EC-Rider Travels

I can’t believe, I only have three more days in Australia/Sydney and confess to feeling quite wobbly about the prospect of leaving, after two wonderful months. I have seen so many incredible places and been spoilt by so many lovely people and really have been rather blown away by it all. In particular, I think, their kindness and extraordinary helpfulness. They give ‘you’ so much time and always seem to go that extra mile to help you, whether asking someone in the street or in a shop/restaurant/hotel/gallery. It is very lovely and I am going to miss it.

After a morning of gathering things together, repainting of the toe-nails, (as I had chosen such a hideous colour last week!), a quick COVID jab and a few purchases of essentials for the next few weeks, Amanda and I went to the Royal Botanic Garden. This huge, 74 acre garden, in the heart of Sydney, just next to the City, overlooking the Opera House and Harbour Bridge is, I think, the most stunning I have seen to date. It was opened in 1816, as the first scientific institution in Australia and is one of the most important in the world. It is immaculate and full of the most extraordinary plants and bushes and just the most incredible trees. There were birds everywhere and cockatoos in fine voice and, as we soon realised, warning each other of an impending storm.

This was not good news, as one of my final flings in Sydney was to take Amanda to see her crush, Bill Nighy, in his latest film Living which was to be shown at the open-air cinema in front of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. We were instructed to arrive two and a half hours early to ‘bag’ our seats which we duly did and then joined our friends in the Hendricks Bar for large Gin & Tonics …. as the sky darkened above us. It was not long before the heavens opened and OMG did the rain come down. Our G&Ts became very diluted and we were soon soaked through to the skin… again! They do not cancel until the very last minute and only then, if it is considered dangerous; so being British, we of course stuck it out. I have to say it was not just us, the Aussies were not moving either….. no one could get any wetter!

Sadly, however, about an hour or so later, as the storm turned electric, it was decided that it was unsafe 😔 and so home we came; took the dogs for a soggy walk and got into our pyjams and watched the most wonderful film called Penguin Bloom. Please find it and have a good weep. It is a very special film and the photographer, Cameron, whose family it is about, took the pictures at Georgia’s wedding. In fact above my bed is a photograph taken by Cameron of his son, with Penguin (a magpie – obviously) on his head.