Sydney Journal I - House Trade
A travel agents adventure Syndey Australia. How to trade homes, plus activites, shopping, day trips, adventure and fun.
(PRWEB) June 18, 2005 -- For over 10 years, I have been an Australian Specialist, selling travel to Australia and New Zealand. On our fifth trip to Australia, in February and March of 2005, we traded our vacation home in Colorado with a couple in Sydney. Since the seasons are reversed, they went skiing and we enjoyed summer. The trade was a resounding success from both ends. Herewith is my account.
I thought we weren't coming to Australia at all as David melted down at LAX. You must stand in a line hundreds of people long to get your bag X- rayed. Our machine quit when we were next and had to be re-booted. We lost each other in the crush of the terminal and I had Dave paged. He didn't hear the page (old age) and we fell into each other's arms in front of the Qantas counter.
ACT II was much better. Qantas has outfitted all of business class with BEDS! This is to die for which I was relatively sure we wouldn't as Qantas has never had a fatality! We actually slept, I about 6 hours, Dave more than 8 due to the stress encountered at LAX!
Arrived Melbourne bright and early on Friday morning (Thursday to you). We didn't get lost, just couldn't get on the non-stop to Sydney after 10 months of trying. Changed planes and flew to Sydney. The driver from Swain (the people I use in Australia) "collected us" and took us "straightaway" to "our" new home.
Do not even ask at all where we found our house. Well, we would not have found it at all except that this car was equipped with a guidance system! It is off of Shellbank Street, down a very steep street into Shellbank Parade. We were met by Pam, a friend of our hostess, who showed us around.
At this point the driver, Lee, got good news because when you open the door, on the top level, there is the master bedroom, a bathroom and a good sized sitting room.
Go down about 16 beautiful wooden stairs and you will find the living room, dining room, kitchen, deck overlooking the bay and gorgeous views and sailboats.
On the lowest and next level down, you will find an office, another bedroom and bathroom, a rowing machine, an outside lap pool (no ladder out, so am waiting to develop my upper body strength before trying same). To get to this level, you got it, you will go down about 12 stairs called Japanese stairs... because of the drop, the stairs are in half, left and right, so that you only go down 5 or 6 inches instead of 10 or 12 inches at a time. Picture it, left foot on half a step, right foot on next half a step, etc. You must be totally sober and absorbed in your task. Very good for quad development!
Mind you, I haven't tried this yet, but if you go down 16 more steps, you will be at the water's edge. I may just "enjoy" and never do this!
We understand that this home was designed by the architect who was responsible for the refurbishment of the Sydney Opera House. He must be a mad genius! The materials are magnificent. A newcomer must be very vigilant. I was hit in the head by the garage door, as we didn't know it opened outward. But, that was after I fell down the step into the living room.
The owners must be very interesting people because the electronics are amazing. There is a plasma TV behind a sliding oil painting in the living room. It must be a great TV, but so far, despite 3 pages of directions, we cannot operate same. We will call the guy for this tomorrow.
I am now an ecologically aware Sydney housewife. This is because all products, including the guests, are biodegradable!! They have a normal sized washer but a wee dryer. This is because everyone here hangs out his clothes.
Activities: Both mornings, we have driven to Balmoral Beach and walked a few miles. As some of you know, Aussies are sports crazy and we have lots of company. Those not walking are swimming laps in huge circles inside the "shark and box jelly fish" net. Today, instead of Little League Dads we saw "surfing Dads" with their groups of little kids, all in bathing suit uniform... about the cutest thing you ever saw. At Balmoral, there are about 4 great looking restaurants, none of which we could book into for Sunday (tonight) or tomorrow (Valentine's Day). The latter is huge here.
Yesterday afternoon, we drove to Mossman, our closest ferry landing stop (about 10 minutes) and took the ferry into Sydney (20 minutes). Sydney Harbour is as amazing as ever, especially on weekends with all the boats out. We had a big lunch at Wolfies overlooking the Harbour, in lieu of dinner, by which time we knew we would be asleep. We could see groups of "Bridge Climbers" way up on the Sydney Bridge. This has become a very big thing to do for tourists and Aussies alike. I am trying to get up my nerve... stay tuned! Dave has respectfully declined!
Shopping: Now, shopping for food is an adventure, for sure. First, at least in our neighborhood, one goes to the green grocer, then to the regular grocer for most other things; except, the fish monger and the meat guy are kind of outside of the previous 2 places but right in the same type mall affair. Today, we went to the liquor store for wine. Then, when we were in the grocery store, I asked a lady where one buys beer. "My dear, she replied, one must go to the liquor store, not like in America where one can buy beer in the grocery store". Of course, me being me, I had to tell her that in my state, Pennsylvania, one could go neither to the liquor store nor the grocery store for beer. She found this extremely peculiar! Dave had to return to the liquor store where by now the guy is our best friend and told Dave no self respecting Aussie would drink Fosters. So, Dave did as he was told and bought a different brand! Our first guest to drink the beer will be my old buddy from Swain Tours, David, who has moved back to Sydney. I am really excited to see him and his girlfriend Natalie again.
Driving: I shouldn't write anything about this, as I have only one function and that is to say: "left, left, left, those already in the round-about have the right of way". We have agreed that to avoid a late life divorce, we will call a taxi at night. To that end, I have stopped every taxi driver we see and asked for his card!
That is the up to the minute news at 4PM Sunday, Sydney time. It is wonderful to back in my favorite away from home place. God willing, I will write again with the latest news. I hope you enjoy my journal. It is wonderful to have all of you family and friends to share our adventures with. Dave and I send love, Alece.
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