in with the sharks and Brisbane

Hello!

As I am now on the move again (not resident in Sydney any more)I'm going to try to blog again.

Yesterday I went sailing on a little catamaran dinghy and then a Pico (very small dinghy not really for two people) at Balmoral Beach (see picture) on the north shore of Sydney harbour. This was with a friend, Tristan, who I had met through yachting and who is over 6ft tall. So every time either of us moved in the pico, the pico moved. To begin with the wind was quite gentle but as the wind got up things got a bit more exciting. I didn't have a spare change of clothes or towel (such was my faith in our ability to keep the boat upright and also probably I've got a bit complacent from yachting). Inevitably we went in.

As I had been to a special exhibit on sharks at the National Maritime Museum the day before I knew exactly how shark infested Sydney was - and was not happy about the situation. I got back in the boat pretty quick.

I am now in Brisbane sitting in the botanic gardens and being eaten alive by mosquitos. Brisbane is DESERTED because all the residents decamp to their holiday homes on the beach over Christmas and New Year and right now I am trying to organise to do the same (obviously to a hostel) on Wednesday. There are quite a few large lizards in the gardens... and I'm pretty sure that means snakes as well!

Toodle Pip.