DANCE OF THE SNOW GUMS: RESTING PLACES OF ANCESTRAL WHITE SKY HEROES. SLEET FROM THE BRINDABELLA RANGES CHILLED ME TO THE BONE AFTER MY POSTING FROM WET SEASON DARWIN TO RAAF FAIRBAIRN CANBERRA, NOT FAR FROM THE OLD NASA EARTH STATION. I SERVED 6 YEARS LED BY WAR HEROES & PERSONNEL FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. MY IGNORANCE & ANXIETY MADE A LOT OF FUNNY THINGS HAPPEN THAT BRIGHTENED UP EVERYONE'S DAY. CO'S, PILOTS & AIRCREW TEASED ME & TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WING. AT DARWIN, I WAS GIVEN AN XL MAN-SIZE FLYING SUIT TO GO FLYING OVER THE OUTBACK IN AN IROQUOIS CHOPPER. THE CREW DECIDED TO TEST MY METTLE ON THE RESCUE CABLE, 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, BUT MANAGED TO STAY UPRIGHT. GRINNING BROADLY, THEY WAVED & YELLED "SEE YA LATER SAL!" I GRINNED BACK, WAVED & JUST WENT WALKABOUT (AKKAD-DU) TILL THEY RETURNED 45 MINUTES LATER.