Sydney - DKT Page 6

Brisbane to Kingscliff.

Spent the day at Seaworld in Southport: a themepark with rides and sea mammal shows. Dan thought it was hokey and acted bored. K. and T. had a great time.

At motel in Kingscliff, a brazen pair of Pied Currawongs (like big, black & white crows) gobbled up leftover fish and chips on the balcony.

Rose early, left before breakfast, drove south to Byron Bay on coastal highway, visited lighthouse at Broken Head (biggest Fresnel lens in southern hemisphere), had breakfast with hippies at Bolangiel Cafe.

Headed inland toward Grafton, then 150 k's of winding, and often dirt road to Armidale. High plateau country, rolling, beautiful pastureland dotted with copses of gumwood trees that make it look like something out of a Dr. Suess book. Then south from Armidale through Uralla (many posh boarding schools) to Walcha.

Tired after long driving day, couldn't find lodging. Finally directed to the Commercial Pub, which has rooms to let upstairs. The 'Commercial' is currently owned and run by Noel and Irene Grimson and has been in continuous operation for 132 years. It's a beautiful old building on the edge of town, and the pub caters almost exclusively to local 'cockies' (ranchers). The Grimsons left Sydney to start a new life as rural pub owners eight years ago. They have two huge St. Bernards (Haley and Comet).

All of the rooms upstairs share one bathroom. Dan knocked before entering, where upon from within came a lilting female Irish voice saying, " . . . only if ye'd care to sit on me lap."

Dan blushed and respectfully declined.

Later we met the lady in the 'loo'. Her name is Gay-Wyn Johnson, and she is the current sheriff of New England Shire. Her home is 300 km's to the south, on Lake Macquarie, but she resides at the 'Commercial' while completing her six-month assignment working as sheriff on the high tableland. In Australia, a sheriff typically is not involved in law enforcement per se, but is more akin to a US Federal Marshal (serving federal warrants, escorting criminals, overseeing district courts, etc.). She's a big girl and looks intimidating in uniform, but in real life is awfully kind and dear. She thoughtfully offered us the use of her house on Lake Macquarie for as long as we'd like to stay there. She hadn't been home in several months and said it needed some using.

Drove the backroads 300 km's down out of the tablelands to the coast, taking a couple nature excursions along the way; walked around Apsley Falls and Gorge, and stopped by the Gloucester River for picnic lunch (saw a frilled lizard which ran away from us on two back legs, and large iguanas which leapt out of the trees and into the river when we spooked them). Until we got close to the coast, we encountered almost no traffic at all in six or so hours of driving. Not many folks in these parts.

Finally came to Lake Macquarie. The lake is really an inland sea, a smaller version of Puget Sound on the coast of New South Wales 200 km's north of Sydney.

We found Gay's beautiful old home right on the Esplanade overlooking Warner's Bay and the gently rolling, eucalyptus covered hills in the background. Sailboats and Pelicans dot the lake; Friarbirds, Galahs and Crimson Rosellas cavort and squawk in the trees along the water's edge.

Left Gay's house at around 1300, heading south for Sydney. Got lost several times. Came into downtown via Sydney Harbour Tunnel. Found Holiday Inn Park Suites located at Oxford and Liverpool. Checked into very roomy two-bedroom apartment on 15th floor. Great view across Hyde Park to Sydney Harbour and the Opera House.

Dan went for a run at dawn, liking to see a city wake up. This time, though, much of the city had not gone to bed yet. Music still playing in some of the clubs, bleary-eyed couples, hustlers and hookers drifting along the sidewalks . . . and a novel social evolution: we later labeled them 'steroid punks' (young people with usual crazed and gaudy hairdo, metal ornaments hanging from pierced everything, and lots of tattoos patterned onto their hugely overdeveloped physiques).

After breakfast we all went exploring, finally bought a 'Sydney Pass', which allows unlimited access to all public transportation. We rode a bus to The Rocks, an ancient part of the city where a Saturday Market takes place. Lots of crafts, and nothing different than what we find at home. Wandered along the waterfront for a way; visited an exact replica of the H.M.S. Bounty.

