Sojourn in Sydney, Day #1 of 6: Hello, Sydney

Touching-down in Sydney, and overcoming the omission of my middle name from my visa, I caught a double-decker train to Central Station. (passing through other attractively named stops like 'Domestic') It was there I found a huge poster of the British Houses Of Parliament, along with the caption “The Spirit Of Australia.” Maybe the reasoning was “Well it takes one to know one, cobber.”

From here I walked to Railway Square, an intriguing name for a place that was wholly triangular. Here I was to rendezvous with my old home-group friend Scottish Dave. All right, I've never called him that to his face, but in my mind he's always been Scottish Dave. Sorry, Scottish Dave.

The moment I spotted his yellow-t-shirted self beaming at me from across the crowded Sydney street was a good one. Since leaving the UK last July, I had seen only 2 people with whom I could honestly say that I had built-up a regular friendship. (Bill and Karen) But suddenly there was Scottish Dave, grinning like not a day had passed since I'd last seen him back in London last March - ironically when I'd shown everyone my NZ photos. This week was to be a holiday for me - a holiday back in normal everyday life. Only in Australia.


Scottish Dave was (and is) married to Australian Fionnuala, another good friend from back home, in fact the friend through whom I knew him.

There's not a lot else to say about day 1. I caught the 501 bus to Drummoyne, moved in, boiled in the heat, caught some zzz's after my flight, met Fionnuala's brother Gerald, looked at pictures of Johnny B, recognised many ornaments and pictures around their house...


...actually had a real shrimp stuck on a real barbie for me and, to my shame, re-watched the last episode of Star Trek: Voyager on TV. It had promise, but these days Star Trek is a universe of empty promises.

Still, Scottish Dave's early words will remain with me for a long time.

Me: "Scottish Dave – I have to point out that the inaccurately-named Railway Square is in fact a triangle."

Scottish Dave: "That's right English Steve, it's also a bus station."


(day #2 here)
(day #3 here)
(day #4 here)
(day #5 here)
(day #6 here)