This Friday the Thirteenth was a lucky day for us.

Before ten o'clock, as rainfall peppered us in Sydney, we were on the bus to the Blue Mountains, accompanied by Colleen McCombie, president of the Blue Mountains Friendship Force club. 

Plan A was to enjoy a welcome barbecue at the Wentworth Falls Lake.  However, Mother Nature had other plans for us, and the continued rainfall compelled a switch to Plan B:  a luncheon at the lovely home of ED Geoff Whitwell and Harry Baker.  The Blue Mountains FF members quickly shifted gears to set up a delighful lunch, followed by a fascinating presentation by David Newton, an Aboriginal speaker, who shared some of Aboriginal language, history, customs, and--best of all-- the dance of his people.  An introduction to the first peoples of Australia made this first day of our Australian visit one that will be hard to top.