bostonian hospitality , the margaritas were continuous , thecollection of bubble cars spectacular , and to top it off I was able to choosea Messerchmittto use for our "steed " for the night ! We headed of to the Naked Fish Restaurant for a superb amphibious meal I'll never forget ! Avenues of gold and crimson leaves , strings of Christmas lights and the look of sheer amazement from the locals through the clear "fish bowl" bubble dome was quite a sight !</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">Then it was on to Philadelphia to stay with Pete and Emily Haslinger. Once again I was greeted with wonderful hospitality. We went out and sampled the local ribs , checked out KERMIT and the restoration photos. It's great to see other Amphi's, diccuss the trials and tribulations of restoration and maintenance, I've certainly learn't a lot! The following day Pete and myself headed east to May's Landing in N.J. to visit Billy and Randy Syx.Following a grand tour of the workshop , Billy didn't disappoint us and we went for a big splash entry into the cold waters of May's Landing. Billy resisted temptation and limited the bow wave to only half way up the windscreen - we were thankful for that ! The sunset cruise down the Mulica R. was spectacular - thanks Billy and Pete !</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">I was able to see the Amphi rotating frame in Billy's workshop , one of these will be a must for the underside repairs I need to do to my car .</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">After a few days back in Norfolk V.A. and an initiation into what a real Thanksgiving Dinner is all about , full of turkey ,I headed back to L.A. via Florida.</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">And yes , I also had a wonderful time at Gordon Imports . Gina & Hugh Gordon , Shellee and Hugh's brother Bobaregreat people , nothing was too much trouble.We all sat around in Amphi / pussy cat heaventalking about all sorts of subjects (but mostly Amphi's) I was able to move around freely throughout the wonderful storehouse looking at all the "Treasure"- It was such an education - do yourself a favor and make the pilgrimage if you get the opportunity ! I've collected a wealth of information on the idiosyncrasy's of amphi restoration + maintenance & hopefully I'll be able to attack my restoration intelligently !</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">I'm looking foward to getting the car mobile again so the original owner , Rod Radford can enjoy the car again too !</font>
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<font face="Arial" size="2">What parts did I purchase ? Well - doorskins , lower rear guard panels , engine compartment floor sections , front & rear hoods , horn , king pins , bushes , steering linkages , propellers , chrome strips , pole light , tons of small originalfasteners , rubber strips etc. etc. - but don't worry , there are plenty of parts left , and just think , you can come and ride in my Amphi Downunder - just give me a year ! Thanks a million everyone for your hospitality.! - even to those people Iwasn't able to catch up with.</font>
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<font face="Arial" size="2">(Does anyone know if there is a town called Amphiville ? I found almost every other town ! )</font>
<font face="Arial" size="2">Rowan Hatfield Red '64 Brisbane Australia.</font>
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