Sydney

An opera of light and sound filled the night's sky as thunderstorms rolled through. However the morning was peacefully still, the sun and blue skies calling us out for our last day in Sydney and Australia.

Having already explored Sydney on our first visit, we used the time to ready ourselves for Thailand and South East Asia. Stocking up on high SPF sun lotion, DEET and U.S. dollars for visas whilst reminding ourselves to start taking our anti-malarials. In Hyde Park we ate lunch on the grass with the city's office workers, students and tourists, reflecting with excitement on how different our surroundings will be in just over 24 hours.

After last night's failed attempted at authentic Italian dining we attempted round two at another establishment to get our fix before heading to South East Asia and very different cuisine.

Firstly, the staff were Italian so the initial outlook was good. Starting with flavoursome olives and garlic bread, Kim ate creamy linguine with thick flakes of salmon. Alex had a wholesome chicken milanese with generous fries and salad. We finished with Jamaican mud cake, the soft light sponge coated in a warm velvety chocolate ganache. It was a great meal, which we had wanted last night yet ironically more fitting to have on our final night anyway.

One aspect of Australia we have enjoyed has been the friendly forthrightness used in everyday discussion. The sense of proprietary that can exist back home refreshingly absent and thus getting to the heart of the matter. For example, today a television news reader began a story on flash flooding by saying 'can I just say that those who attempt to drive through floods are complete muppets'. Not exactly BBC.

Here is a similar example that made Alex laugh -

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TZJU1YfLtHIRead more