The day after we got back from Point Plomer was Doug’s 14th birthday, so we all piled into the car again for the hour’s drive to southern Sydney where Bryan’s parents live. Bryan’s sister Leslie and her family were also there for the celebrations. The drive takes us past Botany Bay, its historic name flashing past on a road sign identifying the surrounding suburb. Vince (Bryan’s Dad) had lamb roasting on the back yard grill which we added to a healthy heap of prawns and a chocolate birthday cake for lunch.
We had a full day at the zoo with Emily and Jacquie on Monday. The place was packed due to school holidays but in the spacious tropical layout it never felt overly crowded. The zoo was recently surprised by the arrival of a baby Asian elephant which arrived a day after the zoo’s vets had pronounced it dead in the womb. The baby is now three weeks old and a major attraction. It is awfully cute. Other major attractions for me were the pygmy hippos, the snow leopards, the koalas and all the unusual nocturnal Australian animals.
A lot of the following days were filled with deliberate semi-activity as Jacquie and I continued to talk non-stop. Barney and Bryan left on the Wednesday for their fishing trip in Queensland accompanied by Bryan’s Dad. Jacquie and I were able to escape one day on our own to The Rocks – the oldest part of Sydney and the site of the original settlement – by leaving her kids with her sister-in-law. We had lunch, went to the Sydney Contemporary Art Gallery and to the Rocks Museum.
Jacquie drove me to the airport on Saturday so that I could fly up to Cairns to meet Barney once his fishing trip was over. We have 4 nights in Cairns and then move on to Broome in the NW. We’ll be back in Sydney in 3 weeks for a further 3 days before heading to Malaysia. I’m so glad we’re returning. I’m not ready to say good-bye to my little sister.
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