Sydders!!!!!!!!!!

Still fabulous. And reigniting my favourite solo argument "Where would I prefer to live - Sydney or Melbourne?" Although a trip to the opera has tipped the scales slightly this way. And when it comes down to it, it depends where the job is.

Yes the thought of moving to Oz has quite taken force with me. Obviously it won't be for a while (that pesky law thing called a training contract gets in the way), and it won't be permanent, but it would be fun and might be on the cards.

So Sydney - well what a city, where else has 3 Olympic pools within walking distance of each other?! I've had another great week here, with varied weather, lots to do and plenty of people to catch up with. It was great to see Eve and Amr - from Perhentian days - and celebrate Amr's sponsorship (after only 4 months!) so there's 2 people already who'll still be here when I come back! Went over to Manly to see them as well as meeting them in the city - what amazing lives they have, going home from work via a ferry and a walk along the beach! Also managed to fit in a few drinks with Dermot and Wolfie from S America (and Melbourne) fun - including a steaks-and-red-wine night to reminisce about Argentina! Didn't manage to see Caz and Andy but there have been promises of emails to drag me back out here asap, and it wouldn't take much!

2 very contrasting highlights of my week here. First up, seeing a performance of Handel's Alcina at the Opera House. And if you're going to do it, do it in style - with Sir Richard Hickox conducting and Sally-Anne Russell singing one of the lead parts, the only place to be sitting was where I was - bang in the middle of the 2nd row of the stalls! I could have, had I had the inclination, poked Sir Richard with his spare baton. And what a phenomenal performance, with every single part performed by a world-class singer. And Handel, let's face it, was a genius. I do need reminding from time to time why music is so central a part of my life...and this wasn't a bad way to do it at all!

Highlight number 2...well perhaps a more accurate way of describing would be "the weird and wonderful things that happen the weekend before Mardi Gras in Kings Cross". As I was happily munching on a pizza and waiting for a call from the Irish in my pub, a young man at the bar bought me a drink. We got chatting - I'd noticed he was with a rather large (and boisterous) group of guys and had, to be honest, avoiding them. Until I found out they were in the New Zealand Navy on their last night on leave in Sydney. Well that settled it - whilst waiting to hear from the others, I joined them on their jaunt to Kings Cross. We pub crawled around a few places, ending up in Empire where half the Navy seemed to be partying and my goodness I think it ranks up there as the most fun, bizarre and crazy night out of the travels - jointly with partying with the pilot in Arica! Strange times but I did feel a little like a "woman in each port" when one of the guys who'd got my Aussie cell number rang and left a message bidding me a fond farewell before weighing anchor and heading back to New Zealand...!

So the Antipodean Adventures are coming to an end. I'm in turn sad and excited to be leaving. It'll be good to get on travelling properly again, and as I've said, I'll be back here before too long. On the other hand, the last 2 months have been wonderful, filled with so much adventure, fun and happiness - closing the door on another chapter of my travels is always sad, especially as the next one is my last. Then again, tomorrow night I'll be in Cape Town!!!!