DANCE OF THE SNOW GUMS = RESTING PLACES OF WHITE SKY HEROES. SNOW ON THE BRINDABELLA (BRYN-DA-BELLA) RANGES CHILLED ME TO THE BONE AFTER DRIVING FROM WET SEASON DARWIN TO RAAF FAIRBAIRN CANBERRA, NEAR THE OLD NASA EARTH STATION. I SERVED 6 YEARS LED BY WAR HEROES & STAFF FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. MY ANXIETY & FAUX PAS BROKE DOWN STIFF & STARCHY APPEARANCES OF WRAAFS, NCOS, PILOTS & CO'S ALIKE, MAKING THEM SHAKE WITH MIRTH & TAKE ME UNDER THEIR WING. AT DARWIN, EQUIPMENT STAFF GAVE ME AN XL MAN-SIZE FLYING SUIT TO FLY OVER THE OUTBACK IN AN IROQUOIS CHOPPER. THE CREW ASKED ME TO TAKE PART IN A HOIST RESCUE, SO I PUT MY FEET ON THE SKIS, BENT MY KNEES & JUMPED OUT INTO OPEN SPACE LIKE JEDDA, BUT SWUNG BACK IN, CRACKED MY KNEES ON THE SKIS & TWIRLED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO EARTH LIKE MARY POPPINS. I LURCHED GIDDILY, BUT MANAGED TO STAY UPRIGHT. GRINNING BROADLY, THEY WAVED & YELLED "SEE YA LATER SAL!" I JUST GRINNED, WAVED BACK & WENT WALKABOUT (AKKAD-DU) TILL THEY FLEW BACK & RESCUED ME.