Sizzling Singapore

The border crossing from Malaysia to Singapore is unique because it's actually a 1,056 meter causeway connecting southern Malaysia with the island of Singapore. The official marks my passport with a hexagonal stamp and I have officially entered my seventeenth country.

Singapore is often described as a good country to enter for first-time visitors to Asia. The streets are clean and well-marked. At markets such as Lau Pa Sat, you can be daring and eat fish heads or play it safe with simple rice and veggies. Our days were spent moving between various sections of the city and air-conditioned breaks inside Singapore's modern malls (the directories have interactive touch screens!) to escape the sizzling midday heat. Transport is made easy with the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) train system. Most journeys around the city center cost around the equivalent of $1 usd. Our hostel is located just steps from the Aljunied stop. It's so close in fact that I can watch the train whoosh by when I am in the kitchen and hear the automated female voice say "Next stop, Aljunied." Sky Orchid hostel is the tiniest hostel I have ever stayed in with the kitchen, common, and computer areas all in one big room; the seven dorms surrounding it. The four bathroom stalls are down a narrow hallway where a sign reads "After using the toliet, please flush probably. Thank you for your Civic Mindedness." Ah, a bad English translation never fails to amuse me.

Singapore has several ethnic enclaves, including an Arab Quarter, Little India, and Chinatown. The Arab quarter is brimming with textile shops, men smoking flavored tobacco out of hookahs, and food stalls sizzling with fried rice and satay. We sit down to eat in the shadow of the gigantic golden Sultan Mosque at Hju Esah. I eat pineapple and seafood rice, while Laura orders a cabbage, egg, peanut sauce concoction called gado gado. I pluck a chip off the top and discover it is dried fish! I browse the little shops and find a striped cloth bag I love. In Little India, I marvel at the lively Sri Veeramakaliam Temple where an evening pooja is taking place. A pooja is a Hindu worship ceremony where attendants believe access with a god or goddess is possible. I watch as women in bright saris pour milk into a silver bucket, a man with white face paint stirs a pot over a heart-shaped fire pit, and another clangs one of the many bells hanging on a wooden door as incense permeates the air. Another enjoyable activity was hearing a Chinese percussion band outside the Esplanade Theater. The entire troupe performed pieces titled "Tiger stalking it's prey" and "Ducks squabbling" with symbols, large taut drums, and woodblocks.

Normally Laura and I shy away from many traditional tourist activities, because often they are cheesy, not to mention too expensive for our backpacker budget. We made an exception for the Singapore Flyer and it was well worth it. The Singapore Flyer is currently the largest ferris wheel in the world. Listening to the electronic audio tour, I learned how much of the wheel and Sinagpore itself was designed to align with the principles of Feng Shui. For example, the wheel used to rotate counterclockwise but was reversed because clockwise is considered better energy. Other decisions are based on lucky numbers including a building with the windows forming the number 13 and the fact that the ferris wheel has 28 capsules that each accomodate 28 people. When you reach the summit of the Singapore Flyer, you are closest to heaven and this is the best time to make a wish! The ride offered amazing panoramic views of the city and surrounding ocean. I am so glad we did it!

Back at the hostel, I suddenly work at 3:37am to the sound of teeth gnashing. Ugh. Some kind of animal must be in the room. I try to ignore it but I can't help myself; I click on the light and crouch down to investigate. I hear it once more and discover it's not an animal but our roommate, Don, grinding his teeth! I can't believe how loud the noise is! Don is Filipino and cracks us up with his questions about American culture such as "Is Michael Jackson really dead? People in the Philippines are not sure what to believe." Along with our other roommate, Luke, ridiculous conversation continued and the four of us giggled like sixth graders at a sleepover.

PS: Laura and I seem to be having a contest as to who can lose/break the most sunglasses. So far Laura's burned through 4 but I trail closely behind at 3. Luckily they have all been under $10. Or maybe that is why they are breaking. It's a chicken-egg question.

I say Melaka, you say Malacca

The first adventure of the day is trying to find the bus station again. Every local we ask gives different directions (perhaps they want to try to help rather than say nothing at all?) At one point we realize we are on the correct street but at the complete opposite end. Our bus leaves at 11am and it is 10:50! We dash across chaotic streets, dodging motorcycles along the way and sprint down platform 8. "Going to Melaka?" we ask 3 drivers who all reply "No." It must have already left! Then at 10:59, the Melaka bus pulls up and everyone piles in rapidly. Within minutes we begin our 2 hour blissfully air conditioned journey south to Melaka.

