Hello! Well, it's been a busy couple of weeks. Just wrapped up client #2 in Sydney and have managed to catch a cold while I'm at it. The majority of my friends here have had a cold for a time ranging from 2 to 4 weeks. I thought I had somehow managed to miss it, but alas, no such luck.
As a result of everyone's illness, this weekend has been relatively low key. Home in bed before midnight each night - that's quite an accomplishment here, by the way. Yesterday, we ventured to the Taronga Zoo, which is a short ferry ride from the city. This was probably the best zoo experience I've had. The kangaroo exhibit was a "walkabout" where there weren't any fences between me and the animals. I actually petted a kangaroo, saw a couple with joeys in their pouches and came very close to a huge emu. However, the highlight of the visit was probably the gorilla exhibit, which had approximate 10-12 gorillas, including babies. They were all very active, horse-playing with each other, fighting over an apple, and one even kept pounding its chest. Quite incredible. Oh, and the zoo had amazing views of the city. Here's a sample:
Today, a few of us girls decided to go on a guided kayaking tour of the Northern Beaches. Our tour guide, Conal, is a retired gentleman from South Africa. He was great! He had such patience with the 4 of us girls. The tour was great! We even kayaked out to the Sydney Harbor heads, which means that I actually was officially in the Pacific Ocean and not just the harbor. About 3/4 of the way through our tour, we found ourselves on a beach that is only accessible via the water, where the tour company had set up a nice little "afternoon tea" for us. Now, this did not actually involve tea, but rather apple juice, fresh fruit, gummy worms and a these amazing little chocolate and coconut covered cakes called Lemmingtons. It was a practically perfect day....except where I fell in the water trying to get out of the kayak at said beach. :)
We then wrapped up this evening with some much needed American cuisine. The food here in Australia is really quite non-distinct. Everything seems pretty average, but just a little different tasting than "normal." Therefore, I've been disappointed with dinner more often than I've been pleased or impressed. However, fear not! The American franchise business is alive and well in the Sydney CBD....just a couple blocks from our apartment. A group of us headed out to Tony Roma's for dinner. Ribs, a baked potato and let's not forget the proverbial onion-ring-esque appetizer. It was just what I was craving - something that tasted just as you expected it to!
Well, on that note, it's time to head to bed for another week to start. The time has flown by here. It's been 6 weeks already, which is surprising and depressing all in the same. I continue to have a great time and came to the realization last week that there is nothing I could ask to be different about my life right now. That's a pretty great place to be. I hope you each can find that same place.
Until next time.....
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