Wednesday

It was on to Sydney today - the last stop on the Great Trek South.  We had thought we would take the train from the Central Coast into Sydney but in the end we decided first to drive in to Croyden and leave the car at a friend's place, and then, to take the car into the CBD and park it at the hotel.  It was very strange driving right into the city, something I avoided when we used to live here and would have avoided now except that it will be much easier to visit people in far-flung locations if we have Lars rather than having to rely on public transport.  

Sydney hasn't really changed - but I think the way we see it has.  It's like it used to be when we returned from holidays up north, including at Latimers, and while it was good to be home we always noticed that Sydney was just that bit more polluted, and crowded, and less nice than  "not Sydney".  

But there are parts of it that are excellent - like Sydney Harbour and ChinaTown - and, of course, the opportunity to catch up with friends and family.

We met T and T at the MCA and walked from there around to the Harbourview a hotel where we had a leisurely lunch and catch-up and saw photos of their recent trip to Hawaii.  They are doing what they can to maintain the holiday spirit - and greeted us in their Hawaiin shirts and straw hats.  T would have brought her bobble-head (as in the bobble-head is her head in miniature) but it hasn't yet arrived from the States where it is being made.  

After lunch, I went downstairs from our hotel in search of a newspaper and some fruit - and bumped into my brother who works in the area.  We had a coffee and chat and caught up with some of the family news - and will have breakfast in the morning to cover other territory.

Dinner was at our favourite Minh Hai in Chinatown and we were pleased to be remembered by the staff there - and to have our very familiar pineapple drinks - still as yummy.  We had hoped to ate it a truly memorable evening by checking out the David Jones Christmas windows on the way there - but they had been covered over by signs:  DAVID JONES CLEARANCE.  WAS. IS. ALWAYS. Except for their window displays for Christmas.  It was a shame we missed them - they were, according to various people we know who had seen them, pretty good!