Mt Gambier, South Australia

Our four months in Mt Gambier passed very quickly. We stayed with my nearly 97-year old father who still lives in his own house, despite the increasing ravages of time on his body and mind. But he remains happy and determined to reach his goal of living to at least 100. He is adamant that when he leaves his house for the last time it will be in a box. We hope he gets his wish. He loved Lee Tuan's cooking, so much so that he has appointed her as his chef for his 100th birthday bash. We took him on many drives to the coast and places where he lived as a boy and young man. We drove to Hamilton in western Victoria to attend the 2008 Hamilton Beef Expo, memorable for the great lunch of scotch fillet burgers and Coonawarra cabernet. One day we also took my father to visit a retirement village that provides the type of support services he now needs. He knew many of the residents there, and as we walked around they approached him to say hello. Later I cautiously suggested to him that he might consider selling his house and moving into this pleasant village where he would have plenty of friendly company and ready assistance. But he obviously wasn't impressed with this idea, merely replying that he “might consider it in five years time”!