The rainbow never sets

To see John Hendricks win two gold medals for Australia, and Dawn Fraser another gold, was absolutely fabulous. To experience such world class competition is something unique. This can never be reproduced by just watching these events on Television. I also watched one afternoon of Gymnastics and the highlight was the closing ceremony. Melbourne stadium was packed with 125,000 people. Then the announcement came over the loud speakers, that the athletes, for the first time in Olympic history, would not march into the stadium under their own flag, but all mingled together, symbolising the "brother/sisterhood of the nations". The applause and the welcome of 125,000 people was overwhelming. I don't think there was a dry eye among the spectators.

During the second week of my holidays I travelled towards Adelaide, via Mt.Gambier. The crater lakes showed themselves in all three different colours. Adelaide was very pretty. I liked Glenelg and stayed there in a caravan park. I also visited Joe Whicker. He was the wool tops sales manager at Mitchell & Co., from whom we had bought lots of wool tops. He was very friendly and invited me for an evening meal where I met his wife Doreen. He took me to see the sights of Adelaide at night up the mountain towards Belair, a wonderful sight.

On my way back I went along the Murray. In Swan Hill I jumped into the Murray and promptly lost my car key. The car was locked and I had to get a mechanic to unlocked it. He also fixed a connection with which I could start the engine without a key. The only trouble was that I couldn't lock my car from then on. Fortunately, in those days it didn't seem to matter. Then, via Albury, I went back to Sydney along the Hume Highway. When I turned up at the office, I had forgotten my disappointment of the past and was my old self again. The whole holiday had been absolutely wonderful.

Meanwhile, I had to move from my room in Coogee, as Mrs. Hegedus expected a baby and she needed the room. This was before my engagement broke up. I needed a room just to tie me over until we found a place for both of us. I didn't care too much where it was, and as the Kings Cross area had plenty of rooms to let, I chose one in a 'private hotel' in Maclean street towards Potts Point. It was close to the shops and I thought it would be quite handy. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a terrible place. I hated to live in such an impersonal atmosphere, and the place was dirty and full of cockroaches, the size of mice, which came out at night and scrounged around for food. I was quite disgusted and longed to move out again. When the wedding was called off, the Eckels' took me into their house for company and comfort for a couple of weeks.

At that time Victor Dekyvere's sister-in-law was looking for a boarder. She lived in Mosman in a typical suburban three bed-room house. I could do my own cooking and washing there which suited me fine. Mrs. Shipway also seemed a very nice person, so I agreed to rent the room. When I later bought the V.W., I could park the car in her back yard. The

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