Roadtrip, Day 9

Killer sheep. I kid you not.

We arrived home this evening from our roadtrip, having taken just one brief pit-stop in Goulburn, NSW to see the famous "Big Merino" (that's me in front of the 15 meter high beast).

Spending a relaxing night back at home, we watched a New Zealand film called “Black Sheep,” which turned out to be a horror flick very much in the vein of the horror-comedy “Shaun of the Dead.” With mutant man-eating sheep and zombie-like effects that turned people into similar creatures if they survived the sheep bite, we were laughing out loud at the gore and absurdity of it all.

Total distance traveled on our 9 day roadtrip: 3079km


Aussie Word of the Day: doona cover = douvet cover

Roadtrip, Day 8

Disaster. After an evening in the god-forsaken town of Warrnambool, just up the coast at the end of the Great Ocean Road, Amy was ill most of the night. Maybe it was due to the heat or dehydration, or a combination of that with the KFC we ate for dinner. (Turns out it was the flu. See 1/3/08 entry.)

The town we stayed in used to serve as a whaling and sealing station, but now it seemed to survive on tourism, though we found little worth stopping for. No restaurants were open; the streets were dead, which we found strange for a Friday night.

Another oddity: why was nobody wearing shoes? We sat and tried to eat our chicken dinner, but were kind of disgusted by customer after customer who came into the restaurant without shirt or shoes. This was obviously commonplace, but we’re so used to “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service.” Needless to say, we felt very out of place as entire families came in, barefoot, from the mall parking lot to get dinner.

After a sleepless night, we beelined east towards Sydney, crossing the sate of Victoria in sizzling 40 degree Celsius temperatures! Rolling fields, occasional trees, we’re edging along what feels like Outback.

Aussie Word of the Day:
bloody scorcher = really hot day

Roadtrip, Day 7: Great Ocean Road

Black flies. Bus loads of tourists. Both swarm sights along the Great Ocean Road, overlooking the beautiful views of the Southern Ocean. But it was worth every swat and every crowded platform as we braved the hot sun, ooh-ing and aah-ing at every turn. Natural rock formations along sun-drenched, steep cliffs meet the great blue-green ocean.

Serene, cool rain forests are tucked into the nearby valleys, surrounded by pastures of grazing cows and rolling farmland. We walked a couple fairly easy trails, viewing Triplet Falls and experiencing the damp micro climate of the forest.

Aussie Word of the Day: Australian wave = swatting away flies

Roadtrip, Day 6

It shouldn’t surprise me at this point, but I am continually having to be reminded that Australians don’t like to work.

We had driven down from the woods north east of Melbourne from Marysville, Victoria, around the city’s eastern edge, and then south around Port Phillip. It was 3:30 by the time we’d finished lunch at the Pig & Whistle Pub/Brewery. Our plan was to catch last ferry to Queenscliff, a tourist town at the tip of the Mornington Peninsula, scheduled to run at 6pm, which would have been fine, except our GPS calculated 180k to our destination!

I surmised there would be an extra run or two considering the vacationers and all the holiday traffic—but no! No Aussie works late, ESPECIALLY on holidays. Luckily our GPS was wrong and it was only 20k to the terminal.

With plenty of time to spare, we walked the narrow crowded beach, then boarded the very slow Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry; the ride gave us a chance to see countless pink jellyfish and two dolphins in the shallow, teal blue water.

Our challenges continued as we tried to find a motel with a room available for the night. The whole of Australia has time off between Christmas and New Years—any excuse for time off-- so going to one of the country’s biggest sights without a room reservation might not have been the best plan. We headed towards the Great Ocean Road, and settled in Lorne for the night. This tourist/surf town gave us a nice tease of what we had to look forward to for the next morning’s drive.

Aussie Word of the Day: esky = cooler

Roadtrip, Day 5: Boxing Day

One of only a handful of sculpture gardens in the world are filled by a single artist, we found out as we chatted with Bruno about his art as we stopped in his Sculpture Garden again, this time to buy a copy of his book on our walk back from our visit to the shops of downtown Marysville.

