Cats bag had reached it limit of small statuaries, key rings and t-shirts, books, bags, purses, thimbles, spoons and glass dishes were wrapped in her clothes and stored in the bulging suite case. Bits of England, France and Italy, in the future her children would have the honour to pass on these memories to the nearest opportunity shop.
So much had happened on the tour, so little time and so much difficulty to access the internet, Cat was left to reminisce on the high lights of the trip. A bus trip around Europe sounds like an adventure, looks like and adventure, and often act like a disaster on 8 wheels. The problem with bus trips is that it often attracts penguins, thought Cat. She was reminded of a conversation the trio had in the planning of the trip.
Panda had said grimly “I hope there are no penguins on the trip”. Woo had been a bit horrified to think Panda was being just a bit racist. Panda explained that Penguins were not so much a race as a state of being, a condition that afflicted creatures. They might start out cute and cuddly but over time they fail to develop resistance to the miseries. They went from cute and cuddly to neck stretching, clacking, complainers shuffling and huddling together. They squawked and clacked over any real or imagines slight, difficulty and disturbance. They could turn a warm day icy. Pandas had centuries ago done battle with the Penguins and ate them for breakfast.
“Rubbish,” said Woo, “there are no penguins in China!!”.
“Well not anymore,” said Panda.
“But Panda’s are vegetarians!!!”, said an incredulous Woo.
“ True we are now”, said Panda. “Now we are the Tao of the Panda we are at peace with all creatures.” Cat rolled her eyes and purred “Tao of Panda”
London had been a great adventure. The Fischer King had prepared a great dinner for them and they had eaten and laughed long into the night. The Fischer King’s youngest son Laurence the piano playing Bobby was there to help open bottles and keep the wine flowing. Woo kept the conversation flowing; Panda threw away all pretence of vegetarianism and devoured a pig. Cat purred Tao of Panda indistinctly.
The Trafalgar Tour de Force Begins
Cat, Panda and Woo hopped on the big Trafalgar bus in London, and the tour guide Nathan the Kelpie introduced himself. As first on the bus the trio settled in to some decent seats. The bus began to collect other passengers, fellow adventurers from Ecuador, Mexico, Canada, USA and the usually noisy flock of Aussies. Panda sniffed and licked his lips. He had already detected the strong fishy odour of penguin.
The white cliffs of Dover were the leaping off point for the tour, all aboard the ferry to Calais. With the cry “Chocks away Ginger”, Woo led the rush to the front of the boat. It was a sort of D-Day operation with Nathan trying to hold the attention of the group with instructions that were half heard and ignored.
On a new bus with a new driver Rafaelli the tour quickly adjusted to living in cramped and crowded conditions. Nathan pointed out sights of interest the rain swept fields that were once the trenches of the Somme. The tall cliffs and mountains near Marseilles that hid the French Résistance and Nancy Wake. Nancy , code named the white mouse, The most highly decorated person of WWII and suitably ignored by Australia. It was no surprise that in this land of ancient conflicts the continuing battle of the Bubbles was to be waged.
The Trafalgar Champaign Campaign
Woo quickly teamed up with a yellow crested lorikeet called Anne and they chirped along for most of the trip. Anne was a great ally for Woo in her battle against the bubbles. The Bubbles had their legions and the Trafalgar Team were forced to fight a guerrilla campaign throughout Europe. Often the French Canadian Bambi’s twins (Nat and Lyn) would enter the fray hold their own in the skirmishes. The Trafalgar Team had enough reserves to cover the trip. However, the star players were Paladin Nick, son of Anne, two night owls, Tom and Greg and of course Woo and Jools. By the end of the tour the vanguard were weary but stalwart in defence. Statistics for the battles are as follows
Team Trafalgar vs 20 thousand litres of assorted wines and beers, sparkly drinks and spritz’s, not forgetting lemoncellos.Not a Bubble left standing. Medals were confirmed on Jools for competing following a battle in the South of France. While severely wounded she had done her best to keep up with the rest of the troupe.
Paris, the city of love.
The city of the Eiffel tower, night markets, pickpockets and African seagulls. Panda, Cat and Woo were delighted to catch up with Jools in Paris. They met in the lobby of the hotel and danced a jig and hugged each other. Panda did not dance, but shuffled his feet and gave Jools a bear hug. The tour was on.
Paris, at night, the Tower, spectacular, until out of the darkness came the African seagulls, crowding around like the tourists were a bucket of chips on the beach. “Buy. Buy. Buy”, they chirped and pecked at the group. Nathan the Kelpie, on guard as usual, warning his flock, before they got fleeced, not to buy from anyone who could run away from the police.
To Be Continued
Just loving it - thanks for sharing xxx
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