Bell dancing midgets and Christmas in July

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Sorry it’s been a while since I have added to my blog, have been trying to keep my head down and trying to save money for my upcoming travels. “Trying” being operative word there. I have been working in a new job since the middle of March, for a company called Premiere Global Services, as a sales coordinator. Sounds impressive eh! Its ok (for an office job) people are nice and we all got given chocolate eggs for Easter and I don’t know many girls that would complain about that! I am lucky enough that they are letting me have 2 weeks off when Ed comes to visit in July, then I only have about 3 weeks after that before I am off (not that I am counting the days you understand).

I finished my photography course and started a new one last week, where we do more shoots, - a bit more hands on. The teacher is very inspiring, one of those people that has been everything and done everything and makes your life seem very ordinary indeed! Rachel and I also visited the Royal Sydney Easter Show, something that every local told us not to bother with but everyone else said it was great, so off we went. It was like a cross between a fun fair and a country show, - yes there were lots of cute baby animals that no one but girls and children saw the point of, rides, music, displays, and shows - we managed to see a belly dancing midget, a rodeo show and a sword swallower amongst other things! Oh and the SHOW BAGS! Anyone Aussie will understand this, but it’s a bit of a foreign concept anywhere else. Basically they are like party bags that you used to get at kids parties, but for grown ups and I think it’s the main reason most Aussies go to the show! It was a long but really fun day out.

A lot of the photos on this blog are from the manly Spit walk, a famous 10km walk round the coastline near Manly (funnily enough!), some gorgeous views and was really nice to get out of the city and have a change of scenery. Talking of exercise I have also joined a gym and have been on a fitness drive so that I won’t be dying of exhaustion half way up a mountain in Nepal --- why oh why did I book myself on to treks? I am so not a trekking person, but as everyone keeps telling me (and I keep telling myself) it will so be worth it.

As I posted on facebook, I went for a very interesting dinner the other night at a place in Sydney called Table for 20, a concept restaurant that started at the owner’s house and has ended up as an extended dinner party where the guests don’t know each other; you are all seated on long tables and served communally. It’s actually more restauranty than it sounds, but the food was amazing, we met some very…interesting people and what a great idea! (No setting one up at home guys - it’s my back up plan if the photography doesn’t pan out!)

I have a friend that we met in Canada coming to visit next weekend which I am looking forward to (hello Timmy!) and its not that long really before Ed gets here and we are spending 2 weeks travelling from Melbourne to Alice in a camper van, via the Great Ocean Road and Uluru, where we are doing a sunset helicopter trip - cant wait!!! As well as the two week trip we are planning on going to the Blue Mountains, which are a couple of hours outside Sydney, where in July they celebrate Yuletide - Christmas in July - Rachel and I are really looking forward to it as we both had a non traditional (for us) hot Xmas last year, so we have booked ourselves in for a 5 course Xmas dinner complete with Xmas pud and turkey, and are just hoping we get snowed in so we don’t have to go back to work!

In the meantime people, comments and messages are always welcome, and blogs rather than mass emails are not an excuse not to email me!

Love always Sal

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Photos

My birthday afternoon tea
At the Queen Victoria Building

My birthday afternoon tea
At the Queen Victoria Building

Opera house at twilight
You can never have enough photos of this building!

Botanic Gardens, Sydney
The Harbour Bridge

Surfers near Tamarama
I saw some of the best surfing I have seen this day - Bondi is def for tourists, the proper surfers go elsewhere!

Comments

[Ed]

Looking very regal whilst taking tea there Sal. Can't wait to see you x

[Sarah]

ahh sally, sally, it looks fab! manly is bringing back lots of memories for me. say hello to Timmy. x

[Mum]

As always my Sal, so alive and vivid. Loved the photos. Take care, miss you!. Love Mum xx

[Birthdaydad]

just love your pictures Sally

[MJ]

Good to see you are still taking photos of the Opera House! Your writing, as always, is brilliant. Glad things are going swimmingly. Miss you my pal xxxxx