Sydney

After meeting the recently arrived Kirsty and learning more about how Aussies feel about New Zealand we had a lovely light breakfast ready for the day.
Next they drove us to see the other cousin Bob, Robert. He lives, and has done for the last 12 years in a nursing home, due to his Parkinson's  disease. He was quite happy to see us, if surprised, but also haltingly told us of his distress that the Supervisor had come to his room and had all of his degree and mining awards removed from the wall. He said there was no space for God on that wall and after all it was all due to god that he was given the brain that let him gain these awards.
Denise and daughter Kirsty had them all back up before he could blink.
Robert asked if he could read us one of his poems. It was a long and very emotional poem to his dead son Andrew James, who died in a car accident many years ago.
Robert is a very intelligent man with a very dry sense of humour, who desperately needs more attention and comfort. Even me touching his shoulder elicited a thank you for the physical contact. I left saddened, but not sad to have met him. I wish my caring Aussie colleagues were just that!

Finally they drove us back to Parramatta wharf, but we couldn't get the ferry here, it was flooded, so kindly they drove down to the next wharf to catch the ferry which was just about to leave, so a quick G'day and we dashed onto the ferry.

Back to Sydney and a real wander round. We eventually found all the shops hidden in the sky scrapers.Darling harbour was alive with fun tourists and a lot of merriment. Dinner was in a mall eatery, with Wanton soup completely filling me so I couldn't finish it., even though it was delicious. We wandered back to the Travelodge, (which had been bleached and hoovered, but not much cleaner), after I browsed the NSW library.
Hyde park in the evening was exciting, especially with the birds/bats flying and squawking above us and the Sydney festival with "different music" audible as we passed by and night-time Darling harbour was a postcard perfect view.

Tomorrow was going to be our last in the southern hemisphere.......for now at least..

as aye

XS

PS
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