Day 51

Wednesday 22^nd December 2010

Having still not managed to adjust to Sydney time we were awake early again today, although a quarter to four is probably beyond early! I nodded in and out of sleep for a few hours knowing that the hotel breakfast didn’t start until 08:30.

We went for breakfast, I’m quite getting into Rice Krispies! SNAP CRACKLE POP!! I was sat enjoying a brew and reading the local paper when the phone in reception rang. The guy behind the desk said  “there’s a phone call for you”. I looked over my shoulder to find out who he was talking to and realised due to lack of any people behind me that he was in fact talking to me!

“For me” I said

“we’ll she said she wants to speak to her son, so I’m guessing its you”

I picked up the phone “hello”

“who’s that” said the voice at the other end

“Michael”

“bloody hell were you sat with him” said Mum.

“sort of yeah, I’m just having my breakfast, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to know when you’re going to be updating the blog!”

WHAT!! A phone call to the other side of the world to enquire as to why the blog isn’t up to date? Honestly Mother your one on your own!

So I told my Mum that I could Skype her now if she liked and we spoke for 45 mins which was lovely.

We readied ourselves for a day in the city, the weather was a bit overcast so we decided to see that cites and meet some friends. We met Jacquie at her building in the centre of the city and went up to her office on the 37^th floor. She enjoys some of the best views of the harbour from there; we wondered how she got any work done!!

We left and went around the corner for some lunch at The Ship Inn, it was lovely, Jacquie is great company and the hour or so it took to “do lunch” flew by. We said our goodbyes and headed over to the Opera House for a nosey about, the sun had decided to break through the clouds and it had turned into a bit of a scorcher. As you can imagine the streets of Sydney were packed with Christmas shoppers and there was lots going on, street performers on 12ft unicycles and aboriginal people playing the didgeridoo to a dance beat. We stopped to take in some “street theatre” and then had a walk around the harbour. All very nice indeed!

We were due to meet Sheridan for drinks at 16:00 but she wasn’t on time for tea in Bolivia so we didn’t hold out too much hope that she would be there. She wasn’t.

At about 16:30 she came into the bar (The Ship Inn, again) from her Christmas lunch and apologised, no worries. The pub is actually one of many in the city owned by the same people and Sheridan works for the firm. They were all out on there Christmas do and we were soon introduced to them all. We sat outside drinking beer and shots called “wet pussies” (sorry Mum). They were all in there beautiful dresses and done up to the nines, we were in shorts and T-shirts and felt more than a little underdressed. Undeterred we drank into the late evening and laughed the night away with our temporary colleagues. At around 10:30, we were…..pissed. They had all been very generous with buying us drinks and the early start had taken its toll, we headed to McDonalds for sustenance and after being unable to decide what to eat, we bought one of everything, almost.

We got home and I undressed the way only a drunk man can, by letting all of the change in his pocket go racing across the room on some midnight escape mission. Suz stayed up and spoke to her parents, and then decided to comment on everyone’s status’ on Facebook, some of whom she doesn’t know that well (sorry Tony).