I found my self once again on the Dave and Mandy's patio overlooking Coogee Beach in Sydney, watching the sun rise over the ocean, though after remarkably circumstances. I was exhausted and pungent, but so happy to see the sun that I took it in for a bit before collapsing into bed. I took this pic from his patio once I'd had a chance to sleep a bit, and then proceeded to form a plan of action with regards to all my gear and my uncertain (immediate) future.

I sent the didgeridoo home, and was amazed how expensive it was to ship a 5-foot, 10-lb chunk of wood halfway around the world. Started to make lists of what I wanted to see in Bali, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, as well as yucky stuff like visas and, well, getting there in the first place. I also hadn't solidified anything about my upcoming trip to Tasmania, so I spent the next couple of days trooping up and down the steep hills of Coogee to visit various travel agencies. As a side note, turns out that Coogee is an Aboriginal word meaning "hill", and like most 120,000 year old societies, they were right on the money.

One night, Dave, Mandy, and I went out to dinner, joined by Dave's old buddy Simon and Mandy's sister Sarah. The next night I met up with Lesley and Wendy, folk I had met through Cousin Norm, and had been corresponding with Lesley about yucky work stuff since my arrival here. We met up in Darlinghurst, a little hood in downtown Sydney with an old courthouse and those crazy winding streets I love. Apparently it was a reformed redlight district, because you know, courthouses make you want to take it off and get it on. Now it has lots of bars and restos, and centers around this crazy oblique intersection. Dinner was great. I tried a barramundi steak. It was amazing, and I began to question the narrow-minded anti-fish kick I'd been on since being in Oz. Conversation drifted from my past and future travels towards brain development and how it is affected by various insults - a subject related to Lesley's job, and I guess mine as well. However, it had been two-and-a-half sun-fried, saltwater-clogged, sand-encrusted months since I had needed to think about such things, so I felt like Spiderman hit by nerve gas ......must....try.....to..........think.......... I was also the lucky recipient of Lesley's old mobile phone. After roughing it without a phone and surviving by email since arrival, my little experiment wasn't fun anymore. Besides, I had musical plans in mind for Melbourne, and my little stint in Port Macquarie had convinced me that I no longer wanted hindrances in communication. Thanks Lesley! And Wendy, I'll do what I can!

I was beginning to relax. The sun helped, as did being around familiar people who were my own age. Despite the fact that I'd met everyone through Norm and Karen the weekend I first arrived, these folks were my oldest friends in Australia, with the exception of Sabrina and Jeff.

The final part of the mission in Sydney was the sale of "Hot Stuff" to Dave. He and Mandy were thinking of purchasing a place in Bronte, essentially the next bay north from Coogee, and thus a better place for her. A little sad, I took one last look at the beat up old thing, gave it a hug, wrapped it up the board bag and stashed it in the garage. Me 'n' "Hot Stuff" had had some good times, we'd laughed, we'd cried, and at the time of writing, my knees, shins, and toes are still healing from our adventures in the surf. But central Canadians aren't really meant to own surfboards, and I think she'll make a great addition to Dave and Mandy's new Bronte household (congrats guys!)

Nothing else too noteworthy, and this stay was brief. Next stop, Melbourne......