From the Melaka bus station, we take another bus Red Dutch Square and locate The River View guesthouse on Jalan Pantai. Mani, the owner, gives us Li Chi juice and a map detailing nearby areas of interest. Our guesthouse boasts a cozy lounge festooned with plants overlooking the river, watercolor paintings, and a serene minimalist decor. Luxury possible for $6, I love it. Walking about town I watch trishaws wrapped in colorful fake flowers ride down the street. Everywhere, red paper lanterns hang above me.

On Jonker Street, I find the Wah Aik Shoemaker which specializes in shoes for women with bound feet! The owner, Raymond Yeo, explains how his father began marketing the shoes to tourists as souviners after his last bound feet customers passed away in the nineties. Women of high social ranking would bind their feet to snare a wealthy husband. The process began as early as 2 years of age when all but the big toe would be wrapped with cloth and the arch crushed with a stone! Feet needed to be bound their entire life or the feet would begin growing again. The ideal size fit in a 3 inche shoe--known as "san zun jin lian" or the "golden lotus."

One day I explore Harmony Street--named as such because of the 3 places of worship on it. Malaysia is a predominately Muslim country but it's citizens are allowed to practice other religions freely. I enter the Chen Hoon Teng Chinese Buddhist temple and listen to 5 monks in saffron robes chant while several people listen on bended knees behind them. The monk in the middle gentlely taps on a wood carving as they chant. A man walks around handing out oranges and a woman with several sticks of incense in hand bows several times in the direction of the buddha statue. Suddenly, the monks begin to walk around the temple and everyone follows them single file. I join the end of the line and together we snake around the temple in a long line, bowing at the buddha statue when we pass.

In the Hindu temple, Sri Poyyatha Viyanga Moorthy, I am offered sweet rice and chickpeas from a rotund Indian man wearing a white sarong with blue trim. We engage in a brief conversation but in his broken English all I can decipher is that some important man is visiting the temple in a few days and will I still be around? Then he removes the lid from a silver platter and places some sticky rice and chickpeas on the tips of my fingers. "It's sweet, yes?" he asks. "It is delicious" I reply, "What kind of rice is this?" "Yes!" he answers with a smile and I laugh.

Other curious characters include Abraham who introduces himself as "a nomad from Kashmir" intent on enticing me with beautiful goat-skin bags in his shop and Gabrielle the quirky Swiss woman who owns the second-hand bookstore and a 17 year old blind cat she claims is "the most photographed cat in all of Melaka." (Are many cats vying for this title?) Abdul insists he used to play golf with Obama and that smoking is the inspiration of life while his friend is equally adament that there are actually 52 states in America. Both wish Britney Spears would send them some of her money. One thing is for sure, all the Malaysian people I have encountered are friendly!

The Museum Rakyat (The People Museum) is a mixed bag of bad English translations and historical events described as accurately as having occured in "yester year." One entire hallway is dedicated to the spinning top (also known as a gasing) and another to kites. I learn how one should never stand on a doorstep during a gasing tournament because a satantic knot may be placed there by insincere people. In the 3D gallery downstairs a large diorama with a television inside features a low-budget movie of Melaka's invasion by the Portuguese. Nearby, scenes from Melaka's takeover by the Dutch are depicted in trippy hologram form.

One evening I walk Melaka river at dusk as silent lightening flashes in the sky. I watch red river boats float through the water and the passengers take a picture of me while I take a picture of them. I startle when I hear something rustling to my right and watch some type of huge, long lizard scurry across the path in front of me and plunge into the river! Another night Laura and I boat down the river. I make small talk with the Omani family sitting across from us as we float past peeling Dutch style buildings and a Mariah Carey song wails from the radio.

