12.25 pm – Friday 16 March

Sydney is getting ready for St. Paddy’s Day, although I don’t know if they will be turning the Harbour green….

Cannot believe it is Friday already, and also feel that it could not have come sooner as am still pretty tired and don’t think another day of frantic running would have done any good for my poor feet. Have been worried that the fact my bag was empty meant that my marbles were lost. But this is apparently okay, so we will proceed. Students met today told me that it took them about a week to get over the jetlag – so will not be insanely concerned by the fact that I tend to crash out between 7.30 and 8 every night. No need for hypochondria.

In a bit of better mood than last night after return from 15 hour day :) Mood did get slightly worse when discovered that maids had thoughtfully removed my second half of my banana… but this was deemed small inconvenience after taking my vitamins.

Now, to resume observations and descriptions from the mind of Bonnie Blue: firstly, to talk plants – there are lots of familiar plants growing wild (which is not unusual really except for the vast distance away from other habitats). Lantana, cannas, oleanders, bougainvillea, the occasional crepe myrtle, red bottle-brush plants (although those may not be native to Louisiana – might be the Master Gardners who I house-sat for that have given me this skewed awareness), There are apparently hundreds of varieties of eucalyptus tree, and also a similarly confusing number of types of tea tree! Who knew? Naturally, loads of palms and pampas grasses and spiky Florida-type things. Pine trees are wispier and have massive cones.

There are these interesting pines which remind me of Monkey Puzzles, but are cone-shaped – they are Norfolk Island Pines. These are from (shockingly) Norfolk Island. And the reason we should know about Norfolk Island is that this is where Spencer Christian (mutineer from The Bounty) settled. Was pleased to be able to say that was aware of The Mutiny on the Bounty as my Daddy had me watch it when was impressionable youngster :) This made me less of the clueless American.

Tuesday Trip to Newcastle (or actually in Newcastle, since already described trip up sort of) was interesting. This was one of the first locations settled by convicts (actually maybe the first) and is also still the largest coal exporting port in the world! There were masses of boats sitting out off the coast waiting to be allowed into port. Coal comes from the Hunter Valley, I think. Newcastle is lovely city, smaller, but amazingly gorgeous beaches and fantastic waves. There was a surfing event there, which is being held in the gap between professional event in Queensland a couple weeks ago and professional event in Melbourne two weeks from now. So may have seen famous surfers but had no idea of this, and so life goes on. N. is apparently unusual in its preserving coastal areas for residential properties and much of that is established family homes rather than apartment blocks and unfortunate developments that spoil the view. Close call catching train back (Aussies are pretty lax about worrying about precise times), but made it – thank God, as I was about to collapse.

Oooh, and Newcastle was also a WOOL port in the past. Have been informed of existence of local wools… !

Wednesday spent back in Sydney at Macquarie Uni and then took bus back into city so as to ride over The Bridge! Naturally seated on wrong side of bus and have sad photos of Opera House through bridge railings flashing past. But it was still fun. There was a small amusement as bus pulled into lay-by off the freeway and parked behind two other busses. Then all the drivers switched places after about 5 minutes and then bus proceeded into city. Quelle confusion.

Canberra was very different colour (dusty) than Sydney (green) in that is much drier (due to drought) and vegetation is kind of like Central Texas summertime (but prob. no cacti), having to make do in sandy/rocky soil. Sydney and along the coast during first part of flight, much much greener and as soon as you get past Sydney limits, the ground starts this wavy hill texture covered with trees and with rivers heading to the sea. This gradually turns to mountains, with cliffs along much wider rivers and the weirdest thing is that in a cloudless sky below the plane, there are massive pillows of solid cloud (that is an oxymoron if ever I saw one) nestled between mountains and which do not extend higher than the tops of the mountains. Most of trip is over green mountains and then land flattens toward farmland as approach Canberra. Immediately past mountains is still green, but gets dustier the closer to Canberra you get. And it was certainly hotter sitting in the sun yesterday than walking in Sydney – felt like vexed crispy cactus plant. Today, feel like cooked-until-tender cactus plant, but we shan’t dwell… There are road signs with a little hopping silhouette warning motorist to slow for next 4km due to kangaroos – tee hee hee. Saw no roos, though.

Am maintaining my approachable aura, apparently. Have provided assistance of various types to at least one person a day since Honolulu – ranging from helping children find way out of airport to informing Phillipine lady of which train to take from Redfern station and when to debark (and who has grand plans of visiting me in Norwich when she visits UK at undetermined date in future). It is a good thing to be helpful. There ought to be more helpfulness in people so as to give good energy into the world.

And then sometimes, approachableness serves no purpose per se, but may provide one with amusing conversation during boring walk through airport and on train – met CompSci PhD candidate named Peter with daughter named Katharine (sp?) who is moving to Melbourne sometime between April and July to begin research post. Conversation began with his noticing red V inescapable at a glance and horror that I reached burned state in 32*C sunshine whilst ‘working’; was amused by my attempting to sell Norwich as prime destination for students; also likes Yes, Minister, and quoted it several times, but which I have shamefully never seen.

Have noticed that Aussies like their cars quite a bit – not, perhaps, as much as Americans. There is good public transport here in my easily-amazed Yank opinion even though every single native I have met whinges about how horrid it is and how sorry they are that I had to use it. And did you know (according to rail service propaganda sign) that one 8-car train removes 2000 cars from the road? Of course, there are small issues that could deter public usage, such as the recent rail haltage which left commuters underground – no water, no toilets and in locked cars nonetheless – for THREE hours! One person had a fit – a medical one, not one of pique. That was the evening that I headed back to hotel early and am quite glad, although think ‘delay’ was on different line.

Also, would like to commend sensibility of internal flying experience. There is no hysteria over liquids; people can accompany loved ones to gate area; just general calm. AND when is the last time you were offered a complimentary cocktail or glass of lovely Australian vintage on a domestic flight? (Do I hear crickets chirping?) As if this weren’t enough, both of my flights yesterday involved a SNACK – 7.40am = muffin, dried apricots, water and another beverage; 7.30pm = six crackers/biscuits, nacho sauce and, although this doesn’t exactly match gastronomically, a chunk of camembert, water and vino (well, my choice was vino) – and the pm flight was a 30-minute flight! V. acceptable, I must say.

This afternoon, have grand plan (after silly meeting which is not scheduled to end til 4pm) of taking ferry to Manley and having lovely dinner there in beach front establishment of some sort. V. pleased to have week travel pass as provides ability to toodle. And we all know how much I enjoy toodling!

Things I must do:
* locate wedding pressie of exotic Oz origin, but which is practical and useful. At this point neither a boomerang nor a kangaroo skin is not in the top 10, but…
* locate wool merchant selling yarn of local origins
* find local markets for tomorrow excursion
* determine plan for tomorrow as last day ‘in’ Sydney
* buy more bananas
* sleep