We went for a walk through trails along the Steavensons River as the sun came out to play. Kookaburras chattered in the trees overhead. A gentle breeze blew, but not enough to keep the small (harmless, just annoying) black flies off of our face and ears as we hiked.

Left-overs for an early dinner, then rough planning for our continued journey (depart towards the Great Ocean Road on Thursday), filled the rest of our day. It was so serene to look outside and see cockatoos, parrots, and lorakeets eating from the feeder in the front. Sun streaming in through all the windows, the fresh air all around us, we spent these past days relaxing, eating, drinking, relaxing, eating, drinking…

Aussie Word of the Day: ta = casual “thank you”

Roadtrip, Day 4: Christmas Day

Stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nick soon would be there… and he did find us, despite it being summer, and all being so far from home.

Continuing along with the un-tradition of this year’s Christmas, we walked down the road from our little house to Bruno’s Sculpture Garden, a one-man-show of fanciful sculptural figures tucked into the brush and trees of his large, quiet, stream-side yard. We wandered his few acre property discovering art amongst the natural beauty of the giant ferns and numerous trees and flowers.

We spent a lazy day reading in front of the fireplace, then David cooked us a delicious traditional feast of mashed potatoes, roasted chicken, stuffing, green beans, and gravy-- a welcome reminder of home and family, since I missed the comforts of home and family.

Aussie Word of the Day: texters = marker pens

Roadtrip, Day 3: Christmas Eve

The ocean air blew through our open windows, mixing with the fresh smell of eucalyptus trees as we drove through the rocky and lush foliage of Wilsons Promontory National Park in the early morning. Its summer in Australia, and we’d left Sydney as the temperatures were reaching near 27 Celsius, but now as we approached the southern tip of the continent it was chilly and windy. Yellow-red rocks, smooth sand, and lush green foliage met the water on the horizon.

Viewing Giant Gippsland Earthworms was a recommended stop, so we pulled into the Wildlife Wonderland in Bass only to find that the 5.4 meter beast is now endangered and it is illegal to keep them in captivity now. We did get to view some pickled ones on display, along with the giant dirt-filled wall that once housed them.


We entered the Yarra Valley wine region as the afternoon sun broke through the overcast sky and warmed us and the grape vines that grew endlessly in vineyards up the gently sloping hillsides. Seville Estate and Chandon wineries, and Yarra Valley Dairy (see the Heidi Raclette cheese!) were tasty for sampling and purchasing some special Christmas treats.

Our reserved destination for the next three nights, Lyrebird Cottage, in Marysville (northeast of Melbourne) was completely charming. Tall evergreen trees and lush brush in these mountain foothills remind me a bit of Washington State. With a fire in the fireplace, a cup of hot tea, and the televised Christmas Eve musical celebration in Melbourne, it was a cozy welcoming of the holiday.

Aussie Word of the Day: snags = sausages

Roadtrip, Day 2

The dichotomy of our next night’s accommodation struck me as hilarious as we pulled into a caravan park near Yanakie on Sunday night.

We’d had another long day of driving, due partly to our late start (the apartment was too nice to leave before enjoying breakfast with a view). Later we stopped at Lakes Entrance, for a view of the Pacific Ocean and a chance to dip our toes in the water along Ninety Mile Beach.

At one third the cost and one third the space, we found a place to stay on Corner Inlet that night. Though we took it in stride when we realized that most cottages in the area were full, we were happy to find accommodation with ocean access, even if it was in a caravan park.

Our rented single-wide was furnished, but sparingly, and smelled old and closed-up. But the heat worked, and the neighbor kids running around in their nappies didn’t seem too interested in what we city folks were up to. The sun was setting, wind blew through our hair, crabs ran at our feet, waves crashed on the inlet shore-- a relaxing stroll on the beach to end our long day on the road was just what I needed.

