The rainbow never sets

as we drove to the River Kwai? The collection was donated to the Church of Christ in Thailand."

On our last day in Singapore, I held the morning devotions in the hotel's dining room. We ended our tour with a communion service, complete with bread rolls and grape juice in wine glasses. The waiters and other guests looked on. To many of our group this became more meaningful than celebrating communion in a church. There was a strong element of witnessing in our act.

My overall assessment of this mission tour had been quite favourable. I commented to the CFWM, pointing out the positive aspects. But I also had to make some critical comments:

"The tour cost is excessive. With actual costs available now, Crossways (the church's travel agent) should be able to budget a tour well below the $2000 mark. If this would mean accommodation at less exclusive hotels, all the better. The group enjoyed the stay at Dhyana Pura, and I submit that there are similar places in Jogyakarta, Jakarta, Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The fact that we stayed at first-class hotels throughout (except Dhyana Pura), personal contact with local people was made more difficult, it looks bad from the local church's point of view if Australians, interested in mission, stay at these hotels (it betrays almost an insincere attitude) and it made it more difficult to have group interaction, reflection and devotions."

I also suggested to cut out Kuala Lumpur and perhaps Singapore, but then I had been to Singapore before and shopping does not interest me.

Annual holidays

As we had bought a tent and our experimental camping in 1974 in Geroa had been successful, we decided to take our holidays in summer somewhere at a beach. The Arloms, our friends from Canberra, usually went in their caravan to Batehaven, so we followed them in 1975 there. The caretaker of the caravan park, however, didn't like tent people, and since we had put our tent about a meter across an invisible line, where caravans were to go, he made us shift the tent. We were all furious and vowed not to come there again. But it was good to be together with John and Margaret and their two children, Steve and Jane. John had a boat and he took us fishing on the river occasionally.

From May till July 1975 Alison went to England and Germany with Margie, and left us "boys", including Mes, back at Albion Park Rail.

In the August school holidays we went for a week to Canberra, staying

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