An Aussified Christmas - Bonus Features IV "Final Tidbits"

<--

An Aussified Christmas - Bonus Features III, "I'm in Australia!"

<--

An Aussified Christmas - Bonus Features II, "Rock Hopping"

<--

An Aussified Christmas - Bonus Features I, "Bushcapades"

<--

An Aussified Christmas - Crickey!

Now, let me take you into the wild side of my trip to Australia.

I gave the koala a little back rub to help ease his digestion.

Here's one without that big-nosed creature.

The kangaroos at the Symbio Wild Life Park were left to wander an open paddock where people could touch and feed them at their leisure. Considering how much the 'roos enjoyed the shade, I'm surprised none of them mistook me for a tree.

A peacock rests on its regal perch, surveying both sides of the fence.

A pair of sweet little birdies captured in all their colorful splendor through the mesh of their enclosure.

Okay, so it's not a real animal. Still cool, though! Found it outside the Sydney Hospital in the downtown area.

Now, here are some party animals! (from left to right) It's Wendy, her brother Scott, and his girlfriend, Jess, gathered here before we went out for a little fine dining and drinking.

The Holy Grail of Margaritas! (Thing's the size of my head!)

Miiiight need a little help here.

Atta' girl! What a trooper!

Was someone conducting nuclear tests to the left of me while I was eating again? 

"Aww, shucks!"

Our New Year's digs at Club Menai.

The live band rocked the dance floor with a who's-who of Motown covers including everything from The Pointer Sisters to Lady Gaga.

While tearing up the dance floor, I got close enough to snap this shot of the three lead singers for the band. It was hot stuff! Literally. Like, I was sweating so much my shirt was practically see-through. At one point, a fellow dancer asked me if I was part of the show. I smiled big but said nothing; let my moves do the talking.

So few identifiable pictures of this creature exist, and some even say it can only be seen once a year when enough imbibed wine coaxes its unchecked nature into being. (Needless to say, when I wasn't wearing my tie around my forehead with my shades on, this is how I looked on New Year's. At least, I think that's me. ;)

An Aussified Christmas—Blimey!

More from my Christmas/New Year's in Roo Land!

Much of our time was spent either at the beach or very nearby. My sun-deprived flesh certainly needed it! (I've never seen my fingernails grow so fast in so short a time!)

The ocean provides many bounties, but I doubt seaweed makes for a great shawl.

Time to get ready for a swim!

It's very important to follow the rules. (What I want to know is: how do you hover 1-inch over the rim like that? Kegels? Scientology?)

Downtown Sydney with the harbor ferries docked in the foreground.

Sydney's Harbor Bridge

A boat!

Look, a boat!

Really, it's a boat!

BOAT!

At the Opera House

SPOILER ALERT: Bet you thought it was all one building!

"What say we take a dip?"

"No?"

"Okay, fine. Nap time!"

Next, we went to Sydney's Botanical Gardens.

The plant life in Australia, even just Sydney, held great variety. These two trees really struck home in that regard: one, large and round with pale yellow buds on the leaves, and the other, tall and narrow with dark green, spiky foliage; right next to each other!

Who'd a thunk it?! Egyptians in Australia.

A notable landmark: Center Point Tower.

Prince Albert (on a pedestal ;)

An amazing coastline, Stanwell Tops, south of Cronulla.

No. That's not a moth on a wall. It's not a boomerang in flight. That's some high-flying hang-gliding for ya!

And some … parachuters? Parachuteers? Parachutists?

How about one more beach? This one at Shoalhaven Heads near Merilyn's Mum's old summer home.

Wendy and I work the barbie in expert Australian fashion!

Next time, we'll break away from the city sights and see some of Sydney's wild side!

An Aussified Christmas - G'day!

Nope. I wasn't turned into bone this holiday season, but I did spend my first Christmas away from home, and in a clime untouched by Winter, in Sydney for one week recently. And boy, would I have liked to have stayed longer!

Family friends of ours, thanks to the long-lasting pen-pal-model-for-the-world relationship that my mother and Merilyn, hostess during my stay, have maintained for the last 18 years, helped to make the trip very memorable. Merilyn and her super-friendly children who are now adults, Wendy and Scott, had briefly lived in the U.S. all those years ago when we first met, but I had never truly known them. Now, I feel like I have three very solid friends in them, and got to tour wonderful Sydney during my vacation to boot!

One of the first things I was struck by upon arrival was how cloudy the sky was. Cloudy and yet still beautiful. The Australian sun is very powerful. You can easily get a sunburn on a cloudy day. And I did. And it was nice (mmm, Vitamin-D)!

My first bite of Australian food. A heart-stopping roll of bacon, eggs, and BBQ-sauce smothered sausage-y goodness! Dee-lish!

Here I am with Merilyn. She and her daughter, Wendy, make a good team, and they had the whole week planned out for me, down to tailor-made meals suited to my tastes (which Merilyn had found out through my mom). Smart lady! ;)

Wendy and I grin it up on the train en route to the city. :)

Here, Merilyn (center) stands with siblings Glenda (in the red), Heather (far right), and Barry (to the right of Merilyn), her mum (Dorothy, in the blue), newlywed husband Paul (to the left of Merilyn), and Glenda's husband, Bill (far left). It was with this great bunch that the kids and I spent Christmas morning, feasting on smoked salmon, crab, prawns, a luscious summer-time salad, and other delicious victuals; after which we exchanged gifts and enjoyed coffee, Christmas pudding, and ice cream!

The next day, we had a bona fide Australian barbecue overlooking the Port Hacking River—very picturesque. It was such a calm, scenic location, and the water there was as warm as the air.

An over-fed flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos observed our picnic from overhead.

It didn't take long for one to come nosing about for a hand-out.

And they certainly weren't shy once they realized what was being offered. Mmm...Doritos!

FACT: Australia has tons of great rock formations to crawl over and gaze from. FACT: I'm wearing a bitchin' Australian flag beach towel and cap I got for Christmas. FACT: The rock moved not at all, despite the fact that I was wearing the perfect shoes for such heroics. :p

Sun setting on a beach in the bay near Cronulla, a suburb of Syndey.

Sunlight on the bay at the end of the day.

We took a cruise through the harbor on Boxing Day, leaving downtown Sydney behind us as we set out for the heights around Manly Cove.

The cape through which British ships first sailed to reach the lands that would some day become Sydney. The north headlands are on the left, the south headlands on the right.

A view from the heights at Manly Cove overlooking the bay and the city beyond.

Me catching a little R&R while enjoying the view.

The view of Sydney from the ferry.

Next time we'll delve deeper into the city itself as the clouds pull back and yield a sunlit end to 2010!