Packing to move on was not easy! We seemed to have "acquired" things along the way! We noticed that one side of the big case was bursting apart when we got to the airport and during the "repack" manoeuvre realised that one of the catches had "given up"! That should make the next eight flights more interesting. When the check-in lady sternly announced that our case was "over the permitted weight limit - but luckily for you we round down" we knew we had to have a purge in Perth and shed some weight (the case and Richard both!!). Total weight of baggage? 53 kgs. Total permitted on our ticket? 40!! Flying into Australia a second time was easy and a pleasure. The flight (Boeing 767) was 20 minutes early and Tony, Amanda and Kathleen turned up to greet us. The culmination of 5½ years of promise (that we'd be back after the Sydney Olympics, when Richard retired) had been realised. Home we went to Padstow, a nice little suburb of Sydney, to meet up with Eleanor (other daughter), Maddie (mad dog) and Abi (new kitten), have "a few drinks" and a Vietnamese take-away (which we ate IN the takeaway!). Sorry no photos 'cos it was a novel and memorable experience! Saturday it RAINED as we drove into Sydney (yes it did!). Even Tony and Amanda (they're going to be referred to as T&A from now on, OK?) couldn't believe it because they've been on a hosepipe ban for the last two YEARS! It relented when we got into town and the first stop was at the "Sydney Jet" which we boarded (having donned suitable waterproof clothing!) for a blast up the harbour with the skipper doing everything in his power to drench everyone! Off that we got onto a conventional harbour ferry for a trip round under the bridge (this time with camera in hand!) from darling Harbour and into Circular Quay, the recognised hub of Sydney life. Last time we were there it was a part of a massive throng celebrating the Olympics, now things were much quieter! The car had been parked at Victoria Barracks, T&A's TA (Territorial Army, they're both members) home and they showed us round before we headed home for dinner with another couple of friends who happened to work with Richard 10 years ago. The reunion and the food were a great end to our first day back in Oz. Sunday morning and we were given the choice of playing bowls or going to church, we opted for the latter and Amanda took us to the Church of Christ in Padstow; it was a dynamic and uplifting experience with music on a slightly different plane to the one we have been used to in the good old C of E! In the evening we followed Kathleen at a Dance Competition, her troupe got a 2nd - which was less than they deserved, they were brilliant. T&A both managed to conjure up a "long weekend" so they could entertain us on Monday as well - they took us to Fort Denison (in the middle of the harbour) and then on the famous "Manly Ferry". This is the must for anyone visiting Sydney - to go to Manly, walk along the "Corso" which links the wharf with the sea on the OTHER side of the strip of land it's on (only 400 metres), then eat fish and chips on the beach....which we did too, in a chilly wind! On Tuesday Tony had to take a bus to Canberra so we had the car (a nice Toyota Prado 4x4 with 4-lites of oomph!) and went down the coast, calling in at "Symbio" a lovely nature park with all sorts of Auatralian wildlife AND meercats (we like them!). In the evening Fritz (former MAN colleague of Richard down here) and Anne Wehrmann picked us up and we went for a nice meal together. Wednesday and we tried to release our baggage from some stress by sending 6 kilos directly home by sea mail; then we went down town and joined a walking tour of "The Rocks" for some more insight into the history of Sydney. Take it from us, T&A should start a Sydney Tour company! They know far more than the average tour guide. The rest of this week we're gonna chill so this is "it" until Perth. Be good and find some sun (we're finding that quite difficult!). The high of 9 (yes, you read that right!) yesterday was a record low high for the last 50 years just south of Sydney...and we were in it! Lots of love to you all from Jill & Richard xx