The food is delicious and diverse, a reflection of the many cultures residing in Melaka. My favorite the roti pisang at Selvam--banana chunks in warm thin bread accompanied by 3 types of sauce. I wash it down with mango lassi, an icy yogurt fruit drink. All for 5 ringgets (less than $2)

Despite receiving UNESCO World Heritage status in 2008, Melaka's tourist population remains relatively small. Most conversations begin with "Hello, how are you? Where are you from?" and then "Ohhhh the USA!"accompanied by a somewhat incredulous look. Perhaps Americans routinely pass up Malaysia in pursuit of more popular southeast Asia destinations. As for me, I am fully enjoying the many pleasures Malaysia has to offer!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

With all the free movies available on Malaysia Airlines, the 8 hour flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumur passes quickly. Fireworks explode over the city lights as we land, most likely a part of the ongoing Chinese New Year celebration. It's almost 9pm and a balmy 84 degrees when I step off the plane. As I fill out my immigration card, I notice the following message emblazoned on the bottom "Be forewarned, death for drug traffickers under Malaysian Law" Well, that certainly is getting to the point isn't it?

After collecting our bags, we buy tickets for the KLIA Ekspres train to the city center. Then we locate the KL monorail and head toward Imbi, where our hostel is located. After getting turned around a few times we finally locate Hostel Equator and are shown to our room. For the equivalent of $10 each, Laura and I get a small room with orange walls, 2 twin beds, a locker, bedside tabe, and a whirring fan. I stay up awhile and play guitar with some Canadian guys before finally falling asleep.

The next day we explore the Central Market first, fingering batik garmets and admiring buddha wood carvings. I eat stingray for lunch and it's delicious. We wander through Chinatown which is chock full of predictable items like desginer bag knock-offs but also more interesting fare such as a row of entire cooked pigs with flowers planted atop their heads. I use a squat style "tanda" (toliet) for the fist time and instead of toliet paper, there is a sprayer you use to clean yourself.

Finding our way around is a bit challenging. Thankfully, everyone I encounter is willing to help. Hadi, the owner of Hostel Equator, gave us a map marked with attractions but KL is far from grid-like. Every "Jalan" (street) seems to tangle into another and it's easy to get confused. Luckily, the monorail provides a landmark we can head toward when lost. We stumble upon the Islamic Arts Museum and I take in the sights--everything from prayer mats to mosque models; intricate marriage certificates to Qur'an texts filled with beautiful calligraphic script.

Kuala Lumpur is an interesting city of contrasts. The glittering Petronas twin towers rise above decaying buildings. Lavish shopping complexes reside near elegant mosques. Tourists in short-shorts stand next to woman draped in burqas. Loud, dirty, crowded streets suddenly give way to quiet, picturesque garden areas. I bought a piece of gourmet cake from an immaculate glass display case the same day I watched a man slit a live chicken's throat with a serrated knife at an open air market. It's a dizzying experience, but one thing is fore sure--I truly feel I am traveling in a far away place.

Walk until your day becomes interesting

In one of my favorite books, Vagabonding, Rolf Potts suggests travelers walk until their day becomes interesting. More than any guidebook list of a city's "must see" attractions, this is the piece of travel advice I follow consistently. And today that meant I ended up crashing an open-air djemebe drum class, showing off my Matrix moves, and stumbilng upon my favorite street performence so far.

Walking along Flinders Avenue, I see rows and rows of djembe (pronounced "Jim-bay") drums lined up along the steps next to the Moving Image museum. Two guys dressed in colorful patterned clothes look like they were getting ready to teach a class. Intrigued, I sit down. Moments later the steps flood with college students. Apparently I slipped into their djembe class but the instructor is ready to begin so I figure I might as well stay at this point!

He teaches us the three basic djembe striking techniques--bass, tone, and slap. Bass occurs when you strike the middle of the drum with your palm and tone when you hit the rim. Slap is a trickier movement, requiring more relaxed fingers and specific placement of the arm. The charismatic instructor strung four drum patterns together and pretty soon most of us were, more or less, following along! I had never played music in such a large group setting and it felt powerful!

Afterwards I wander into the Australian Center of the Moving Image--a fantastic ode to the history of film, television, and digital culture. In the "Games Lab" section, I indulge in nostalgia playing favorites such as Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog and Nintendo's Super Mario Brothers. Another fun exhibit is "Voices" where a series of televisions display the variations of the Australian accent. Paul Hogan's (of Crocdile Dundee fame) "Come and Say G'Day" Australian Tourism campaign from the 80s is hilarious. But the best exhibit is within the "Sensation" section called Timeslice. You walk into a small round room decorated with the classic Matrix green code. Once you've pressed the white button you wait 3 seconds then perform your "move" at which point 36 cameras will capture you from all angles. Exiting the room, you can watch your timeslice movie on a touch-screen on the other side. It is challenging to get a cool-looking move exactly on cue but super fun trying to!

