Last 24 hours in Australia...

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Wednesday 9th
So, my last full day in Australia! Really looking forward to New Zealand tomorrow now, but feel like I haven't finished with Australia (not saying anyone does, but feel like am going to be back at some stage!l). This is a horribly early start - am collected by the shuttle bus 3.55am, and the electrical storm is still going... Make it to the airport in more than enough time, easy through security, then try and keep myself awake... And then see the flight has been delayed for 40 minutes....

Flight takes off at revised time - quite bumpy for the first hour - still lots of rain around, but a safe and easy flight. For some reason the TV works too (only supposed to if you pay for it) - so I channel flick - nothing too exciting which was why I wasn't going to bother buying... Land in Sydney with a nice view from my window seat - but miss the other side through which I can see occassional glimpses of the harbour/opera house... But I have spent so much time looking at those... Collect my bag - my 'guaranteed for a lifetime', 6 month old bag has been damaged - airline has obviously picked it up by tightening strap not bag strap and ripped it out. 'oh, that's an accessory madam, we don't do anything about that, take it up with the manufacturer'. Thanks, Virgin Blue!

Check in a bit early, sort out my tax return then decide to head to Palm Beach, aka Summer Bay. (Home and Away, the other Australian soap). Takes a while to work out where the stop is, but one turns up on time (I think). The bus driver has decided I am his chat buddy for the afternoon - having heard my accent. He grew up in Uckfield, came over in the 1960s as a 10 pound pom... His brother/sister were born in Cuckfield hospital (so was I) - small world, eh. The journey to Palm Beach I thought was an hour, but is actually 1 hour 40 - and we take nearly 2. We chat until Mona Vale - at some point he says his excuse for being late will be that he's chatting me up. Right. He looks like Jack Nicholson, but I have no objection to chatting... Friendly enough!

Finally, after a driver change, we get to Palm Beach - not recognising anything yet, but we (there's about 10 other people with the same idea) follow the driver's instructions back to the surf club - and there it all is, vaguely familiar after having not watched for years, Summer Bay. Manage to get a variety of photos, then hang out on the beach with my book for an hour before getting the 605 back into Sydney. Bus is full of schoolies (it's their long summer break... Interesting to see the fashions, behaviours, and the number of times the driver removes open bottles from hands), but I just update my blog again, and by 745 we in the centry of Sydney although not quite at my destination yet. Got in in time to cook myself some rice/vegetables and collapse into bed. Too tired to check the internet, although the following day, if I had, could have got in contact with Bob & Audrey - never mind!

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Photos

Palm Beach?
(Image from http://www.sxc.hu)