back to reality

I now have an En Vogue song stuck in my head...

I'm a tad disgruntled at the moment. Partly because I am penniless - the trip home pretty much wiped me out for the next millennia, and partly because Melbourne is teasing us. One week it is 30 degrees (which I sadly missed), the next we have the heating on again. I am assured that I will be over-hot soon enough...

It was difficult to get back into working after almost a month off. I took the edge off this by joining some friends at the High Vibes Festival in Northcote (just round the corner from my house) for some Sunday drinking, and started the week with a hangover. Good plan Pip! The festival was fun - a slightly raucous affair with far too many people squeezing into tiny 'bar areas' patrolled by overzealous security officials on a power trip. The whole street was cordoned off and the place was heaving. We managed to see a good band, and not spend too much time in the line for the bar which is always a good thing.

I got in to work to discover that my co-worker has not only decided to take 6 weeks off work, but that I am him (and me) for 6 weeks. Would sure help I knew what his job is! But, since I'm always one for a challenge (and a payrise), I'm sure it'll be fine. The rest of the week was spent catching up with friends and generally settling back into life - and trying to keep up the photography despite the crappy weather:

Flinders Station from Southbank

Last Saturday

brought the Aussie Footy League Grand Final. Where the Geelong Cats were playing the St Kilda Saints in the cold and hail. It was a tight game, which made it more entertaining, but the Cats won out in the end. Apparently Geelong (a town abut an hour out of Melbourne) went mad (think FA cup, and that would about explain it). I watched it in a quiet (by comparison) pub in South Yarra, and on walking through Richmond (where the stadium is) a few hours later, I discovered that this was by far one of the better decisions I have made in a while. The place was crazy! This city is AFL obsessed (the vast majority of the teams are Melbourne based), so I'm not sure how they'll handle it now that the season is over!

Sydney Photies

Beautiful Sydney!

It may well have been lunacy to book flights to Sydney the day after getting back from the UK, but my gamble paid off as I only seem to get jetlag going the other way. So, Thursday morning I set off for the airport once more. I was going on my own, partly for some time to myself, and partly because everyone who would have gone with me had already been and I wanted some time as a complete tourist without feeling guilty about dragging people around things they have already seen. And I now discover, a few days later, that it was a very good time to go, as a couple of days later (23rd Sept) Sydney was engulfed in a red dust storm which, whilst looking coolly apocolyptic, would have been a bit of a hindrance considering the havoc it has caused there!

I was only there for about 48 hours, but I managed to cram in a hell of a lot. I walked 'til my feet hurt and my shoes literally died. I took a stupid amount of photos, which have took me an age to sort out (as ever, they are on Flickr, and also in a slide show which I'll post separately). I really feel like I know the transport system and that map inside out! I actually did a first too... I read the guidebook. And not only that, I read it BEFORE I arrived. Jokes aside, this truly is the first time I have actually done that. And in doing so, I actually a) knew where I was going when I arrived; b) knew how the transport system worked; c) knew where things are; and d) knew what I wanted to see and do. It's amazing! Might have to do that again.

Coming in to land at Sydney airport is actually a little scary if you don't know the flight path. As far as I was aware, we were heading in a rapidly downwards trajectory in a definitely seawards direction. They bank steeply at what seems like the last minute. Panic over, I was overjoyed when the captain announced that it was 33 degrees out. Aside from a fleeting day in Melbourne in March, I haven't been that warm since summer in Toronto 2 years ago. Bliss!

I headed down to Circular Quay, to take a look at the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. After seeing so many photos both surprised me. The Harbour Bridge is huge, but so unbelievably similar to the Tyne Bridge that I think my brain scaled it down a bit for easy computation. The Opera House is tiny! And very beige (I was expecting it to be white). Well, not tiny exactly, just not as big as you'd think. Still, such an unusual and impressive building. I'd love to go inside some day.

I took a walk around Farm Cove, behind the Opera House at the edge of the Royal Botanical Gardens. There I discovered not only the flies, but also that the sea wall there isn't solid, and when the waves came up, they came THROUGH the wall! Since they shut the gates to the Botanical Gardens at 6, and I didn't want to get trapped on the other side I opted not to wait for sunset, headed back to Circular Quay, and up to The Rocks where the stairs to the Bridge are.

I never had any intention of doing the Bridge climb. Money aside, my increasingly severe vertigo meant that anything close to that was most definitely off the agenda! I saw a group on their way down the bridge through the binoculars up the Sydney Tower the next day and my stomach turned at the thought. I climbed the steps to the road level, and that was enough for me. The Opera House looked pretty all lit up, and I kicked myself for not taking my good camera with me and missing the opportunity for some cool long exposures (damn budget airlines and their check-in luggage charges). I'll just have to go back again. Oh dear, what a shame.

