12th - 13th Dec - Sydney

Mark (Lloyd of Ex West of Scotland Water fame) met us at the airport with the most lovely wee girl who he says is his (likely story - she is gorgeous). Mark and his lovely better half Jackie had kindly (stupidly you might think) agreed to put Pauline and I up in their flat in Balmain East. The flat is near the water with views of Sydney Harbour and the Bridge - really cool. The best mode of transport into town being the local ferries which only take a few minutes but take you within spitting distance of the Opera House (I kept Pauline form actually spitting) so things were set up pretty great.

Our first night Mark took us up to his local pub in Balmain East which was pretty nice so he's got it made over here. Pauline was a bit disturbed as the weather was difinately no better then Melbourne and a storm the day we arrived actually closed the airport for 3 hours - she's a jinks - couldn't be me.

On our first venture across the harbour by boat (neither of us sick) we wandered around Sydney until the heaven opened (frowns from Pauline) so we took refuge in the Aquarium for a few hours looking at the amazing stuff we were going to see at the Great Barrier Reef - or so I hope.

That night we went into Balmain to another pub to meet another ex-WOSW partier Ian, who like Mark also works for Sydney Water (are they stupid or just hard up - Sydney Water that is).