"No worries mate, she'll be right," is the expression you hear most when lost or messing up. And, so true. When a hour 45 minute train trip from Wollongong to Rose Bay turned closer to a four hour trip, it was just what it was. In the future I will read my train schedules more carefully. I guess I was getting too cocky when I had not been lost the previous 5 days while traveling on foot, by ferry, train or bus and even plane under the influence of multiple motion sickness tablets. Typical, my sense of direction is not at its best, and no Liz, Allison or Claire to turn me in the right direction. When sitting on the beach looking out, my brain tells me I am looking west. But, of course I am on the east coast of OZ. Something seemed wrong when supposedly traveling east, and each of the station stops sounded so familiar. When as far south as Red fern I was sure I was heading in the same direction that I came, but my train companion, the chef from Austin TX seemed so confident. No worries, I got myself back to Rose Bay, even if it was two hours later than expected.
My Sydney adventure has included walking from Bondi over the cliffs to the most happening beaches on New Year's Day including an evacuation of the water when a shark was sited. Helicopters patrol the busiest of beaches on the lookout:
2013-01-01 Shark alert in Bondi Beach - YouTube
Walked from the harbor to the most beautiful botanical gardens with trees full of cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets.
The white and black or black and white ibis pecks through the parks' grasses.
The flora and fauna isn't that different from LA, but seems like tons more variation. I learned that there are more than 200 types of eucalyptus, and all are scented to remind me of growing up in LA.
not a eucalyptus
The Opera House is all that it is cut out to be. From the airport when Alan first took me to the hills and the harbor : the bridge, skyline and the opera house came into view, my motion sickness-pill popping haze cleared momentarily and a rush of glee overwhelmed me. I was here! The icon of my new land for the year. Of course, I had one foot in each world still since my left shoe was in my mom's trunk (or boot as it is called here).
Today concludes my week long stay in Sydney and if Alan, Adrain, and David (14) tech, cricket instructor, and linguistic support, hadn't done an AMAZING job hosting and spoiling me to the core, I'd probably still be taking the train north and south and wandering Central Station. Instead, I was actually able to steer tourists to the correct ferry. It must have been one of the Australia bank hats that Adrian supplied me that fooled someone into asking a Yank for directions.
People drive plenty in the city, but public transportation is so advanced. Now instead of being a passenger with the Bloom's, my next hurdle is to learn to drive with the steering on the opposite side and roundabouts which you look left to enter right or is it you look right to enter left. I think that I will take Jane's advice and book a driving lesson when I get to Adelaide next week.
Tonight I am off to do the bridge walk at sunset and after dark. I'll be roped in to a bunch of strangers, climbing over the bridges' supports. It looks truly amazing, but a bit daunting. Not something that I anticipated doing, but this is a new adventure!
An enormous "Thanks heaps" goes to Alan, Adrain, David, and Elaine for my welcome to Sydney. My introduction to the country was perfect, and I don't use that word lightly.
Also I loved having Jane as a host in Wollongong, or the Gong as the town is known. Jane has prepared me for my journeys as a yank down under!
Greetings to friends, students, and family in the northern hemisphere
Looks like you are having a blast.
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