Ok, so it’s not quite as perfect and swanky as my German Fahrrad bike I had to leave behind – but it is enough to make me feel liberated and independent! Life is beautiful indeed.
Cycling home this evening felt great. I didn’t realise how much I’d missed it until I got back in the saddle this morning to test drive my new velo. (I also didn’t realise how much I’d come to rely on back-pedal breaking, but that’s another story. I’m sure that will cause a few accidents over the next few weeks while I get used to using the brakes on the handlebars…) But it’s lovely, despite the fact that Sydney decided to behave like a November Manchester and absolutely chuck it down today – so I got totally soaked, and regretted my decision to favour a basket over mudguards in my accessories purchasing hierarchy. It definitely took the edge off my cycling euphoria when I arrived at the theatre with suncream running down my arms and a wet arse. But I didn’t feel that mortified in Newtown – home of predominantly Birkenstock-wearing bicycle-riding vegan lesbians who wouldn’t look twice at a drowned rat in pigtails like me. I’m just pleased to be mobile again. Now navigating the Sydney streets and selfish motorists will be my next great challenge – I’ll fill you in on my progress.
This week has been a week of firsts: the first time I went inside the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Morning Herald (equivalent of The Times – they sponsor the festival) invited me for front row seats at Sweeney Todd, you know, the demon barber of Fleet Street. The air of nostalgia brought about by my memory of journeys home on the 76 bus down Fleet Street was missed by the rest of the audience, but it was jolly enough. VIP drinks in the interval brought on some more schmoozing, and I met the woman who runs the Sydney Writers’ Festival (related to my past life at Waterstone’s, so I’m going to meet up with her again) and the woman who runs the Taronga zoo (supposedly the best zoo in the world – overlooks the harbour) so that was all fun. Took the obligatory tourist photos, plus there's more on flickr.
Friday was the first time I ate Vietnamese food – it was yummy. Heartily recommend it. And today I had a Korean barbecue for the first time – many flavours were similar to those Taey used to cook at Princess May Road, but this had an air of DIY about it. The rather dire am-dram I had to endure before it made it all the more delicious.
Apart from that have been working hard, watching films, eating fabulous breakfasts, and generally living.
More about work later (I know, I keep promising, but it’s a biggie.)
cx
1 comment:
I have reported your 'killing of a mosquito' picture to the RSPCA. Expect a phone call sometime soon.
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