Aussie Word of the Day: caravan = trailer (in case you hadn’t figured that out yet)

Roadtrip, Day 1

To beat the holiday traffic through Sydney, we had an early morning departure for our Christmas road trip. With coffee, and GPS firmly mounted, we were on our way. Settling into the back seat was less comfortable that I’d considered, so I struggled to lock my seatbelt with a bobby pin to keep it from strangling me on the winding road down the coast from Sydney towards Canberra.

We had a lot of kilometers to cover, so our only stop this day was at the “famous” Blow Hole at Port Jackson. Unfortunately the tide was out, or the surf was calmer than usual; either way, we decided “this blows” – ha!

The long day warranted a relaxing evening, and David splurged for us to stay at an amazing little en suite resort in the north east corner of Victoria, Gipsy Point Lakeside. The winding road down to through the wooded Croajingolong National Park opened to a clearing on the rivers edge, with over a dozen kangaroos lazing about in the late afternoon sun. Exotic birds chirped and cawed close by and in the distant treetops. The river laughed and babbled along, visible and audible from our apartment a short walk up the hill. Deckchairs on the wide porch faced the wilderness view, and the inside of the unit provided us with greater luxuries than home.


Breakfast foods were provided-- no vegemite, please!

Aussie Word of the Day: Chrissy = Christmas

You Say "Basil," I Say...

In preparation for our upcoming road trip, today I asked at a vitamin shop about a supplement that might keep the mosquitoes off me, and it turned into a rather embarrassing experience:

I asked if a "basil" capsule was available, or if the shopkeeper knew what else might act as a repellent. She looked very confused, then said "OH!! You mean 'basil' (pronouncing it like Basil Rathbone, rather than how I'd said it, as the herb)... "Basil, as you said it," she continued, "means 'up the backside' and I thought, 'Well, that's something I hadn't heard before!'" Did she think I was asking for a suppository?! I was mortified! Blushing, I decided I'd wait for my mom to reply to my email inquiry about the vitamin or just buy some Off! Oh my!

Aussie Word of the Day: one bedder = one bedroom apartment

A Day at the Beach

Today was the best day yet since my arrival in Sydney! We walked around Bondi Beach, taking in the view of the water, the sound of the crashing waves, the warmth of the sun, the sand, the coastal cliffs, the surfers, the flowers, the breeze.... This is the reason one COMES to Australia.

It was perfect, except for the little pink sunburn I got on my shoulders, despite my fastidious re-application of SPF 45. Perhaps we've got that great big hole in the ozone layer over the entire continent of Australia to thank for that?

After lunch in Bondi Junction, at Cafe Bondi (food review to come), we hopped on the bus and rode through the thoroughly charming neighborhoods of Woollahra and Paddington. Residential streets, lined with sidewalk cafes, art galleries, little shops, and old historic churches nestled in amongst the chicly restored row-houses. Definitely need to go there again and walk around.

Aussie Word of the Day: Chrissie = Christmas

Happy Feet

Today we traveled to Newtown, the suburb where the University of Sydney is located. It's a quaint neighborhood bustling with student life, inexpensive restaurants and hip boutiques.

I love the architecture throughout Sydney: these brightly painted (without being obscene), stucco, row-house style, two-story structures. The roofline here is typical; some other fancier neighborhoods have ironwork across the fronts that are reminiscent of the French latticework. All lovely.

It was here in Newtown, though, that I made my first shoe purchase since arriving in Australia! I found the perfect little pair of flat leather sandals, olive green, with cute little ties across the toes. Oh happy day!

Aussie Word of the Day: footie player = Aussie soccer player

A Day at the Markets

Apparently 2007 is my year of three Christmases. I was able to celebrate the holiday on December 5th with my family in Seattle, prior to my over-seas departure. And since my friends and I will be on a road trip to the Yarra Valley and Adelaide for December 22–31, we decided today we’d prepare an Aussie Christmas dinner: shrimp and scallops grilled on the barbie! So we headed into Sydney to get ingredients from Paddy’s Markets and the Sydney Fish Market.

