Made It

Yes, I made it to Sydney. It took about 11 1/2 hours all up, with a few stops for leg-stretching, snackies and calls of nature, and it really wasn't that bad. Having a co-pilot made a world of difference this time, and in the end, Andy ended up doing more driving than me, leaving me free to navigate, take photos of silly signs and navigate. He also did the final, hair-raising leg into the city of Sydney during rush hour, along the Pacific Highway. At 6:30pm on a weeknight, this stretch of road has no business being called a highway at all. Perhaps the Pacific Carpark or the Pacific Gridlock would work better, or even the Pacific Smash Em Derby.

I also managed to return the truck safely to Ryde, which was through the city, past Balmain and onto the North Shore. The city was busy, but I'm really looking forward to heading back in tomorrow and having a decent wander. Right now I feel quite displaced and unsure of myself, but it's to be expected. I'm really a complete Sydney newbie, and it will take time for me to get a sense of where things are, and how to get around - I just need to dive in.

I'm also sharing an apartment with my old buddy Rafe, who I lived with in St Lucia all those years ago. Our place is in a great location, but it's a bit yellowed by age. Rafe has also been enjoying the single caveman lifestyle a little too much... but we're on our way to getting things looking much more sparkly. I'm definitely looking forward to entertaining friends on the balcony, but... just not yet.