Sampling the transport options

I've travelled a good part of the east coast of Australia in the last week, using a smorgasbord of transport options: landrover to Sydney, taxi to the airport, Tiger to Melbourne, trams and shanks pony all over Melbourne, Lian's car to the airport, Virgin back to Sydney, train from Mascot to Central, the XPT back to Taree and landrover home. Whew!

The Sydney trip was to help Linda celebrate her Significant Birthday. We were entrusted with "Starters" and this is what we produced, together with Peter and moral support by Elaine:

That's Wallis Lake oysters on a banana leaf (yes, from your garden, Brown Dog); Italian polenta, prosciutto, boconcini and pesto circles, squares of pumpernickel with salmon, cream cheese, garlic and dill; cucumber with Chinese duck, wasabi and tangello; and finally - poached lemongrass chicken and herb rolls.

All that hard culinary work was loaded tenderly into the back of the landrover and driven from Hornsby to Surry Hills via the always-exciting Bridge (above). All plates arrived without mishap to be breathed up in what seemed like seconds by a very grateful crowd of about 25 dinner guests crammed into Linda and Phil's. Can you believe a sit-down table was somehow created for that many people in that tiny terrace house? Lots of fun. It was a great night, except we were completely knackered and didn't stay late.

Thanks to Barbara, who took us in for the night. Actually it turned out to be two nights for David, because he crashed and burned with a migraine, the morning after the party. Meanwhile, I was on the plane for Melbourne, to spend the week with Lian.

First stop, Victoria Markets for mushroom soup ingredients. Mmmm, the smells, the choice, the temptation.

 Lian (and Suki) are in a share house with long-time friend Kate at Travancore, a tiny inner suburb near Brunswick. Other residents are Sorcha (above) a lap-loving tortoiseshell cat and three teenage boys. An odd combination indeed, especially as the Gen Y's are all (ahem) Unusual. There is a boy, who was a girl until about two years ago; his partner, a slightly histrionic boy who identifies as a girl and is self-medicating to make the transition and a boy who seems settled in his gay identity. All friends. It is, Lian says, like living in a Wes Anderson movie. The part she and Kate find most challenging is the teenage-self-absorption aspect, more so than the irregular gender stuff. As for me, a week was enough. I would have turned into Grumpy Housemother mode if I had to stay there any longer.

But it is a lovely, warm, homely, welcoming house. Kate has a good eye and has filled the place with her antique furniture and op-shop collectibles.

 Suki seems happy enough. She and Sorcha are Coming To Terms.

Guerilla knitting in a shopping arcade in the CBD.  I did lots of things with Lian and by myself while she was at work. Went to ACMI and saw the "Hollywood Costumes" exhibition, including such treasures as Audrey Hepburn's "little black dress" and the gingham pinafore and ruby shoes from Wizard of Oz. Shopping, movies, galleries, coffee, coffee with cake, more coffee...Oh, and signed up some new tenants for our apartment in Southbank, which was my "official" reason for being in Melbourne.

 This is the Hopetoun Tea Rooms in the Block Arcade.

This is me in front of the photo wall at the Monet Exhibition at NGV. Inspiring for our garden. Shall we have a Monet bridge over the dam? Weeping willows? We have the waterlilies already.

I love Melbourne. The weather was foul, mostly, but there was one glorious day. By sheer good luck, this was the day I had picked for a zoo trip with my dear friend Gabi.

Morning tea with a peacock.

 Played in the sandpit with the seals.

Communed with the real seal. Great picture, Gabi.

Up close and personal in the Butterfly House. We had a great day. Talked eachother into the ground and still had energy to look at some animals and birds.

Lian is not much liking being alone in Australia in a share house while Matt lives it up in New York. The visa issue remains unresolved and the pressure is on. But we had a lovely week together, talking a lot and doing girly things. Lian is such good company and generous with her time. She took me to DFO, we had a manicure, we did the markets a couple of times, we saw a movie and ate out and also cooked together at home.

My final morning started early with the morning star shining in the window over the comfy couch that I'd been sleeping on in the lounge room. When no-one of the trans-gender persuasion was already asleep on it at bed-time that is...On those nights Lian had to put up with my snoring in her room.

Sydney was sunny. I enjoyed the flight and the train from Sydney to Taree. Such a pretty trip. But it was so good to be home. Here's where the pool is up to. Concrete, but no lining or tiles as yet. It looks BIG!