Piggies 60th Celebrations2019 is the Chinese year of the pig. It is also the year that we, along with a whole host of our long-time dear friends, were born. Continuing the tradition of celebrating milestone years together, as we did in Bali back on 2009, we met up with over 30 people in McLaren Vale, South Australia, in late September, for four days of festivities and fun marking the 60th year for many of us. 
We started our journey in Adelaide where we spent two days with Barb and Dave. Under blue sunny skies we walked the streets and parks of the City of Churches, enjoying not only the lovely old stone buildings that adorn the city centre and the verdant parks and gardens, but also the fresh produce of the Central Market and riding the tram to the beachfront district of Glenelg. Our guide on one of the days was Ros, an ex-neighbour from Mt Lawley who has been living in Adelaide for eight years. Always nice to reconnect with old friends.
From Adelaide we drove the short distance south to McLaren Vale. Here we met up with our Piggies Celebration troop who had gathered from various locations around Oz and NZ. Our main organiser Jane, ably assisted by Sue, had done us proud with events lined up to keep us entertained over the ensuing four days. From the base of the McLaren Vale Motel where we had commandeered the majority of rooms and suites, we proved that 60 is no barrier to getting out and having a good time. Main events included: • A gourmet wine themed dinner at Shingleback Winery interspersed with speeches and presentations, followed by music and revelry. • A paired cheese and wine tour to several of the regions feature wineries. • A 12km walk or bike ride along the Shiraz Trail to Wilunga for lunch at The Farm. • Four hours of kayaking at Noarlunga, culminating in riding the waves in the open sea at the river mouth. • Improvised BBQ dinners around the communal alfresco dining area.
We are social beings with an innate need to belong in a group comprised of like minded people, essentially our own tribe. With connections going back to our school days, many of us who gathered for this special long weekend of celebrations have known each other for well over 40 years. The bonds of friendship and family-like comfort within the group reinforce this primordial need. These wonderfully diverse folk are truly our tribe and when we gather, it is always with joy, love and a strong sense of belonging binding us together. Our 60th birthday celebrations in South Australia certainly lived up to all expectations. Informal discussions are already underway for the next festivities in 2023 – Piggies 65th Celebrations.
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