My last stop is Swanston Street where I listen to a doe-eyed french guy play acoustic guitar so gorgeously I was on the brink of tears. He plays a steel string guitar but with a classical technique, picking a complex melody with his long fingernails. Next door and up a long staircase, I dine at Gopal's vegetarian restaurant. As I enjoy my coconut marinated tempeh and mixed green salad I can still hear his music from below wafting through an open window.

TWO days to go until Asia--woot woot!

Melbourne...it's growing on me

When I first arrived in Melbourne, I was less than enthused. I just spent several glorious days exploring the picturesque Great Ocean Road and now found myself in a sprawling city of almost 4 million people. Annoyances include the infamous "hook turn" where you can only make a right from the furthest left lane, trams crowded with chatterbox teenage hipsters , and our first hostel which looked suspiciouly like it might have been a Chucky Cheese in a former life. And the girls here are so fashionable, they look like they stepped out of Bazaar magazine, making me feel like my tank top/skirt/flip flop combo isn't quite cutting it. However, these are typical attributes of city life and after a few days, I have some highlights to report--

• Child street performers: In the last 72 hours, I have seen two sisters under 12 that play better acoustic guitar than I can (well, maybe that's not saying much!), a 7 year old that has got Michael Jackson's dance moves down pat, and an 8 year old playing Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" on piano.




• Queen Victoria Market: Great prices on every kind of produce, fish, bread, dessert you could imagine. A smorgasboard of other items including live ducks, funky clothing, and electronics. I have gotten in the pleasant habit of swinging by there in the mornings for a fresh fruit and yogurt. Yum.
  


• New Pakistani Friends at Hostel: I met Sunny and Shayane on the rooftop of the Metro hostel. They were kind enough to share their beer and expertise in astrology as it applies to women and taught me some words in Pashtoon (sp?) as well. Therefore, I will forgive them for loving the Backstreet Boys.



• St. Kilda Beach Arts Festival: I attended a free hip hop dance workshop. Don't laugh. Ok, do because it was hilarious, especially since I was told to dance on stage and a random old guy was videotaping it.


• Central Library: Free art exhibition on Melbourne's history of shopping complete with subversive texts on shoplifting techniques through the ages.


• Brunswick Street: Excellent Indian food and a guitar store where I tried out a flying v shaped ukulele! You can also borrow free bikes from a brewery nearby called Little Creatures.


• Comics Lounge: Among the garish animal print couches and predictable sex jokes--there were 3 standout performers: Nick Cody, the Nelson Twins, and David Quirk. Check them out.

So, the happy ending to this story is that I am reminded both city and country have their respective delights. And for my remaining days in Melbourne I am going to enjoy them to the fullest!

Port Fairy Chillaxin' & Griffiths Island

Port Fairy is so pleasant, we decide to stay another night here. It has rained all day but I don't mind. A rainy day is an excellent reason to be lazy after moving from place to place. Given a snowy day, I might feel trapped and annoyed. But a summer rain is welcome. I can keep my window open and listen to its soft rhythm. I can pull on my rainjacket, walk three minutes to the bookshop, and be ensconced in a duvet moments later reading a new story while eating Tim Tams. (Tim Tams, by the way, are chocolate covered biscuit cookies--my favortite Australian treat!) Laura and I often comment how we fall asleep as soon as our head hits the pillow. Why are we so tired? We aren't running marathons here. However, we are walking alot most days and I think I continually underestimate how that combined with the stimulation of new places all the time can be exhausting--not that I'm complaining--it's a "good" tired!

In the evening, the rain subsides and I emerge to explore nearby Griffiths island. "A yankee are ya?" a local fisherman named Trevor replies when I introduce myself. Apparently my American accent is as amusing to the locals as their Australian English is to me! Trevor explains that the many burrows surrounding us are inhabited by shearwaters, also known as mutton birds. I see no live birds but several, headless dead ones--victims of the islands fox population. I meander to past rocks that look like large pieces of coal and rubbery strips of seaweed toward the blinking lighthouse. I hear a steady hum of chirping that seems to be emanating from under the ground. Alison, the hostel manager, later informs me these are baby mutton birds awaiting their parents return with dinner for them. Standing at the base of the lighthouse, I watch the sunset. The cloudy sky is pewter streaked with marigold. Rounding the opposite side of the island, I see swamp wallabies! A wallaby is a smaller, darker version of a kangaroo. I tiptoe near one; close enough to observe the rust red flecks of hair on it's belly. There are ten adult wallabies in all and a baby no bigger than a chihauhau. I feel so lucky to have seen so much wildlife in the past 72 hours! By the time I circumnavigate Griffiths Island, dusk has progressed to darkness. I follow the orange glow of streetlamps back to the hostel, giddy from a satisfying day.

