Summer in Sydney

On 5 January we set off to drive to Sydney for a few days. We left at 9.30 am and finally arrived in the city just before 7.00 in the evening. It was a long journey, over 800 km, the equivalent of driving from Cambridge to Edinburgh I suppose but with the added bonus of not having to drive through Yorkshire! We were staying at Sarah's step brothers flat in Bronte, a suburb of Sydney, with views of the Pacific. Will gave up his flat to us for the weekend and stayed with his Aussie girlfriend, Felicity. He welcomed us with a barbie and a beer or two, which was nice after a long, hot drive. Below is an Englishman, Will, doing a barbie in Sydney.
The next day Sarah took me shopping (how interesting!), although I did buy some clothes from the Debenhams of Australia, Myers. Then in the afternoon we went swimming on Bronte beach. It was a hot day although the sea was quite cold and very wavy. There were helicopters flying out at sea to investigate possible shark sightings but I made sure that there was always somebody a little further out to sea than me! In the evening all four of us went for an Italian meal in a restaurant overlooking Bondi beach which was lovely. Afterwards we went to a lively pub, then I paddled in the sea at Bondi beach before heading back to Will's flat.




In the morning Will and Felicity led us (by car) through a maze of streets in the centre of Sydney in order to find our hotel for the next two nights. After making many stops and reverses and u-turns we eventually found the hotel, said our goodbyes and checked in. We then checked out the Botanic gardens, Sydney Opera House and Chinatown. Later, whilst exploring a street market, I was tapped on the shoulder. Who could that be I thought on the other side of the world tapping me on the shoulder? It turned out to be the father of a boy I had taught last year. Steve was here with his father, Bernie, to watch the cricket and they were sightseeing in between defeats. We chatted for about 10 mins and then Sarah and I walked over the famous bridge in the rain! It seemed to be much greener and wetter in Sydney and east of the Blue mountains then it was in Victoria and southern NSW, who were crying out for rain.



In the evening Sarah and I ate a steak meal in a sports bar where they had a poker game going on, two 'soccer' matches (one Aussie and one from England), a recent cricket game and live arm wrestling, all on tv! We then made our way down a couple of bars and ended up in an Irish one on the edge of Chinatown. We amazingly bumped into Steve and Bernie again along with a guy from Lincoln, another from Barnsley and a couple of Irish girls. It was very difficult to understand what the Yorkshire man was saying with all the noise around us and virtually impossible to understand the Irish girls. There are only so many pardons you can say! Anyway we drunk, chatted, danced to a live band and joined in with the Barmy Army chants and generally had a good time. On the way back from the toilet I was accosted by two huge Samoan bouncers and led out of the bar having been accused of being 'intoxicated'. I have been drunk in the past, particularly on my stag nights, as my friend will testify, but I was no way near drunk! A little merry true, but I was in charge of all my faculties. After arguing with the thugs, to no avail, Sarah who had followed me out and then had also been accused of being 'intoxicated', trudged our way back to the hotel. Apparently it is a common thing for big in body but not in brain Samoan bouncers to chuck people out of bars for no apparent reason.


The following day we went to the aquarium and the Sydney tower and did some more shopping (!!!!!!!) and we met up with Steve and Bernie again (as we had arranged to the previous evening) and had a wonderful, and extremely good value, Chinese meal in Chinatown before setting off to have a couple of quieter drinks on the harbour side. We said our goodbyes to Steve and Bernie, as they had been excellent company, and went back early to the hotel as we had another very long drive back to Echuca the next day.



After having breakfast and checking out of our room we got stuck in the hotel lift for 10 minutes and had to jump down from it after being eventually rescued by the hotel manager. I am not so sure if it had jammed because Sarah asked me to do an impression of a kangaroo jumping around the bush or not! We drove home a different route and the distance measured 800 km on the dot, which was strange. On the way we passed a man made lake where the land had been flooded but the large trees left in place. It looked really surreal and something out of the prehistoric era.



The next couple of days we spent chilling a bit. We went to look at Kyabram Nature Reserve where we were the only visitors because of the 40 degree heat. Even the animals were hiding in the shade, except for the Dingos, who were running around their enclosure. Made dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid day sun I suppose. We also picked up our new motor and sorted all the documentation out for that.



Next time Cricket and Bitter (or is it bitter cricket?) in Melbourne.