That night I discovered that just because the hostel has been voted best in Australia and has rave reviews, it doesn't mean there's not a (loud and bassy) nightclub in the basement. It also doesn't guarantee that your roommate isn't a complete moron (I'm too old and grouchy for hostelling these days). Still, the fact that she woke me up so early did mean that I had more day to adventure in. And a beautiful start it was too. I headed back to Circular Quay and checked out Mrs Macquarie's Seat at the edge of the Botanical Gardens. According to the guidebook, this is the best viewpoint in the city. I'm not sure whether they had their specs on or not, but you can't actually see anything from the seat anymore - there's a great big tree in front of it! There was a good view from around the corner though:

Next I hopped on the ferry to Manly. I had been told that one of the best ways to see Sydney is to catch a ferry, and that the Manly Ferry is one of the best. I had also had Manly highly recommended to me, so I obviously had to comply. Credit where credit's due, the Sydney skyline is rather stunning from that boat.

Manly is cute. I think the beaches would have been more idyllic had the clouds not come over and the wind not been so cold. I started to wish I could surf - I might have to give it a go some time. Preferably while no-one is looking. I didn't hang around for too long, both aware that time was ticking, and also getting colder by the second, and headed back to Sydney.

I wandered up to Observatory Hill, where the sun was warm, the views pretty, and the Observatory itself looked like something out of a children's illustrated book. I had a look in the Observatory, but I was met by a hoarde of school children, so that didn't last long!

I wandered back up into the CBD and on towards Haymarket, where I jumped on the monorail. I can't figure out exactly what use the monorail has, except for letting tourists get a better look at Darling Harbour and Haymarket, especially since it only goes one way. But it did give me some great views of Cockle Bay Wharf and all of the bits that I didn't go to - the aquarium, Paddy's Market, and the Chinese Gardens.

Next stop was the ANZAC memorial and pool of reflection in Hyde Park, which were nice, but understated, before heading to the Sydney Tower. Apparently you can see the Blue Mountains on a clear day. Evidently it wasn't clear enough! Or, at least, the glare from the setting sun obliterated that bit of the landscape. Still, the views of the Sydney area were great. I just wasn't too impressed by the broken pane of what seems to be very thin glass that separated me from the inside of the tower and a very long drop...

Next was Bondi. I caught a train to Bondi Junction, and the followed the hoardes catching the bus to the beach. It was only 9.30am but the beach was already full. The sun was shining and the surfers were out in droves. As one of the most famous beaches in the world, Bondi was smaller than I'd expected, and the view of it from the viewpoint rather unassuming. But I have to say, I am a fan - despite how busy it is. Maybe I was swayed by the beautiful weather, and the fact that I just love to be near the ocean. I could have happily stayed there all day. However, time was, once again, pressing, so I headed back into the city to take a final look around.

I was headed for the Domain, a section of greenery joined to the Royal Botanical Garden where the Art Gallery of New South Wales sits on one side, and the beautiful Sydney Hospital sits on the other. Mildly disturbed by the "Rock in a tree" outside the gallery, I checked out the inside, where I found a cool Aboriginal art section. I continued my wander on into the Botanical Gardens via the Woolloomooloo Gate, and promptly got lost! They are bigger and far more complicated than I was expecting! It being a Saturday, and a lovely day to boot meant they were heaving, so I didn't stay too long. I did stay long enough to see the bats however. Fruit bats I presume, hanging from the trees in broad daylight. I was shocked by how big they were, and how loud!

After heading back up to Haymarket to check out the Queen Victoria Building which is just as beautiful on the inside as it is out - originally built as a monument to QV in 1898 it has been a concert hall, library, and is now a shopping mall, housing some of the more up-market shops, I headed back down to The Rocks, to pay Dawes Point Park a quick visit. There I discovered that there is an awesome market on in The Rocks at the weekends, so I wandered around there for a while, wishing that I had more time (and of course, any money at all!). Finally, I got down to Dawes Point, and look what I found!

Pirates! Ah harrrrrr

Nice amusing conclusion to a jam-packed 48 hours. I don't think I could have done much more in the time allowed (I even managed to get some shopping in!). Sydney is beautiful, that's for sure. I definitely only scratched the surface. I want to go back and check out all of the beaches and beautiful coastline sometime, there's just so much more to see.

Home Sweet Home

What a crazy few weeks!

I enjoyed pretty much every minute of it. Except falling off my bike twice in one day perhaps (first in a nettle bush by the side of a busy road when the gear cable snapped, second on a patch of grass in the cul de sac where I grew up whilst testing out the newly fixed gear cable. The latter hurt more, and was far more embarrassing because it was in front of my dad who looked at me like I was an idiot. It’s a good job my bridesmaid dress was floor-length. I had scrapes and bruises a 12-year old would be proud of).

