Hello Sydney!

I arrived with no problem in Sydney on Thursday morning. I finally washed my clothes from the Serengeti in a proper washing machine. My clothes thanked me for that - they were disgusting! I spent the afternoon walking around Daarling Harbour, Kings Wharf and Circular Quay. It was a great moment to see the peaks of the Opera House come to view as I turned the corner while walking under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sydney is a beautiful, clean and very modern city. Everyone is friendly and seems happy and relaxed - it's fantastic! I shopped on Pitt Street for some clothes that didn't look like safari clothes and went to bed early, still adjusting to jet lag.

Mendy arrived safe and sound on Friday morning. We had breakfast and then caught the bus out to Bondi Beach. It's a beautiful little beach, no more than 1/2 mile wide with rocks/cliffs right up to the edge except where the beach is. The water was freezing, so we didn't go for a swim. We walked around the cliffs and then had a picnic on the beach. It was a very relaxing way to spend the day! Back in Sydney, we went to Paddy's Market where I bought an adorable fedora hat just like Bek and Keira, two of my favorite Aussies. I also got a green and yellow scarf to wear to the Wallabies vs. All Blacks game Saturday night (see below!). We went to a few pubs (it was Friday after all!) and met some very nice Aussies who we shared a few beers and laughs with.

Saturday was a busy day! We woke up and went for a run up to Paddington's Market. It's a quaint, retro area of Sydney with lots of cool shops, cafes, etc. I made Mendy go with me to Max Brenner's (DS and Julie - it's nothing like the Max Brenner's in NYC, but the chocolate was just as delicious! And they have huggies for hot chocolate!). We walked around the arts and crafts market, but I am not allowed to buy anything else because I have no money or room to carry it! So, I just window shopped!

From the market, we showered and headed to the Sydney Opera House where we saw Aida. Thankfully, they had subtitles because it was in Italian, otherwise I would have had no idea what was happening! The costumes were beautiful and their voices were incredibly powerful. I really enjoyed it - my first opera ever and in the Sydney Opera House...very cool!

Last night, we headed out to Olympic Park for tailgating and the Rugby game. It was a blast....Today we're climibing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. So, watch the news tonight to be sure there were no horrible climbing accidents! Tomorrow we're headed up to the Blue Mountains for some hiking. Tuesday, we're renting a car and driving to Hunter Valley, a wine region about 2 hours outside of Sydney. Should be very interesting driving on the opposite side of the road than we're used to!

Mom, thanks for the adorable card...it was great to hear your voice! I appreciate the $ you sent...Mendy and I are going to spend it on a nice dinner at the harbour tonight and save some for another nice dinner in Port Douglas. I love you! Take care everyone! Miss you!