So far, so good

We have been in Sydney since Tuesday night, local time. I think that would be around 1:00 a.m. Tuesday morning at home. We have been busy learning how to get around, where to find food, and how to get our laundry done. We also needed a different place to stay. We like Bondi Beach, our current neighborhood, but it’s an area right off the beach that’s kind of off the beaten path and really expensive. So, here are some random observations and thoughts on what we’ve been up to so far.

The flight from Honolulu was 10 hours and crowded, with lots of babies and toddlers aboard. Overall, they behaved pretty well. The isles were just big enough for one little guy to do laps, with his dad trying to keep up behind. They were both pretty happy to be up and moving around. We had a few small meals on the plane, not included in the ticket price, and they were all expensive. They tasted pretty good, though, as far as airline food goes.

Getting through customs was pretty easy. Jack got stopped because he had microwave popcorn in his backpack. It was confiscated for some reason. Popped popcorn would have been okay, but not un-popped.

I called our hotel/apartment to let them know we would probably arrive after 6:00pm, after the office closes (Thanks for making my phone work in AU, HA.) The provided really good instructions to get here.

Take the Airport Train to Central Station.
Switch to the Bondi Junction train.
At Bondi Junction, get off the train and catch the 389 bus to Bondi Beach.
Get off the bus just past the 3rd round about on O’Brien Street.

We managed to buy train tickets, get on the train, switch trains, get to the bus station, buy bus tickets, get on the bus, and get off the bus at the right place. And there we were, right in front of our place, at 5:55. All of this during rush hour and dragging suitcases along. This is not a testament to our super travel powers, but rather a testament to how organized and thought-out the mass transit system is here. The train stations and bus stations are in the same building. Everything runs on time. Our bus, the 389, runs every 10 minutes all day, every day. Very convenient and reliable. At least half of the population use mass transit, so the busses and trains always have lots of riders. No empty busses or trains here.

It’s a little bit cooler here than we expected. One of the first items on the agenda was to get Jack something warm to wear, as he didn’t have anything with long sleeves. So, he borrowed my black sweater, put a shirt on over it to cover up the lace on the front, and off we went in search of breakfast and warm clothes. We managed both. Then we went to the local IGEA grocery store and bought milk, eggs, bread, and cookies, and a few vegetables to make salad. They sell lettuce here with the roots and dirt still on. Different from what we’re used to.


Jack in his new jacket

Everyone here has been really helpful and nice. All ask us where we’re from. We think the prices are really high. But, Bondi Beach is a beach tourist area and everything is priced accordingly. There are some things about prices that are really different. The price on a menu is the final price. No taxes added in, they are included. No tipping. We really like that part. So, the final tab often is lower than we expect because there are no added charges to surprise you at the end.

Even though it’s late fall/early winter here, the beach is still beautiful. And popular. There are many surfers in wetsuits out every day. We have seen one fellow several times, no shoes, no shirt, chest covered in colorful tattoos, running down the sidewalk, carrying his surfboard. Sometimes he’s headed toward the beach, sometimes he’s coming from the beach, still dripping wet. He seems very cheerful although I would imagine he’s cold. Temperatures are between about 45 degrees to 60 degrees F, which seems pretty cold to me.

We are moving in the morning to a hotel/apartment in Potts Point. Our new place has a wonderful view of Sydney harbor, and is a one bedroom instead of an efficiency. There’s also a grocery store right across the street, so that will be convenient. We are making the move on the bus, so it will probably take more than one trip to get our stuff there. The adventures never end.