Week 1 Update
Trip Start
Nov 11, 2006
1
10
Trip End
Aug 31, 2007
Sydney, Australia
Friday, November 17, 2006
(by the way, if at any point, this blog starts to feel like an unnecessarily long flight, feel free to pull the chicken switch and go straight to pics and vids.)
Mom and I arrived in Sydney at 10:30 p.m Sunday night, after leaving home at 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning. We cleared customs, waited for sleepy taxi drivers to make it out to the airport to pick up the last flight of the night (evidently), and headed to the Four Points, Darling Harbour hotel.
The beginning of the week was mostly about recovery, but included a fantastic ferry ride with great pics and video of the harbour bridge and the opera house. By Wednesday, we were ready to explore our Aussie roots, so we hired a car and set out for the southern suburbs.
We spent the morning with Keith & Jean Smith who still live across the street from the Bexley North Church we attended in 1970. That was about the only detail that had remained constant over the last 30 years!
Here's the rundown on the status of all the meaningful places:
78 Permanent Ave, Earlwood - first house family lived in upon arrival - apparently abandoned and run down... but still there!
12 Walamutta Rd, Carringbah - second house - razed to the ground for new apartment complex, the land was dangerously close to the ocean, so much too valuable to be left as-is.
11 New Illawarra Rd, Bexley North - Mance (Parsonage) next to the church - along with the rest of the church, was transformed into a day care. Ironically, the church building is a heritage site, so they can't touch the outside, but the inside now makes up a nursery and learning school. The gracious staff gave us a tour and assured us that it is all being put to good use.
Sutherland District Hospital, Carringbah - where I was born - also demolished to be replaced with Version 2.0.
19 Glyn Street, Punchbowl - the only house I had a chance of remembering - also demolished to make sure an upwardly-mobile Aussie couple could live out their suburban dream.
The highlight of the day:
Colonial Pre-School, Lakimba - did some time there at age 2 - we sheepishly knocked on the door to see if "Auntie Billie" my favourite Maori caregiver was still working there. Once the staff realized that I had been there as a child 34 years ago they paraded us through the building telling everyone that the prodigal had returned home. We all took pictures with each other's cameras, then said our goodbyes. There was that one freaky deja-vu moment, when I walked into the playroom and was eerily transported back in time, but it didn't last long enough to really remember what was on my mind at age 2... I know what you're thinking - yes, it was probably very similar to now: "food, sleep, toys"
So now we're on to Manly Beach in north Sydney. We found a great hotel right on the beachfront, just in time for the wintry weather! I defied mother nature and planted myself in the rooftop hot tub long enough to get a sunburn... I'll tell everyone here I got it surfing - just like my finger injury.
Observations so far:
- Australia IS fantastically beautiful
- Aussies make fun of Kiwis (New Zealanders) just like we make fun of people from Arkansas... and for the same reasons!
- Not everyone says "Crikey!"
- At every intersection, remind yourself that you're in Australia before proceeding (don't ask)
- The Aussies are as friendly and hospitable as everyone says... I've received offers for Christmas Day, sailing, tea and a place to stay.
That's it for now... there's more to come, so stay tuned.
Comments
Nice Blogging
Can smell the ocean, hear the gulls, and feel the joy in your mom's heart. You're a good boy on an incredible adventure. I must see that Opera House personally one day. Will look forward to more.
thanks for sharing
So nice to see pics of your adventures -- keep 'em coming!
Your First Week
That was really fantastic! It is better than being there because we didn't have to endure the 12 hour flight. Did you forget to bring a good book? It is so wonderful to see downtown Sydney and the Harbour Bridge and Opera House!! Did you attend an event at the Opera House? And did you get there, on foot, climbing the bridge? We recognized the abandoned house. Too bad that your nursery school did not have the same Nanny there.
Glory Be! Nathan is finally released to start driving home! Sat. Nov.18. With a day or two at David's, he might just be lucky enough to get here for Thanksgiving! Dad just now said, Nov. 25th!
God go with you on your exotic excursion!! We love you! Aunt Marilynn and Uncle David
See the Blog. Be the Blog.
The history of the infamous boy toy is fascinating--but I prefer a little twist of lime in my coke. You know full well you could play with a toothpick for 12 hours and not even know the plane landed. Now show me the money. I bet the marrow is in the story you left out. :)
Re: See the Blog. Be the Blog.
Ok, so I couldn't NOT respond to this one, Teresa. There was more to the flight, but not much more... I was dangerously close to finding the end of my fun quotient. Thankfully, they brought more food just in time to distract me. You know I live on the bottom rung of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
Wolf Creek
It's all beautiful until the car breaks down and a dude with a 12-inch knife shows up.
Most of all, Have Fun
Mark, great pics and nice to see you down there with your mom. Tell her I said hello. Enjoy your time and who cares what people say!
Arkansas?
Hey come on man... why you gotta bad mouth Arkansas?