It’s invigorating to walk about the many booths and stalls of a market in the city, like Paddy’s Markets, where tropical fruits and unfamiliar vegetables are so fresh and prevalent. “Best deal!” shout the vendors. “Best quality heaya!” People hustle about in a buying frenzy.

The Sydney Fish Market, located near the Anzac Bridge on Sydney Harbour, was more odorous, of course, so I was significantly less enthused than I had been at the produce market. We got our fresh seafood and headed back home, just as an afternoon rainstorm hit.

Back home, we settled in for the afternoon with a Christmas movie, put up lights, and considered turning up the air conditioning to get us in the holiday spirit.

Aussie Word of the Day: doccos = documentary films

Meeting Celebrities

Today I met my Australian hero– Bill Granger: chef, restaurant owner, and author of my favorite cookbooks. I was giddy to meet him as he signed his newest book for me at the Borders bookseller in Chatswood.

Next I met several of my other favorite Australians– koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and echidnas.

The Koala Nature Preserve is just north of our apartment, so we spent the sunny, hot afternoon roaming about the confines of the park viewing the animals in their semi-natural habitats.

The cockatoos that greeted us “hello” as we walked past, though it was their request, “got a cracker?” that stopped us in our tracks!

We pet the kangaroos and observed a little joey in its mother’s pouch up close.

A sheep shearer offered a demonstration.

Koalas climbed out of their trees for feeding time, and we were able to give one a quick pat. Though he looked fuzzy and soft he actually felt like steel wool.

Aussie Word of the Day: trollies = shopping carts

Blizzard in Boston? Sorry to hear that.

I sat beneath the lemon tree, basking in the summer sun, blue skies and fluffy clouds overhead. Magpies cawed in the trees nearby. Lizards scuttled in the brush behind me. The weather warmed today enough for us to eat our lunch on the patio outside. I did manage to get bitten twice on the back by some unseen insect in the 20 minutes it took me to eat my rocket (arugula) salad and drink my sasparilla soda.

Even with the bug bites, I’ll still take this over snow storms.

Aussie Word of the Day: brekky = breakfast

G'day/Bonjour

Au jour’d hui j suis alleé a la classe française avec mon amie, Amy. I took French for 4 years in high school, so today when attending French class with Amy, le professeur included me in the discussions and dialogue amongst the students. Not only did I feel pressure to recall long-forgotten French vocabulary, but even when asking for clarification in English, I had little additional comprehension because of their thick Aussie accents or slang.

Class was in Chatswood, so we spent a better part of an hour getting from and back to the apartment. We finished a bit of shopping just as all the school children were getting out of class for the day, so there was a train full of uniforms with us. I am on a mission… I would love to find the store that sells one of the school girl uniforms that I’m seeing all over Sydney: a pink dress with a Peter Pan collar and 6 burgundy buttons on the front. It’s very cute and I could easily wear it in Boston next spring. (Please refrain from making any school girl uniform comments that would embarrass me and my mum, who will likely be reading this too.)

Aussie Word of the Day: ellies = elephants (noticing a trend yet?)

Ladies of Leisure, continued

I just received my first proposal in Australia. Jokingly, I was offered $10,000 by a guy peddling Oxfam Australia so he could move to the US and I could extend my stay here. Too funny.

This morning we attended calligraphy class. I'm a natural, the teacher claimed, as I practiced angle and pressure. We broke for tea about half way through and chatted with the 8 other ladies taking the course.

Next stop, Macquarie Centre. It's another cool day with no worries. So, just a bit of Christmas shopping-- though it hardly feels like the holiday season here since it's light until after 8pm and most people are dressed for summer, not a Nor'easter.

