Trip to Australia – March 3-21, 2001

Did you know Sydney had a monorail? I didn't until I saw it in the movie "Two Hands". Then, of course, I had to ride it. Most Sydneysiders make fun of it though, because it travels such a small route and there's only, like, half a dozen stops. Still, it was fun to whiz along above the traffic and sing the "Monorail" song from "The Simpsons."

After the tower Snookums had to show me his alma mater, Sydney University. Here he is in the main quadrangle.

This is the Physics building, which I thought was particularly pretty. It was situated alongside a huge playing field and the names of important physicists were carved around the top of the facade.

You can't see them too well, but a cricket match is going on there on the pitch. Snookums astonished me by pointing out that this match was, for them, the equivalent of the Notre Dame football game I took him to last year (meaning that this was a top division contest). There were less than 20 people in the stands. I argued unsuccessfully that a college sport isn't authentic unless it involves beer and a marching band. :)

This is Wesley College, where Snookums spent his formative years. Notice the balcony above the main entrance. Yeah, that was his room when he was senior student. We talked a student into letting us in to look around. It was just like the dorms I was used to at ND, except with a LOT more amenities (dining room, big lounges, etc.).

On Monday, my last full day in Australia, we decided to go to Bronte Beach. Unfortunately, as you might already know, I had a slight accident on the way. The beach was still nice though, in spite of my pain.

One last shot of the ocean to tide me over til the next time I visit...

And that's it! I left Tuesday afternoon and flew to Bangkok, and from then straight on to London. Twenty-one hours in an airplane. As I'm still a little jet-lagged, I'm off to bed. Thanks for reading. :)