Settling into Sydney

Lane Cove is a gem, so close to the CBD yet in the middle of (yet another) National Park.We awoke to the sound of pouring rain and slowly got ourselves together enough to drive into the city centre, thanks to the power of a tea made in the camp kitchen.  

Driving over the Harbour Bridge is incredible, with fab views in all directions. Shame about the weather.  Once in town we found a parking space at a price that could almost rival meter prices in London ($4.40/hr how much? ouch!) and picked up the keys to the apartment from the Arup office. A very short walk later - 2 minutes, if that - we were outside the apartment building of 187 Kent St.  Robin has no excuses for being late to work then.

Up to level 3, and into apt. 308. Well, calling it an apartment is a bit ambitious. A well equipped and smartly turned out studio flat is more of an accurate description. And it has a washing machine and tumble dryer. Wooo. (After camping, these little things are elevated to luxury status, believe me!).

The studio flat is only a few minutes walk from almost all the major attractions in the city centre. The Harbour Bridge is 10 minutes away in the historical and picturesque Rocks area (but sadly you can't see it from the studio's balcony).  Circular Quay where the old fashioned looking ferries depart is also only 10 minutes away and the Opera House a few minutes further on from there (unfortunately this area is also obscured from view by the towering office blocks). Darling Harbour is behind the apartment building (but you can't see that either, unless you go down to the gym on level one and take a swim....and it's just as well there is a gym as little exercise will be gotten on the way to the office!) which is another great place for a stroll.  However, there is a great view of the freeway. And some office buildings. And at night the odd bat flies past.

 

The rest of Friday, in the intermittent rain, was spent shopping for required work clothes.  surprisingly not to difficult a task as Myer, the major department store in Australia (somewhere between Selfridges and Debenhams) had everything Robin wanted. Phew!

Saturday and Sunday were spent visiting Paddington Market, shoe shopping, visiting Darling Harbour and the Sydney Fish Market, eating lots of yummy sushi and cupcakes (not at the same time), drinking flat white coffees, trouser shopping, and walking through the Botanical Gardens (where there are literally hundreds of enormous bats hanging upside down from the trees). Oh, and more clothes shopping!

Finally all this clothes shopping for Robin's work clothes got the better of me. Especially when he bought a rather natty uniform style jacket that he wore that evening, making me feel dreadfully scruffy in the same hoodie that I've been wearing for 5 months. So, on Monday I went and did a little retail therapy of my own. And feel much better for it, even if what I bought may not be terribly useful in the current Delhi heatwave!