Calendar

Next Meeting details:

Back to All Events

POSTPONED - Alison McIntosh and Jan Everingham - The Five Stans

  • Wingham Services Club 28-38 Bent Street Wingham, NSW, 2429 Australia (map)

UPDATE 24/05/2025: Meeting POSTPONED

We have made the decision to postpone the meeting scheduled for Thursday evening due to the current devastation being experienced in our region – and beyond!

After deliberating, we felt it prudent to postpone, as many of you may be dealing with the impact of the flood and unprecedented rainfall. We also have concerns for you travelling at night over unknown road conditions, particularly as we were to meet at Wingham which is still not easily accessible and are now facing the long term impact of losing a section of The Bight bridge.

Sending out our very best wishes for the safety and welfare of you all.

Postponed: In September 2024, Netters Jan Everingham and Alison McIntosh, together with Jan’s husband Charles and six other seasoned travelers, embarked on a Bunniks tour of the Five Stans: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. These five nations were forced into independence in the early 1990s after the collapse of the old Soviet Union. Their boundaries were drawn up 100 years ago to suit the needs of the Soviets, not with the view of their becoming self-governing self-sustaining countries.

Jan and Al’s trip to the Five Stans was in part inspired by Joanna Lumley’s TV series on the Silk Road as they had only limited knowledge of Central Asia other than through the exploits of the likes of Marco Polo and Genghis Khan.

What they now understand is that it’s a region not only shaped by its location at the crossroads of civilization where empires have savagely fought for occupation over many centuries, but that it’s also one of great beauty, both natural and built, of political ambiguities and  tensions, of contradictions evidenced through strongly entrenched cultural traditions and the desire and need to become educated societies, of friendly and welcoming people, of vibrant modern cities and sparsely populated expansive deserts and towering mountains. 

Jan and Al have returned with many photos and amazing memories of a truly wonderful experience, some of which they’d like to share with you.

Please go to the ‘about’ page for cost and requirements under ‘Our Usual Format’ heading

RSVP by 10 am on Mon 26/05/2025 to join us at Wingham Services Club , 28-38 Bent St, WINGHAM on 29th May 2025. We cannot accept late RSVPs once the venue is notified of numbers, and we are required to pay for that number, so late cancellations will still be asked to pay.

  • RSVP via the contact page - including full names of all those you are booking for … AND

  • Don’t forget to let us know of any special dietary allergy or other requirements