Sydney and Palm Beach

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We arrive in Sydney at 6:55am. Very excited now. Just want to see everyone, and to start hitting the Aussie roads. No problems going through passport control, etc., but stopped off at Downtown Duty Free to get Lorraine’s (Paula and Bryan’s next door neighbour) her brandy and menthol cigs. I considered that my good deed for the day. I tried to phone Bryan’s and Eileen’s numbers to let them know I’d arrived a little earlier than thought, but my phone wouldn’t work.

I waited for about half-hour and made my way to the Avis desk. Just as I did, they came through the entrance. I said my ‘hellos’ then got the hire car sorted out. I got a free upgrade to a Holden (Vauxhall in England!) Astra. With a full tank of petrol, Damon came with me as we set off for Harbord. Bryan said that I would be better going there first, and to shower/change there.

It was a joy to drive from the airport to Harbord. I drove through the bridge tunnel rather the across the Harbour Bridge, as it was a lot quicker. It took around forty minutes to get to Bryan’s place where I gratefully got smartened up. I did feel a right scruff up until then.

Have a quick catch-up with Paula and Lorna. They haven’t changed in the two years I was last over there. It feels like I haven’t been away! Have a quick bite to eat, and then it’s off to Dee Why, the nearest shops, to get a few essentials (batteries, etc.)

Then we stopped off at Narrabeen, so that I could drop my luggage off, and then went for a drive this afternoon up to Palm Beach, and along the winding roads following the Hawkesbury River. I had already been around here before, but it was nice to be out and about. This evening, I was round Bryan and Paula’s for dinner, which was nice and also allowed me to say ‘Hi!’ again to Danni, who is now back and living at home, after her time up in Brisbane with Chris. She’s back working as a teacher again at the same school as before. The name of it, I can’t remember. Chris was also there too when we arrived. It was our first meeting, and I thought he was a real OK guy. Chat about all sorts for a few hours, and then it was back to Eileen’s for some much-needed shut-eye!!

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