Great Ocean Road

Our tour of the Great Ocean Road through Australia's Victoria region begins with a stop in the town of Anglesea. The helpful ladies at the visitor center told us the local golf course is known for it's kangaroos that roam the course! We were skeptical but decide to check it out. Ambling along the walkway next to the green we suddenly see two of them relaxing in the shade. Fifty meters ahead there are a dozen more--young, adult, and some are tagged. A few are sitting on their haunches, others are sprawled on the ground, and some are using their small paws to scratch themselves. I stare at them and and they stare back at me. Then a large lawnmower roars nearby and several kangaroos hop across the green to another cluster of trees. Two golfers walk by unfazed. Laura and I laugh--we definitely never expected to see wildlife on a golf course!

We drive further until we reach the Grey River Road near Kennet River. We were told the eucalyptus trees here contained koala bears. I thought it would be relatively easy to spot them, but someone else has to help me locate him. Suddenly, I see him! I watch in awe at this koala perched in the crook of two branches proceeds to urinate, soaking the tree trunk below him. The second koala sits in the lowest tree branch, just above my head. I marvel at his brown-gray body, beige colored chest, and fuzzy ears. He sits motionless for a several minutes then begins to grasp eucalyptus leaves with his black leathery palms and push them into his mouth! I see a few others along this route, but the proximity to the second one was the most special! We head to Apollo Bay and settle on a caravan park near the river to camp.

The next morning wake up early (partly out of excitement for what experiences the day might bring but mostly because it's cold and difficult to sleep on the ground). We stop for a hike at Maits Rest. This ancient rainforest is full of Myrtle Beech trees covered with lime-green moss and anchored by elaborate, twisted root systems. The whole walk has the aura of a fairytale land. On our way to the next site we see an echidna by the side of the road. This animal is also known as aspiny anteater and looks like it with its coarse hair and long snout.

Most of the afternoon is spent gawking at the "Twelve Apostales" in Port Campell National Park. These freestanding limestone towers formed due to erosion and stand as a dramatic contrast to the ocean and steep cliffs. This entire area has been host to enough shipwrecks during the nineteenth century to earn it the moniker of "Shipwreck Coast"

We decide to stay in Port Fairy just beyond the end of the Great Ocean Road. The hostel here is an adorable Victorian cottage-- from its decorative cast iron door to the shabby-chic lounge area and fireplace. My bed is the top bunk atop a wooden ladder that makes me feel as if I am in a treehouse. Walking around town, I admire the earth-toned building with their faded signs and roam the rows of the Ironbird Bookshop. I indulge in a kiwi fruit tart at Remella's cafe before heading back to relax after a busy day.

SIGN OF THE DAY: Seen outside a fish and chips shop in Port Campbell

"Could you please not feed the seagulls as they s*** everywhere and sometimes it lands in your food. Thank you."

PS: Although my camera is broken, we are taking pictures with Laura's camera until I get a new one. Eventually the post-Sydney ones will make it on the blog

Roadtrip! Sydney to Melbourne

The original plan was to drive from Sydney to Melbourne over the course of 3-4 days, camping along the way with the tent Nathan and Courtney bequeathed to us. But as we made our way south it started raining HARD. The radio describes the conditions as "monsoon-like" and even the Sydney airport has closed on account of the weather! By the time we arrive in tiny Jervis Bay it is dark and still raining cats and dogs. Nothing is open and there are no accomodations so we opt to sleep in our compact car. I pull on my rain jacket and climb out of the car to pee once more before bed when out of the corner of my eye I see it. My first though is "deer" but of course it's not a deer but a kangaroo munching on grass. I move slightly closer and realize there are three of them! I gesture vigorously to Laura to come out and look. We stand in the pouring rain and gaze at these amazing creatures just standing on someone's lawn. My first kangaroo sighting makes up for having to sleep in a compact car!

