Down Under

Well, the jetlag is finally abating. Gone is the fuzzy, underwater, I've-just-been-on-a-48-hour-
drink-and-drug-binge feeling and we are both starting to embrace daylight once more. Jamie's house is in Frenchs Forest, a leafy suburb of Sydney, only a 10 minute drive from the ocean. I had my first swim in the sea yesterday - no sharks! Although I did keep seeing Shapes and Things under the water and letting out involuntary yelps every time something as innocuous as a piece of seaweed brushed past my leg. This is what James gets for informing me that sharks have been known to attack in ankle-deep water. Then again, he also warned me to watch out for drop-bears, so it's quite difficult to know when I should be taking his advice with a large pinch of salt.

James has three brothers. I don't know who gets more pity from me - his Mum in this male-dominated household or my poor father living with three generations of Nash women in a house where even the pets were all female. At least we were cheaper to feed - teenage boys eat a LOT. James's mum must be permanently food shopping to keep the fridge and cupboards stocked.

Now that the jetlag is at an end, the real holiday is about to begin. We're having a Sydney day tomorrow, doing a boat-trip around the harbour, going to look at the Opera House etc. Then we're having a Bondi Beach day and then we're heading off for a road trip to visit Frazer Island and Byron Bay. I shall bore you all senseless with photos on my return!

THINGS WE LIKE ABOUT AUSTRALIA:

1. Being woken up by exotic birdsong first thing in the morning
2. Friendly people everywhere, even working in shops - imagine!
3. Cheap, delicious and plentiful supplies of sushi
4. Sunshine, the feeling of warm sand under one's feet and the sight of deep blue seas.
5. They have square crumpets, which are thinner than the English ones and therefore fit conveniently into a toaster. It's the small things in life...

More to follow!