A fascinating craft, especially in joinery and rigging, it was originally built for the latest remake of 'Mutiny . . .' (starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins). Much care went into precise duplication of the original (but for the minor modification of an auxiliary diesel added), and we were amazed to see how small a vessel it was. Even so, the newer version has sailed around the world several times. It leaves the dock daily for short cruises with tourists, but we never saw any sails unfurled; probably difficult to find a crew skilled in handling a square-rigged ship.

Took a short bus ride to Darling Harbour and spent several hours at the world-renowned Sydney Aquarium. It's nicely done, with several underwater tunnels, but not nearly as spectacular as the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Found our way home weary and sore-of-foot. Ordered a pizza and watched Liar, Liar on the tube.

Ty and Dan went for early run and played with new airobee on a field in The Domain. Came home and realized that Summer Time had switched on at midnight and that clocks were bumped ahead one hour. Very confusing in that some provinces do not change their time, and two, South Australia and Northern Territories, are one-half hour different from the other six states . . . talk about contrary!

We had planned to take an early morning cruise of the harbour, but were late getting to the Circular Quay because of time change, and also because this morning a World Cup Triathlon was being held through downtown and along the waterfront. Dan was chagrined to find this out since he's turned into such a blob in the last two months of traveling and could not join in. Then we found out that only the top 40-or-so triathletes in the world (male and female) would be participating. Dan's invitation probably got lost in the mail.

So we missed the first Harbour Cruise of the day, and were early for the second. We passed the time watching the women's bike portion of the triathlon from the steps of the Opera House, at the foot of which was the start, finish, and transition area.

Did the cruise . . . very touristy and entertaining. It is a stunningly beautiful harbour area with megabucks houses built along the shore, including this little shack belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Tom and Nicole Cruise/Kidman.

Dan took bus back to hotel to do some writing. Tyler and Kaaren spent the rest of the afternoon at SegaWorld.

For dinner we went in search of take-out food and found the Thai Panic on Liverpool St. Excellent food and a fascinating clientele. Only after we'd been there for a while did we tumble to the realization that the establishment had an overtly gay theme to it. We were fascinated, watching ebb and flow of guys and dolls.

Walked from the hotel over to Darling Harbour to watch a movie at the just-reopened Panasonic IMAX theatre. The screen is the biggest in existence (considerably larger than Seattle's) and really does make for an intense film-watching experience. We saw Africa - The Serengeti.

Wandered around the quay, watching the street acts and listening to musicians.

Had fish-'n-chips while watching a painted aborigine fellow (since then we've come to learn that his name is Alan Dargin, one of the most famous didjeridoo players in the world) entertain the tourists with his didj. Later we saw his latest CD (called 'Bloodwood') promoted in record stores.

K's birthday gift to Dan was tickets to a performance at the Sydney Opera House of Eugene Onegin. We left Tyler at the hotel and went off in search of a quiet little restaurant for a pre-opera dinner. We ended up walking all the way to the Circular Quay where we had a nice al fresco meal near the ferry docks and where we could watch the pre-theatre crowd parade past.

The Sydney Opera House is an extraordinary edifice. The collection of stacked shell-like structures are beautiful and intriguing to behold from without, and an effective venue from within.

We had the cheapest seats in the house ($70 each), yet the view and acoustics were excellent. At intermission we went exploring and found an encircling balcony that juts out over the harbour. The view was breathtaking. It looks out over the bay toward the city lights of North Sydney. About a mile west is the immense steel Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was brilliantly uplit and soaring above the two towers were hundreds of seagulls that glittered in the light like fireflies. Far to the east an electrical storm played over the Blue Mountains.

Dan chose the wrong bus back to the hotel so we ended up getting dumped in a strange and dark part of the city. We found our way home okay, but K. was pretty pissed at D. for being too cheap to take a cab.

Checked out of the hotel at 1000, but before leaving Sydney we spent a couple hours at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The theme of the current showing was depiction of the human body throughout time. It was wonderful and inspiring to see so many great works (painting and sculpture by Rodin, Matisse, Gaugin, Giacometti, Picasso, Degas, Monet, and many, many others) displayed together. Some of the contemporary works were real explicit and pretty unpleasant. Tyler was amazed.

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