Hmmm. You've got me thinking.

Mmmm about sheep or the get together?

Libretto, you and I may not be in the " in group " but I am sure you would be welcome to go to the GTG.

Yes Libretto, as far as I know not many have met each other on this board and there really is no 'in group' and we would love to see you at the GTG.

I was a bit tentative about going to the Paris GTG in March last year - I didn't know anybody from Adam but I had such a wonderful evening it's inspired me to try and organise one here Downunder and it is definitely a case of The More The Merrier.

Please consider coming along and joining in!!

Honestly, there isn't an 'in' group. We're all in this together - heck, if they'll take a Yank, they'll take anyone.

Thanks everyone, I really wasn't being negative, just a bit shy.

I don't contribute many travel hints on this board (well maybe a few), but I read it often and love the advice, which I have used.

I just don't feel like I'm a "real" Fodorite because of that! In the Lounge I've been burned a little and noticed the "secret Fodorite business" quite a lot- it's true it's not so obvious here.

It would be wonderful to meet in real life, but I hesitate as so many posters seem to be so tight with each other - even if only virtually....and yes, even at nearly 60, walking into a room of strangers can be hard!

I was just thinking of you last week, Libretto! I was in Melbourne and came home to Sydney via Phillip Island and,in the Vietnam Vets' museum, thought about you & your husband and again, going through some of the countryside recovering from last Feb's fires, your very touching posts came to mind.

I think you might have been "burned" by someone who's now banned, if my memory serves me correctly. The Lounge can be a bit of a zoo sometimes and some of the inhabitants do seem to hunt in packs. As Stormbird says, I don't think we have that "cliquey" thing here though. Maybe we chatter amongst ourselves because we're a smallish board and sometimes it does feel as if we know each other. Like you. I still can feel the anguish you felt posting about the fires and could have cheerfully throttled the (now banned) idiot whose brains & heart had obviously been drowned in the ocean of verbiage he used to post.

I've only met Pat W and Peterallan here, but have met and become good friends with Fodorites from Wales, Venezuela and the US through Fodors.

Hope you do come ...and I do know what you mean about that "walking into a room full of strangers" feeling... but, we're not really, are we? Besides, I'm older than you!

I've got good advice when planning holidays overseas and I love trying to help travellers coming to Australia. Since we are love travel, I can't imagine that conversation would difficult.
Besides it's so easy for me - I can just hop on a tram.

Oh Bokhara what a loving and warm person you are!

You're right in your guesstimate about the poster who hurt me quite a bit during a remarkably stressful time when my sister was literally missing in the middle of a fire storm.

I'm normally quite a private person but I was in despair when I posted and I did received such wonderful support (except for that one gentleman!).

But I was posting in the dark of night,(never a good thing to do!) unable to sleep due to the nightmares experienced by my Vietnam Vet husband, who sadly is among the rare Australian Vets who actually went through really awful combat experiences and 40 years later still "pays the price" - as do all his family.

I was not in the right frame of mind to tangle with some of the more idiosyncratic Fodorites!

You're right, though, most on this Board are generosity itself, as are many of the Loungers...

I'll think some more about the GTG - it's a grand idea.

Ah now, thats better Libretto. I could not go because I know that Neil would belt me around the head and I believe that he is taller than I am.

Regardless of where it is held I think it would be wonderful to have the first Aus GTG. I doubt I could make it up to FNQ at the present time, but if it ended up in Melbourne I would love to come. I don't do a lot of posts myself but I would love to meet and put some names and faces to the people whose posts I often read.

Melbourne, you say?

Being Clifton and all, either May or September would be fine with me. Working through the fresh start would make it tricky to fly off somewhere else so soon, but something in town sounds like a lot of fun.

Unless something unexpected happens, count me in.

ps - I hope someday to know enough about Australia to be able to join in on this particular forum and give some travel advice.

Hi Clifton, I've been waiting to hear from you!! Well, it's all because of you that this GTG is coming together so I think an executive decision now needs to be made.

MELBOURNE IT IS!!!! I'm thinking around the 22nd May 2010!!

Pat sorry about this I hope you understand but I think Melbourne would work all round.

Are we agreed?

No worries, stormbird, majority rules and as I said, won't be here in May anyway. I might pick your brains about Cappadocia though.

Pat you can contact me at - [email protected] - happy to help with anything - we covered a fair area of Turkey but Cappadocia shouldn't be missed.

Can I contact you too stormbird as I am going with Pat - or at least I will be with Pat some of the time in Turkey. For that matter (EVERYONE) Pat and I have booked a fabulous looking Villa in ( near ) Bodrum for a week and if any of our Fodorites are going to be in Turkey in May we would love to catch up with you.

Clifton, a slight hi-jack to the thread but just wanted to say hope that you and family are settling in and that Santa found your little one on the big day. You will really know what a Melbourne summer is like after Monday when it is meant to be 41 degrees :)

Look forward to hearing from your ivenotbeeneverywhere

I do hope nothing keeps us from making it (depending on what I find, my line of work sometimes involves some travel), but I am looking forward to it. I hate that those who were thinking FNQ might have to change plans or not make it though, over us.

shandy, we're doing well and enjoying being here, but I am really not looking forward to that 41 degrees. It's bad enough today and we're up a little higher in elevation.

I'm in! Some good fares on Virgin and QF just now.
Thanks for the initiative Stormbird.

Aw shucks, Libretto - thank you. I'm really a cranky old trout, you know. Remember that show "Waiting for God"? I'm Diana! ;)