Getting close

by on 29 August, 2018 with 0 Comments

Getting VERY close  - it's almost time for our next expedition to Europe. This time it's partly holiday, with a tour from Venice to Dubrovnik at the start of our time away. While I have deep wariness about any form of organised 'tour', with its vision of sheep-like herding round Grand Sights (AKA Great Sites), this does look a more acceptable affair, with a small coach land tour from Venice (sadly, only two days in this magic city) to Split, on the Dalmation coast, then a six day cruise around the islands of the Adriatic on a small very new boat -  only about 36 people. An optional extra few days in Dubrovnik, where the boat berths, is also something to look forward to, as it's over forty years since I've been in this part of the world, and it looks truly beautiful.

And after that  it's Germany, with catch-up visits to friends and relatives and, very importantly, time in Oberammergau, which will be something special. While it's 18 months to the next big Passion Play year in 2020, in October this year there will be the important ceremony of the renewal of the 1633 vow that was the origin of this ten-yearly event. It's followed  immediately by the announcement of the cast list for 2020, a big revealing that the whole surrounding area attends. With 1500 people on stage for the play one can understand the local excitement. I look forward to being part of this special time, and also hope to use the opportunity to do some marketing of my 2014 verse novel, Passion Play - the Oberammergau Tales, for sale in shops in Oberammergau in 2020, when half a million people will attend the play.

But, as always, the lead-up time to a trip of this type becomes hectic, and we're into pre-trip panic mode already. Meanwhile, I'm balancing travel preparations with forward planning for my new book, being published by Wakefield Press next February. Right now I'm looking forward to seeing the projected cover before we leave, as flyers about the book, In Search of Anna, are to be distributed in Jindera, the small NSW town where the final section of the book is set. Coincidentally, late in September this year Jindera is commemorating its 150th Anniversary, and big celebrations are planned. I'm sorry that we'll be away at the time, but hope that my coming book may be publicised during the celebrations.

Next week the annual Friendly Street Reader will be published, and as loyal members of this long-established poetry organisation, I'm delighted that both David and I have poems in this anthology. The launch for that is just before we leave, but clashed with the launch in Melbourne of this year's ACU Poetry Competition anthology. I'm truly delighted to have been short-listed for this prestige poetry competition. Sadly, not a major winner, but short-listing  brings publication in the book.

So, out with the suitcases and on with the motley ....

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