I also broke my camera. And my kite. I actually broke the camera in the process of breaking the kite. There is a lesson there: sandy beaches, cameras and stunt kites (of the lean-back-and-take-the-weight variety) aren’t a good combination when the wind drops. The result is that you’ll end up flat on your back on the sand, your brother will laugh at you, and you’ll get sand in the lens mechanism which won’t come out even after your friend Dan takes it apart and puts it back together for you (minus the obligatory unexplained piece of plastic that doesn’t seem to do anything and you can’t remember where it came from).

To everyone I left in Melbourne, gloating that I was headed to the summer side of the world; I definitely spoke too soon. It was warm and humid when I arrived, which was lovely, but I think that a Placebo song covers it nicely for me:
‘English summer rain, always seems the same, nothing ever changes. English summer rain always lasts for ages.’
Yes, that definitely covers it. I mind it less here though for some reason. Probably years of getting used to it…

My flight to the UK was long but eventless. I even got 3 seats to myself on the 13-hour leg. Two seats free on the whole plane and they were next to me… bliss! I ignored the hate stares coming from other, less spatially advantaged passengers and caught up on lots of movie viewing, almost strangled some idiot in the bagel place in Heathrow terminal 5 who couldn’t work the till, tried to order coffee in HK airport without actually having any HK dollars (they wouldn’t accept anything else and I was being pretty blonde), and didn’t sleep for 39 hours (in total – I was travelling for 30). The jet lag lasted days. 3pm was a killer. But it was amazing to be home and see everyone.

It’s a pretty rare treat to have the whole family in the same place at the same time these days so the bank holiday weekend was crazy but fun when we all descended on the parent’s house. I spent 3 days being used as a climbing frame. In the last 6 months my 3-year old nephew has become boisterous and incredibly articulate. I spent the weekend discovering the delights of pre-drooled chocolate (yum); that he has very sharp elbows and knees (ouch); that girls are not allowed to play football (soccer) under any circumstances; giving a small child a bedtime (i.e. calm-down) bath is definitely NOT my forte; the only reason Grandma can’t beat T (my nephew) in a race is because she’s old (apparently); children think nothing of going into the North Sea fully clothed in September (until they go in head first); that not all plastic food tubs are microwave safe (woops); that turning children upside down might seem clever at first, but they like it too much and it just gets exhausting (and has drool-in-the-face based dangers); and that I am, apparently ‘a funny one, aren’t I, Aunty Phillippa?’ Hmmm. He is, quite simply, enchanting. And hilarious. Mustn’t forget hilarious.

I have caught up with lots of friends over the few weeks, eaten a lot of meals out and drunk a little (not as much as you’d think!). I spent a fabulous (if rainy) day in Glasgow with Donna. Drinking cocktails in the beer garden in the pouring rain at 4pm on what should be a work-day is far more fun because you’re probably not supposed to be doing that as a ‘grown-up’ I think. I was visited by Dan for the weekend, which was fantastic. Though he did spend an inordinate amount of time trying to fix my camera… sorry about that mate!

And of course, the reason for my trip home… Sanna and John’s wedding. And they couldn’t have had a better day for it. The day before, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Who’d have thought that we’d be able to have drinks on the lawn if they’d been there the week before? The day went (almost (and nothing to do with us)) without a hitch. I even managed to not fall over or down the stairs on the entrance to the room where the ceremony took place. Note to self: must check on the surface you have to walk on before getting your dress fitted with 4 inch stiletto heels on – steep stairs and thick carpet aren’t good for that! Linden Hall and the gardens are beautiful. As was the bride. The speeches were entertaining, and the dancing was crazy. There were some sore feet (and heads) the next morning.

The journey home was long. 42 hours door to door. Ouch! Second only in time to the epic 72 hour bus journey across Canada. I only found out when I got to Heathrow that my 2nd flight had been changed and was now an hour and a half longer, and only found out the reason for that when I got on the plane. They'd added a stopover in Jakarta. Considering we were setting off from Kuala Lumpur that didn't really make all that much sense to me but what can you do?! By the time we'd gone over timezones, back again and then again, we were all so confused we didn't have a clue what was going on!

Catching up with so many people came with one major disadvantage: it made me even sadder about all the people that I couldn’t catch up with. I would have loved to have made it down to Oxford, or London, or to Manchester (and Liverpool, Gillian!) but time and money were not on my side. I must say a huge thank you to everyone for their phonecalls, and effort made to catch up in person; to Donna for taking a day off work (what a hardship ;) ); to Dan for hiring a car and driving all the way to Northumberland; to the wedding crew for a great couple of days; my family for, well, being there (and being fun); and to everyone who made the trip as fab as it was. ‘Til next time. Big love.