Sydneyside-up!

Right, a few pics and impressions from our Aussie exploits this weekend. But first thanks again to everyone who gave me recommendations for things to do in Sydney - five days is just not long enough to do it all!

Up there, that's Bondi beach. It was just as I expected with a surf competition and all. What I didn't expect were the hoards of blue jellyfish everywhere and how little Aussie kids love stomping on the ones washed up in the sand. Also, I didn't expect it to rain while we were there - I thought that was illegal in Australia or something. Apparently not.

Me on the red-tipped banana phone. Good reception, but not sure about the need to dip it in red wax.

Can you see what's sleeping in the tree? It was quite the introduction to Sydney when we walked through the botanical gardens at dusk to get to the Opera House with a swooping and active swarm of bats 20 feet above us. I pretended not to be freaked out - they're just like birds I told myself. Later I found out they're fruit bats and aren't interested in me, but I still think they're a bit creepy.

The Opera House in all its glory. What a great building! I mean, what would come to your mind if I said "Sydney" without the Opera House? Bats? Red-tipped bananas?!

Sydney surprised me with how big of a city it is. I imagined some sort of sprawling Orange County type of place, but what I found was more a London-by-sea - but newer, warmer and friendlier. I definitely see why so many Brits do a year or two here.

A fantastic room with a view in a neighborhood called Potts Point that felt a lot like Greenwich Village. Great foliage and sidewalk cafe action all around. I love how cafes have massive magazine stacks to read while you munch on scrambled eggs with sourdough toast. I also love how Australia gets sourdough. I'd forgotten how much I missed that stuff.

One final Tim Tam throwback in the airport with the black forest ones I bought the night before. Legend has it that Aussies bite off both ends of this sandwich cookie, use it as a straw to drink a hot beverage like a flat white (shown), then throw it in their mouth before the cookie collapses. Any Aussies able to verify this for me? Even if they don't they really do this they should, and so should you, because the result is exciting and delicious.

After the Tim Tam throwback there was a slight scare going through security when my carry-on high school backpack tested positive for explosive materials. We sorted it out and I was deemed safe in the end, but I think the false alarm might be a sign that I need to buy a new backpack.

All in all, it was great to hit up Sydney and check off another continent. I think Australia's an underrated place and recommend it to anyone. But the strangest thing was that in Sydney I kept thinking about how much I love New Zealand. And I must admit that it's a great feeling when you go on holiday and are actually looking forward to going "home". I'm definitely going to savor my next 2 1/2 months here...