What a small world!

Anyone remember the Dixon family and their son Malcolm from Hankelow?

We had a "small world" experience recently in the Whitsunday Islands, off the eastern Australian coast, north of Brisbane.

The extended Elliott family had just completed a week's sailing together around the islands.

On our return to the harbour on Hamilton Island, we had the standard 'debrief' by a member of the yacht charter company (Sunsail). One of their staff went through a series of questions along the lines of "what did you hit/break?" as well as "what was missing/not working".

The sunsail guy, Mal – a youngish 63 year old – asked us the usual question: "Whereabouts in England are you from?".
The following Q&A ensued:

ChrisE: "NW England"
Mal: "Whereabouts"
ChrisE: "Not far from Chester"
Mal: "Whereabouts"
ChrisE: "Not far from Nantwich"
Mal: "Whereabouts"
ChrisE: "A village called Audlem"
Mal: "I was born in Hankelow – do you know Dot Timmis?"

It turns out that Mal spent the first 16 years of his life there before his parents emigrated to Oz. He was clearly suffering from a bit of a hangover as he had been partying the evening before. This was his last day before he and his wife retired and set off to sail around Australia in their home – a 45ft catamaran – sigh!

So, if anyone remembers the Dixons, now you know where they are! Last week they were moored off a town called Bundaberg – home of the famous Aussie rum – Bundi. Been there a while apparently.

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