A Brief Update

So here’s an update on what I’ve been up to since my arrival down under. This time I even have pictures!!!

January 26^th – Australia Day

Today ended up being a day of fruitless searches. We didn’t make it down to the Darling Harbour (just beside Circular Quay which hosts the Opera House), until 11am. One would think that this should be early enough to make the big festivities, but sadly… no. We had already missed the surfboard races, boat races, etc. We were left to wonder around looking for some entertainment and soaking up the atmosphere. There were lots of people about dressed from the everyday to the red, white and blue extreme! Not to mention those in Australia’s other official colours, green and gold. Odd, I agree.

As I mentioned before, the day of fruitless searches. The first involved a series of overhead flybys that google earth were doing. The flight plan had been published in the paper the day before so one would know where and when the plane would be throughout the day. In theory the picture quality was going to be good enough that you could pick yourself out of a crowd; as long as you were wearing something recognizable.

Ash was determined to be visible for the plane when it flew by Darling Harbour. This involved an intense operation of calls back and forth between us and his parents over near the opera house. Sadly, we missed it at Darling Harbour; the plane was over the Opera House ahead of the originally scheduled time. I have included a reconstruction of what this must have looked like!

We spent the rest of the day searching for a relocated ice cream shop that no one had ever been to. Our quest took us all the way to Chinatown, where decidedly they do not serve very much specialty ice cream.

With our needs gone unfulfilled but spirits uncrushed, we headed to a friend’s house to play some board games. And finally headed to one restaurant of the only Mexican restaurants in Sydney… Montezuma’s. The menu choices were good, but Aussified, and they say ba-JA instead of ba- HA. But hey, I would still go back.

Stick close, there is much more to come… just so little time to write it! But rest assured I will be back and near my comp in about 3 days… and notes are being kept on everything else I’ve done so far. I’ve included these and will definitely elaborate when I get a chance.

Now off to the Blue Mountains!

As a side note…. I also got my first sunburn! Just though I should throw that in for those who may be feeling a tad nippley.

Weekend - Fishing

- penguin in the harbour!

- Nothing caught

- Church at Hillsong that night

Jan 29^th to 30^th Night in the city

- stayed at the intercontinental with a view of the gardens

- out to see Kaidan at the opera house

- dinner at opera bar

- next day wondering through the city

- bats in Royal Botanical Gardens

- Lindt chocolate coffee shop

- good luck boar at Sydney hospital

- "Happy Feet" in the evening, oh my mister mumbles