54year Vietnam Reunion

A 9-day adventure by Neil Read more

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Trip start
November 7, 2025
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Day 1
Friday, November 7, 2025 at 7:23 PM
🌙 21 °C
Altitude: 31 m
Australia Ipswich City -27.64435, 152.77049727°38’40” S 152°46’14” E
Ipswich City
November 7 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C
Tomorrow I am heading to Adelaide for a 54yr Vietnam Reunion with my army buddies from 8 plt C Coy 2RAR/NZ ANZAC Battalion
Not many left now so will be great to cstch up and spin the odd yarn again.
Seems only yesterday we were there inApril 1970 how time flies.Read more
TravelerEnjoy it mate
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Day 2
Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 6:50 AM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Australia City of Brisbane -27.388042, 153.11902427°23’17” S 153°7’8” E
Arrived and accepted
November 8 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Finally after an hour of getting stuffed around have got to departures.
Trouble with scooter weight and battery,forms filled out on line and printed of did not help much at all.
Apparently now baggage crew have to sight chair and give ok to put on plane how stupid when forms have been downloaded and filled out as per Alliance protocol.
Now having cappachino and chilling in gate 49 area.
Cannot wait to board hope no more hassles.Read more
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Day 2
Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 6:58 AM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Australia City of Brisbane -27.388059, 153.11898727°23’17” S 153°7’8” E
City of Brisbane
November 8 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
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Day 2
Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 7:01 AM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Australia City of Brisbane -27.388047, 153.11899427°23’17” S 153°7’8” E
City of Brisbane
November 8 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
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Day 2
Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 12:30 PM
☁️ 17 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Australia Adelaide -34.936913, 138.54172434°56’13” S 138°32’30” E
Adelaide
November 8 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Just landed Adelaide
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Day 2
Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 2:17 PM
🌬 16 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.981014, 138.51157234°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
Adelaide
November 8 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
Arrived in Adelaide got hire car but no sat nav bugger.Will have to use phone hope it does the job.
Stanford Grand hotel is nice but $30 for breakfast (buffet style)and $30 daily parking on top of hotel price gee they know how to hit the hip pocket.
Ah well settled in now for the fun and frevolities to start with my army mates.Read more
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Day 2
Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
🌬 16 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Australia Adelaide -34.980609, 138.51142234°58’50” S 138°30’41” E
Adelaide
November 8 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
The hotel staff are just setting up for the reunion hotel staff are fantastic and very helpful.
Really looking forward to tonight.
Already met a few boys and they said they had a big night last night.All bit seedy but are ready to kick on they reacon.See what happens lol going to be interesting to say the least.We lost another one the other day so sad age and illness is catching us all.
Bar not open yet so to room to recharge scooter then into it lol.Read more
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Day 2
Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 5:30 PM
🌬 15 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.981001, 138.51153834°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
Adelaide
November 8 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
View from room looking out to Adelaide hills at 17.30pm
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Day 2
Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 8:18 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 7 m
Australia Adelaide -34.980438, 138.51121134°58’50” S 138°30’40” E
Adelaide
November 8 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
View from our diningroom last night.
They have free bands on the foreshore each weekend.They get pretty loud too all local groups and they were all very good.
The other photos are my army friends and their wives we had a ball and laughed a fair bit,was truly fantastic especialy they remembered Deb in the highest seteem as a Tough Vietnam Vets wife.
First photo guy in white Jeff Freeman ( aka Penguin),behind Jeff is our platoon commander Col Purceell.
Next pic is from left is Jeffs wife Sally Ray Lunts wife Joy and Ray Lunt (Lunty)n the rear.
On the right is Scotty.Read more
TravelerLovely. You are going to have a great time recalling past events and those in your circle who have passed, including my sister Deb xx
3wReply
TravelerYes we had a fantastic time and had a few laughs was truly special it really was
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TravelerEnjoy your time x
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TravelerHaving a good time Jen considering making it special.
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Day 3
Sunday, November 9, 2025 at 12:34 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 330 m
Australia Spalding -33.488265, 138.60031833°29’18” S 138°36’1” E
Spalding
November 9 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Went for a good long drive with Scotty to Jamestown to see old sick mate and this is the scenery we had all the way.Note in 1 pic the wind turbines in the distance well they are everywhere down her and the strech all the way from Adelaide to Port Augusta.
Old mate has prostrate cancer and lung cancer so he isnt too well but has got 2 hot rods and 7 bikes both racing and road all over the place.It was like an organised wrecking yard.
He has got another one a 34 Ford two door in all original condition in another shed that he has had for 30 yrs and will never get to use it again.
He is the typical car collector nut yeh Brett he beats Kevi this bloke.
All the fields are all massive and are full of either millet os sesame.The other crop down this way is legume beans ie;lima or broadbeans that they use for feeding sheep and cows.Read more
TravelerYou'll have to send 5his to Kevvie.
3wReply
TravelerMichell is following me so Kevi will see it I can guarantee you.
3wReply
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Day 4
Monday, November 10, 2025 at 2:03 PM
☁️ 15 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.98101, 138.51155334°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
More of Precint
November 10 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
More pics of museum displays here forgot to say entry was free and no donation tins anywhere
Now outside this museum is small plaza that has fish,kebabs,yeros ,indian and coffee shops in a square thats the size of a footy field absolutely smells so delicious you dont know where to go honestly it is mouth watering to say the least.
Also in this precint they have a indoor amusement park called The Beach House basically its a coney island come luna park but indoor with rides slot machines etc fantastic and huge it goes over 2 stories high and about 100 mtrs deep.Read more
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Day 4
Monday, November 10, 2025 at 2:07 PM
☁️ 15 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.981015, 138.51154334°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
The Pier Precint
November 10 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Decided to stay close today rain expected so went for jaunt around town.
