My 1st Trip to Work in Australia and also Meeting my First Cousin Liz

Well, on June 17 of 1988, it was MY 1st flight to Australia...
Together with Pieter, and his 4th trip.

Yarra River and Melbourne City Skyline
It was a long journey...

Starting out on June 17, with our flight from Atlanta to San Francisco...

Non-Stop to Sydney, Australia where we arrived on the 19th at 6:30 AM and at 9:00 AM we arrived in Melbourne!
Okay, here is our VERY HECTIC schedule prior to this trip:
On Friday, May 13, I flew to Amsterdam, The Netherlands  and on the 14th picked up my Audi 80 rental at Timmermans in Horst, my hometown. To drive to my work in north Germany, on the 15th till the 28th of May.
Fun, driving 160 km/h after the speed limits here in Georgia USA!
We were once again having a wonderful marriage long distance over the phone as Pieter was in Ohio when I arrived in Germany at work!
On May 29, I drove to Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands to pick up my Pieter and we coincidentally met with his two nieces as his eldest niece and Goddaughter, was departing for Saudi Arabia again...
On May 30, we both drove to Germany for a meeting and planning of a training seminar Pieter would conduct in the future. Home by 1:30 AM in the morning... 
On Sunday June 5, my Dad drove in the Audi rental car with us to Düsseldorf Airport and he would drop off the rental next day. We flew to Venice, Italy and bought the lot to build a home and also did some consulting.
Saturday June 11, we got up at 5:00 in the morning and flew from Venice to Milan, Italy and on to Amsterdam, The Netherlands and home to Atlanta, USA...

With ONLY 5 days in-between, here we are now in Melbourne, Australia!
This was work for Campbell Soup as they had purchased a mushroom plant there.
We got picked up by Maureen Scholtens, in our Ford rental car with steering wheel on the right.
Staying at an apartment on the Royal Parade in Melbourne.
Campbell's boss, Paul Bourke picked us up in the afternoon for coffee at his home with his wife Rose.

I'd called my first cousin Liz already upon arrival at the apartment and she came to pick us up for supper by 18:30.
Jet lag? This is me after 2 nights on the plane and NO bed yet!
Here we are at my first cousin's place, she is unpacking some of the gifts I carried for her.
Yes, there are Van den Munckhofs in Australia too, Dad's younger brother moved there.

Two first cousins together from 2 continents: North America - Australia

Happy me and happy Liz after clearing off the table after supper!
We finally hit the mattress by 23:00 but feeling happy.

Wearing my silk Hermès scarf, gift from a Swiss mushroom friend...

Two mornings we drove our Ford rental car the 30 km to work, driving on the left and dealing with those tram tracks too!
Believe me, upon coming home we hardly had the energy after an entire day of doing training, to sit and relax by the fire place. We actually did not need such a luxury apartment with everything in it!

So after 2 nights we moved out and now we are only 14 km from work at The Bundoora Guardsman Motor Inn.
Now called: Parkside Inn Motel.
Bundoora, Victoria 3083
(Adjacent to La Trobe University)
On Wednesday morning while having breakfast, and when it was MY turn for driving to work, we heard a collision on the road in front of the motel; a fatal accident...
Campbell Soup boss Paul Bourke with his wife Rose invited us to dinner at DONNINI'S in Melbourne on Thursday evening.

It won many National & International awards including the 'Ciao Italia Award' for the best Italian Restaurant in Australasia. This award was presented to the Donnini Family by the Italian President in 1982.

On Friday, right after work, cousin Liz did pick me up for a night out; shopping and later we ate at a Greek restaurant.
Pieter enjoyed dinner with Hank Young, (the owner that sold his company to Campbell Soup) at a Chinese restaurant.

Stay tuned for my next post about The Australian Outback in Broken Hill, NSW to visit my Uncle Louis over the weekend...

Thanks for your visit and comments

Related links:
Husband Pieter's 2nd and 3rd Trip to Australia | previous post by me
Trips to Australia | previous post by me
{Angels engraved on lucky calendar coin of 1969} | previous post by me
{My Teacher, Mentor, BOSS & Husband over 44+ Years} | previous post by me