Author: TM Diep

Page 9

EGERIA

FAMOUS LADIES: EGERIA
Spanish Pilgrim. 4th Century A.D.
Researched By Marie Beattie

In 1884, a fragment of a diary was found in an Italian monastery. Those who read it were amazed to find letters made into a diary telling of a three year journey to Egypt, Byzantium -The Holy Land. It was written by a lady, possibly a nun, called Egeria. She undertook this journey towards the end of the 4th century. She wanted to see the Holy Land for herself and to tell others what she had seen and the people she had encountered. Some monks helped her to climb Mt. Sinai. Egeria went to Mt. Sinai to retrace the route of Exodus, also Mt. Nebo where Moses died and Carneus to visit Job’s tomb and Edessa to view the tomb of St. Thomas the apostle.
The diary also mentions previous journeys to Egypt, Alexandria, Syria and Constantinople. She also looked for Lot’s wife that was turned into a pillar of salt, but to no avail. Her guide told her the pillar had been there – but not now! It being covered by the Dead Sea. (Sounds like a present day tour guide!)
Egeria’s diary ends suddenly and no more is known of her. It is believed she came from Spain.

Holden Utes are the stuff legends are made of
And legends are never dull

UTE FOR HIRE
Our arrival to Australia didn’t start with any fan-fare. It was early February 1960 during a heatwave. We boarded a steam train in Melbourne, it was hot and through the open windows flew the soot and settled on our steamy bodies. By the time we reached our destination, Ingleburn which seemed the ends of the earth my beautiful white dress with pastel flowers was filthy. Our morale had hit rock bottom. The home sickness started for the scenic outskirts of Munich and the friends we left behind.
It didn’t take long and I found work in my trade and all the people I came in contact with were pleasant. One day travelling on the bus I spotted a sign “UTE FOR HIRE”, and with my lack of English I had no idea what it meant. I felt like shouting to the other passengers “Look! My name, I am welcome here. I’m part of Australia.” Oh! The excitement, it was great.
Since then, I have adopted my story of introduction that I am very famous because they named the Holden Ute after me.
By Ute
(My name is Ute. It’s pronounced “Oota” in English. It originates from Scandinavia and it’s also mentioned in the Nibelungen Tales. Now that I am naturalized, if someone asks ‘Are you fair dinkum?’ I answer, ‘Bloody oath I am!’)

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