How Is

Friday, October 4, 2013

We are in Sydney!!  We are visiting for a long weekend while the kids are on "holiday."  We picked a busy weekend for Sydney.  This is the Australian Navy Fleet Week AND the National Rugby League Final (I've heard it compared to the Super Bowl) both of which are here in Sydney.  Fleet Week hasn't been done here for 100 years.  Prince Harry is here and lots of different nations have sent ships to participate.  Big crowds.  BIG.

Our adventure was to start at noon sharp.  Our luggage was loaded, the kids were buckled in, and we were set to pull out of the driveway right on time.  But then Erich went to put in the hotel address in the GPS.  It didn't recognize the street.  Huh?  Let's just say we pulled out of the driveway about 20 minutes later then we intended.  But we got here!

Photos from our journey:

Pardon the glare. (can you see my watch?).  This was a huge field of yellow. 
I'm not really sure what it was.

This is something you don't see in America! Wombat crossing.



Charlie and Chaney spent part of the three hour drive watching movies.

Sydney or Bust. (Please don't look at Erich's sunglasses.  He doesn't
want anyone to see him in them.  He doesn't like them but the are
they only prescription sunglasses he has.  So don't look.  Don't.)

We aren't sure what these are. ??

Who doesn't like driving through a tunnel? 
The kids thought it was cool.  I did too!

Sydney!

We are staying at a Marriott hotel in a suburb of Sydney.  Erich found this place through the guy he replaced.  The train station is nearby and its a 20 minute train ride into the heart of Sydney.  The hotel has shopping and restaurants nearby.  We got a room with a loft.  The kids are sleeping on a sofa bed and Erich and I are upstairs in the loft.  It's a really great room. 


Checking out the view from our 8th floor room. 



When we first got to our room, we couldn't get any of the lights
to turn on.  And then we spotted this near the door to the hallway.  You have
to insert your room key to get the lights to come on.   

This was in the hotel room guest book.  Erich and I got a good laugh. 

We went to dinner at a nearby restaurant.  Since restaurants in Australia require bookings (reservations)  I had to make the reservations before we got here.  Tonight's restaurant was Ribs and Rumps.  It was a good dinner (I didn't like my fish but everyone else liked theirs).  The kids' meals came with free ice cream. 


The cups the ice cream came in reminded me of Granddad's martini glasses.

After dinner we walked back to the hotel. When we get on the elevator, one of the young gentlemen said, "How is?" 
"Pardon me?" I asked.  (Thinking I must have misheard or missed part of what he had said.)
"How is?" He responded.
(pause) "Yeah," I respond. (My standard response when I don't understand) (pause) (my brain is trying to process what "how is" must mean.) (pause) "Good,"  I reply late.
"Good," is his response.
We got off the elevator and I had no idea what had just happened.  I'm still not really sure...

My Random Thoughts and Observations...

• They have dandelions in Australia.  Our backyard is full of them. 
• This morning we woke up to see a hot air balloon out the back windows of our house.  Totally cool.

  

  The kids watching the balloon through the rumpus room window.

  
  
  

 

• In the morning, while Erich and I got ready to go to Sydney, Charlie and Chaney had a great time playing together.  At one point Chaney was a cowgirl and Charlie was a horse. Giddy-Up.

You might notice the wadded up paper.  Charlie is making balls for
you (or anyone else who wants to buy a ball for $1) to shoot
at the trash can.  (or "trash bin" if you are Australian.)

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