What a mess town is as they are putting in new tram lines everywhere and foot paths are very narrow and gets frustrating when window shopping groups dont move or get out of the way when you ask nicely.
Anyway went to pier had a Palila pancake for lunch with a cappo Palali is 2 pancakes,banana,pistachio cream drizzle and fresh cream cost me 24.00 and very nice too.Priced SA Crayfish prices in restaurants they range from $95 to $150 a seve.So let that meal go this trip.
Visited museum of Glenelg and thay have displays from early 40s to the 80s and all type of stuff from toys, games,clothes even display of ladies swimwear from way back to the 80s boy how we have changed.All in all very interesting to say the leadt and it was free and no donation tins any whre.Read more
TravelerLove Glenelg
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Day 4
Monday, November 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
☁️ 15 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.981009, 138.51155534°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
My mates car yard
November 10 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
This is my mates place in Jamestown built in late 1800s of granite and cement.All inside is same as outside with stained hardwood red gum all around doors and windows and doors are iron bark from near town.
Now car on left is his ford territory and in the shed in front of it houses his 34 Ford red hot rod the pictures of one exactly like his absolutely stunning he has it covered in a soft woolen cloth.
Now the pick of the rusty 32Ford 4 door is awaiting restoration but in the shed in front of it sits another 34 Ford 2 door in all original condition similar to brown one in pics but his is original factory black.Bikes are in both sheds and on back veranda of house.Read more
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Day 5
Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at 3:25 PM
☀️ 15 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.981026, 138.51154834°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
1
Remembering the fallen
November 11 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
Very sunny morning but wind made it chilly got down to 14 .Good crowd in attendance over 60 vets and 200 public.Local school was represented as well
After the ceremony we were invited to the surf life saving club house for lunch and drinks.Quite a few speeches were made all regarding the local boys who were lost in all conflicts.Read more
Travelerglad you had a great day even if it was a bit chilly xxxx
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Traveler Lest we forget.
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Day 6
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 7:43 AM
☀️ 10 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.981018, 138.51154934°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
Adelaide
November 12 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
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Day 6
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 5:07 PM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.981011, 138.51153734°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
Along the Pier
November 12 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Went down to the beach today a bit warmer out of the wind,they have a huge volley ball comp here with schools all over SA as you can see in pics.
Jetty is approx 500mtrs long and is very nice to go on lots of people on it every day.Panoramic view of Glenelg beach front and beach.
There was one bloke swimming (3rd pic between fence railings) and the temp was 16 outside with a slight breeze,seeing him made my teeth chatter bbbbrrrrr.
Am heading downtown today and back to room everyone gone on bus trip out to winery but after yesterday I got a little burnt up top forgot my hat so buying another today.
If weather good tomorrow am trying to get to zoo fingers crossed,every day starts out cold and warms up a bit but wjnd is the killer here gets really cold out in it.Read more
TravelerGlenelg and Hahndorf were my favourite places to visiting South Australia
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Day 7
Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 7:09 AM
☁️ 16 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.981005, 138.51153434°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
Adelaide
November 13 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
TravelerLooks like great weather, having a great time of it no doubt
3wReply
TravelerYeah getting out and about but staying in the local area in case it rains.So far prediction of rain every day and its their coldest start to the summer months.
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Day 7
Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 1:24 PM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Adelaide -34.980998, 138.51153434°58’52” S 138°30’42” E
Off to Zoo
November 13 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Took the chance to visit the zoo wigh no sat nav just phone,boy what an experience that was phone wasnt talking only giving pics of route kept on dropping out and stopped so many times to look at the directions on side of road.
Arrived finally and no public parking only metered parking for 4 hrs cost $15 and it was a distance from entry of zoo.
Got inside and headed of and followed the map they gave me,not much on show as many exhibits shut or animals asleep or hiding,but got some pics of Tigef,Kamodo dragon,Taipan snake,and Murray River turtle.
By then it was an hour gone and then it started to rain,so hootchied up in kiosk to see if rain would go but alas it didnt so after another hour I called it quits and made the wet trip to car.
Got outside and remembered folding umbrella from alaska and used it on way back to car then it bucketed down all way back to motel lucky me.
Oh well now for cuppa shower get packed and ready for last dinner with the mates before heading home tomorrow.Read more
TravelerSounds like the weather is not being kind, but you are making the most of it!!
3wReply
TravelerYeah got to work around it to stay active.
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Day 8
Friday, November 14, 2025 at 11:46 AM
☁️ 23 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Australia Adelaide -34.937306, 138.54034634°56’14” S 138°32’25” E
Last goodbyes till Redcliffe 2026
November 14 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Ok here are more pics of our reunion first pic is Nicole Mertens and Mick Bell (aka Belly) these two along with a Peter Heeney (aka Hollywood) co ordinate all the reunions.
Nicole is the daughter of Ted Mertens the mate who started these reunions over 25 yrs ago and she is continuing the C Coy legacy on in her children she is a treasure really is she is our adopted sibling .Pic2 Scotty trying to take photos with his good eye,3 is Jeoffry Freeman (aka Penguin)4 Rob Bruce (aka Bluey) and Col Purcell ( aka Skipper) our platoon commander,4 Salky Freeman Penguins wife then Judy purcell Skippers wife.
These people make it very easy and comfortable to be around and the stories we told were to say the least funny to the bone.
Cannot wait for Nov next year.Read more
TravelerWow, great! Fantastic that the next generation keen to keep the legacy alive. You'll have to get your girls to pursue that for generations to come
3wReply
TravelerAm on to it will be letting them know
3wReply
TravelerDo you go to the reunions every year.
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Trip end
November 15, 2025