Going, Going... Gone!

Weekend Activity: Auction to buy new bed for Clare. We got there very early to look at all of the things on offer. A big mistake - too much time to realise how many other things we "really needed."

After finding the perfect bed with a very cheap reserve price we sat tight and waited for the begninning of the auction. The bed was all the way down the list (Lot 76) so after about an hour of waiting for all the other things to be sold we managed to secure the purchase!

A quick measure up just to make sure it would fit (perhaps this should have been done before the bidding.) Luckily it was just the right size. Of course I am very happy that Clare now has a new bed but even happier that I get to have her old one. After 6 months of sleeping on the floor, I realise how nice a real bed can be!

School Trip!

On the fourth Friday of every month my students have the option of going on an excursion. Weirdly, none of them have wanted to go anywhere before and have preferred to stay at school to study?!? This week however the class voted to go to Watson's Bay. The sun was out (even though it was still very cold), so we took the ferry over to have a look.

I showed them the views of the city, the harbour bridge and most importantly, Gap Park which is apparently where around 50 people a year jump off in to the ocean to commit suicide. They found this most interesting.

I was a bit worried that one of them might fall off as they were getting so close to the edge to take photos.

Happily I returned to school with the same number of students that I started with, so I should have a job to go to next week.

Brrr - It's Cold In The Mountains

We had an extra day added to our weekend this week to celebrate The Queen's Birthday! Happy Birthday to you! To make the most of this special day, I caught the train up to the Blue Mountains. I knew it was going to be cold, but it was actually FREEZING - winter clothes required (shame I don't have any here).

I realised, about half way through my little trek, that no one actually knew where I was. What if I fell down in to the valley or slipped in to the waterfall - how long would it take to find me? I texted Clare to give her my exact location and to raise the alarm if I wasn't home by dinner.

The walk/trek was a little longer than I'd planned but luckily I was fully prepared with liquid and sugar supplies. I thought fizzy snakes would definitely save me if I was stuck in the wilderness.

I ate so many snakes that I started to feel a bit sick but I managed to get to the end of my walk before the sunset.

Katoomba to Leura - done and still alive!

Lock Down!

Helen had three tickets to see Chicago and invited me and Hayley to accompany her. Unfortunately none of us knew where the theatre was so we arrived after the "lock down" (their words) and missed the beginning. We weren't happy....

We were eventually allowed in and watched Craig Mclaghlan (Henry from Neighbours) putting on a fine performance.

The next day some of my favourite students were leaving school. One boy turned up with a bunch of roses made from paper - "ah, how sweet, you shouldn't have" I thought but luckily didn't say as they weren't for me but for the lovely Sumi.

A Quiet Week

It's been a quiet week! The storms were raging again which meant another flood in our flat then the sun came out and it was time to get out and find some more free things to do in Sydney. The world press exhibition was on at the library which provided an enjoyable morning's activity (with lunch in the park being a highlight!)....

Then I found my way to Elizabeth Bay House, hidden away in the middle of Sydney. I was literally the only person there but it was a little gem. I particularly enjoyed the 1980s, 18 minute video presentation about the history of the house.... I do have a life... honestly....

A Long Journey, Palm Beach And A Caterpiller

I've said goodbye to my visitors so to combat the homesickness I have been visiting new places. This weekend I went to Palm Beach which is where they film Home and Away. I haven't watched it for about ten years but I was still quite excited!

It was "just a bus ride" from central Sydney - I wasn't quite expecting a two hour bus ride but the thought of seeing Alf and Ailsa kept me going. After a little confusion about where to get off the bus, I found the start of my walk from my book "Walking Sydney" - Geek.

It took me all the way up to Barrenjoey Head giving me a beautiful view of "Summer Bay."

Once I found my way down I tried my hardest to find one of the Home and Away cast to get a photo with. I would even have been happy with Sally, but unfortunately there was no one to be seen.

So I had a little lie down, bought myself a chicken burger and found a caterpiller crawling in the salad. Delicious.

Han-The-Ban

One visitor from the UK just isn't enough! Hanna arrived on Friday and immediately got in to the Ozzie spirit.

With only three full days to see Sydney, before beginning her journey up the coast, I had to have my best tour guide hat on. First activity was the obligatory walk from Bondi to Bronte beach...

Then a walk to South Head to see the lighthouse, the entrance to the harbour and the nudist beach (she wouldn't let me take any photos...)


On Sunday we caught the bus to Paddington and the Australian Centre for Photography - this was a wet weather activity. The exhibition was called "Inheritance" and one of the exhibits was a photo booth which transformed your own image in to an image of your future offspring. This is my freakish "daughter".... I am never having children.....

Hanna also came bearing birthday gifts... Thanks for the sunglasses mum!!!! x