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Published: January 2nd 2008
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Can you tell... I'm in Australia... So chilled out that I could not really be bothered to write :-) Also I'm very aware that most of you reading this are in cold countries... the UK etc.... where I understand the weather is foggy and dark... Well here things are a different story. The day I arrived in Sydney, boxing day, the weather that had been cold and rainy changed to sunny and hot. The sun is different here, much stronger and the temperature is pleasant... Yes, I've arrived in paradise where you can't help yourself and just want to spend time outdoors.
So that's what I've done mostly hiking and swimming. Boxing day was spend strolling around Sydney, the following day I dragged Sasja to Manly beach... and instead of doing the normal thing and going for a swim we hiked from Manly to Spit Bridge. This was a good 9km through Sydney Harbour national park. It was stunning. The following day we set of early to the Blue Mountains, Sydneys 'backyard'. The first day we hiked from the Three Sisters to Leura waterfall.. a good three hours and the following day another hike took us to
the ruined castle (a pile of rocks). In addition to mounting muscle aches there was some extra excitement of the kind that I had hoped to postpone till later in the trip... I saw my first (and I hope last) snake. We had set of early to prevent hiking in the full sun around mid day. And I guess meeting the wildlife comes with being the first one on the path. Anyway, it was 'hanging out' on the hiking path and slithered away about 2 meters in front of me. I'm glad it did because I'm not a bush walker yet and would not have spotted it (even though it was about a meter long and black). Luckily, except for intense beauty of our surroundings, there was not much else on our path for the rest of the 5 hour hike. We took an alternative way back and when we got to a dirt track taking us back to Katoomba we got a lift from a local who wanted to save us from the burning sun. This adventure was followed by a nice beer and we returned to Sydney.
The next day was spent, sampling the local beaches. My home this week has been Bondi Beach (yes, not a bad place to call home) and these is a lovely path to Tamarama and Bronte beached. The surf was very high (there have been some cyclones up north) so the beaches were closed to swimmers. Still that did not deter us from getting our feet wet and working on the tan that is the only souvenier I'm planning to acquire. Following this chilled day it was time for New Years Eve. I've discovered Bondi Icebergs (a salt water swimming pool that is in Bondi bay and waves splash over it... hard to explain but it is fabulous... swimming with a view) so I started my day there with a long swim. Later that afternoon I met with Tina and Lynn at the Operahouse were we camped out in anticipation of the fireworks. Lynn and Sasja kept us and most people around us entertained with an a combination of gossip, pantomime and singing. Hysterical. And then it was time for the fireworks! I have never seen a setting like this; fireworks in 3d. There was fireworks from the building of the city, from the bridge and from behind the Opera house. Serious, a more beautifull setting is hard to imagine. I'll see if I can post the videos on facebook. In good form the 4 of us when to a club in Darling Harbour to make it back to Bondi around the time the sun was coming up. A great night!
I've stuck around and went into 'work' today and got in a long walk from Coogee to Bondi and a swim at Icebergs. I could get used to this?!? So about time to leave. Heading up to Queensland next where the weather has been horrid (cyclones, rain and gales...but still a pleasant 33C). Fingers crossed that changes as I'll be arriving in Airly Beach tomorrow and would like to sail the Whitsunday Islands... Kiss, Fi
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Fianne
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Ha Fi, Wat een verrassing, een mail uit Sydney. Vakantie? Hoe lang blijf je daar en wat zijn je plannen? Paul en ik zijn ook op Bondi Beach geweest. Echt geweldig. Sydney is sowieso een superstad. Ik zou daar graag nog een keer heengaan. Maar nu even niet! Mijn eerste wens is weer goede nachtrust. Maw een doorslapend kind ;) Het gaat hier allemaal goed. Druk, maar gezellig. Nou een super 2008 gewenst en tot in dit nieuwe jaar. XX Fi