Winning a Trip of a Lifetime
Hi, my name is Beau Gielen and this is my story and connection with the QE2.
Back in October 2001, my beautiful girlfriend Lucy Dicker invited me to the Melbourne Caulfield Cup horse races.
Lucy being a professional model borrowed a dress from J’aton Couture, Italian fashion designers and invited me to go to the races.
We arrived at Caulfield Racecourse and it wasn't long until Lucy grabbed a lot of attention from Camera Crews and Newspapers. This was all new to me but something Lucy was very used too.
Lucy entered Chadstone fashions on the field, for fun and I remember Steve Vizard and Lillian Frank were some of the days Fashion Judges. When Lucy hit the stage I cheered, “Number 21” “Number 21” whilst enjoying my beverage. Lucy made it to the finals. She looked amazing and stood out among the finalists. Suzie Wilkes from Channel 9 that announced that Number 21 was the winner! I couldn’t believe it…next thing I’m in this marquee with many celebrities and models.
I asked Lucy an important question “What did you Win?” She said a first class trip on the QE2 around America, and many gifts and prizes. In was in shock. I then asked “Can I come along on the trip?” lol….she said “Of course Silly”. I thought i was dreaming, I’d never been overseas before or travelled on an ocean liner….This was like the movie the Titanic! winning a hand of Poker! Thank God this one didn’t Sink or catch Covid19.
In January 2002 we were flown over to LA then to New York where we boarded the QE2. Cunard decided to upgrade us to First Class, Deck 1 and Dine in the Queens Grill…we had a huge room with our own Stewart /Butler!
The QE2, was the first ship in Port after September 11, and an Aircraft Carrier ported right next to her for security. At Dusk we sailed out of the river Hudson and past Ground Zero where floodlights lit up the site. Teams were working through the night cleaning up the Twin Towers destruction…
We and other passengers stood on the deck near the Bridge of the ship and sang “Amazing Grace” whilst a wreath was thrown into the river as passing.
On the third night whilst a violinist was playing Vavaldi in the main theatre …I proposed to Lucy to be my wife. Thank god she said “yes”.
The Trip was amazing, we went to Florida, Colombia, through Panama Canal, Zihuatanejo, Acapulco, and LA. 14 nights 15 days.
We met some amazing people like Frank McCourt who wrote the book Angela’s Ashe’s, part owners of Disney and famous 60’s rock band Herman's Hermits were also on the ship.
Some of the memories we had of this trip were priceless to Lucy and myself….It was a dream come true and the start of our lives as a family.
Lucy was one of the Faces of Caulfield races and a judge of the fashions in the following years after the trip…we experienced all the amazing marquees and met lots of amazing people.
14 years later after Lucy’s win we thought we would head to Flemington and enter our two boys William and Thomas into Fashions on the Field…They both made it to the Finals and the winner went to our cheeky one Tommy Gielen!.....As you can imagine Lucy and I were in Shock again and very emotional….what amazing luck we have had and we are truly grateful.
Anyway thanks for letting me share my QE2 story!
Beau