I'm starting to notice the distance from home a little more, as I've made failed attempts to contact family and friends over the phone in the very limited window that all locations share as "waking hours." I take that as a reminder it's a good thing I passed on that "offer to stay."

Aussie Words of the Day: pram = baby stroller, jim-jams = pajamas

Ladies of Leisure

Morning talk shows here are peppered with infomercials. They'll segue into the health benefits of the Ab King Pro or how well Napi-San (laundry detergent) removes stains, and suddenly you realize the show hosts are having a scripted conversation, aimed at housewives and mothers, meant to persuade you to "call now."

Our morning routine includes breakfast and a talk show around 9am, then we head out for the day. Today we visited the Sydney Museum after eating a tasty baguette lunch from Industrie, a hip French restaurant in the CBD (Central Business District). Then we window-shopped a bit before taking the train back to the northern suburbs.

Since I've been to Sydney before, and I know my stay is going to be lengthy, I feel more like a temporary resident than a tourist at this point. No rush. No worries.

Aussie Word of the Day: boombalada = fat person

Settling In

Commuter trains rumble, horns occasionally blaring, as they blast down tracks that parallel Cambridge Street, adjacent to our apartment and wholly audible from my new bedroom.

Cockatoos, though they look beautiful and exotic, let out the most awful screeching cries in the trees above us, usually in response to another's taunting.

But I'm not complaining: this is an urban paradise.

Today was another pleasantly warm day, which we leisurely used to do a little shopping in nearby Hornsby. I got my bags unpacked and set up my bedroom, with small touches of home: a photo of my family, a few cards from friends and family.

On Monday evenings, at the nearby Epping Hotel, they televise American football. (Interestingly, bars here are often labeled "hotels" since it used to be required they make available overnight accommodations for all those who had spent the evening drinking the night away.) So, the gridiron (as they call it here) that we went to watch, was the Sunday Night NFL game re-broadcast and re-edited to take out all the time-outs and commercials. This reduces the game viewing time to just over an hour, and makes this very much appealing to my expatriate friends who every now and then miss home. Sadly, the broadcast was preempted for the Australia/Germany field hockey game, and a cricket match. So instead of watching the undefeated Patriots, we watched guys in crisp white uniforms, with zinc sunblock on their lips, throw over-hand without bending their elbows to another guy in white, swinging with a bat that looks like a giant wooden paddle. Ah, to be part of the Commonwealth.

Aussie Word of the Day: lollies = lollipops, candy

Arrival

"This is the beginning of a great adventure," or something of the sort, sang Lou Reed, and this song has been running through my head since I left Washington State on 7 December, Sydney-bound. I am about to spend 11 weeks in Australia! I've tied up all my loose ends back in Boston--goodbye New England winter--and now I'll be taking in the summer sun Down Under.

The 14-hour flight from SFO was surprisingly bearable (thank you Ambien), and I arrived at the Sydney airport to a very surprised Amy--my friend I traveled around the world to visit for her 30th birthday.

Lunch at the wonderfully picturesque Cafe Sydney, on Darling Harbour, provided us a view of the Harbour Bridge as we relaxed and dined on the patio, listening to live jazz and enjoying cocktails and seafood (I'll be poston on my other blog, http://hungry-tasty.blogspot.com/ about restaurants and dining).

The temperature felt completely neutral with my body temperature--I have a few months to adapt to Celsius, so for now just think high 70s Farenheit. But a storm was brewing in the distance. Just as we arrived back at the apartment in Epping the clouds began dumping enormous raindrops, then hail the size of Kix! (you know, the cereal) Then as quickly as it came, it was gone. And again the skies were blue and the temperature muggy and warm.

We took an evening walk around the suburban neighborhood I'll be calling home these next few months. It's actually pretty cute, with all the amenities within walking distance: train into downtown Sydney, restaurants, library, post office, bakery, coffee shops, wi-fi cafe... I could get used to this.

Aussie Word of the Day: champers = champagne