The next morning we wake up with sore backs but ready to enjoy some hiking in nearby Booderee National Park. Walking along the beach yields all sorts of interesting sea debris. My favorite is a bluish claw with white square teeth inside the pincher part--weird! Interesting stops include a vegetarian cafe in Milton and a cheese factory in Bega before arriving in Merimbula for the night. After sleeping in the car a hostel feels so good!

The next day the weather improves and we find Ninety Mile Beach. We follow a dirt path shaded by a canopy of trees so thick only glimpses of sunlight peek through until we reach it. Wow. I gaze upon a beach that stretches into oblivion on either side of me, nothing else. And besides a smattering of people, the brown sugar sand is empty. The water is cold and rough with waves constantly cresting over the ones in front of them. A man jogs by with a surfboard tucked under his arm and a white terrier sprinting after him. The sapphire sky directly above pales into a baby blue hue, then a band of violet low lying clouds that rest upon a shimmering aqua ocean. Needless to say, we spend several hours here and end up camping at campsite in the nearby town of Lake Entrance (unfortunately no camping allowed on the beach itself!)

The third day we complete the stretch between Lake Entrance and Melbourne. While we have seen some amazing sights, both Laura and I are getting tired of being in the car. Downtown Melbourne turns out to be snarled with traffic and boiling hot. People, cars, construction, and "no right hand turn" signs are everywhere. It takes us over an hour to navigate our way out of the tangle. Perhaps living in Wyoming for the past couple of years has reduced my ability to deal with the hustle and bustle of driving in cities because I am STRESSED. Sydney is an even larger city but we didn't have to drive there and our friends helped us ger around on the public transport. I don't even want to stay in the city it feels so insane so we decide to drive a little further and stay in the seaside town of Torquay for the night. It's a surf-shacky kind of town and I feel revived by the open space and breezy weather. Tomorrow, we embark on the Great Ocean Road!!!

Nikon--I want a divorce

Grrrr! My Nikon camera tells me it has a "lens error" and now it won't work. This has happened with previous Nikons and I am so frustrated that I'm saying here and now I will never buy another Nikon camera again. That's it! We are through Nikon. How could you do this to me during my all-important around the world trip?? And this time there are no Best Buy's to take you to and get fixed under the warranty plan. Man, I am so annoyed it broke. Unfortunately there will not be any pictures posted for awhile until I purchase a few one. Luckily, Laura's camera is still up and running so the experiences won't go completely undocumented! Any recommendations on what my next camera should be are appreciated. Keep in mind, it needs to be a pocket, budget version!

The Rest of Sydney--Mountains, Music, and Food

The five of us (Dave had to work) take a two-hour train ride to Katoomba--the nearest town to Blue Mountains National Park. We fuel up for our hike with lunch at Gardner's Inn then walk through Katoomba toward the trailhead. Given that I live near gorgeous mountains in Jackson Hole, I didn't expect to be blown away by this area. Then we approach the lookout at the trailhead and I see sandstone cliffs surrounding the longest and widest green-treed gorge I have ever seen. The wind blows the waterfall to my right into a mist so fine it looks like smoke drifting past the rock face. We laugh because it takes us awhile to even begin the hike we are so wrapped up in the initial view.

We decide to hike to Pulpit Rock, an approximately 3 hour roundtrip day hike. The hike itself is easy and enjoyable with little change in elevation. At one point, we hop on rocks to cross a river and I am glad I wore my hiking sandals instead of running shoes that would be sopping by now. Halfway through, I see a thin, jagged piece of rock protruding from the side of the mountain. I am both afraid and thrilled by heights and I have to have a closer look. I gingerly climb out on it, look down into the depths below, and feel a sense of vertigo. When we reach Pulpit Rock, I am again tempted by the lure of heights. I climb on the metal railing and manage to completely stand up and survey the vastness below. As I have thought of several times during the trip, pictures can't capture this. The experience of having all your senses engaged at once because you are actually in this wild place. I see the sun-exposed and shadowed cliffs, feel and taste air on the brink of rain, and listen to the silence. The Blue Mountains were my favorite part of our time in Sydney.

A few days later, Isaac, Laura, and I play music at the Excelsior Hotel in the Surry Hills neighborhood. Isaac plays under the same SheBlondeSwede and is there promoting his EP called The Shopping Cart. Laura has been performing within the San Diego music scene for years and made a cd title Along for the Ride. Both are very talented musicians. I don't have a cd nor have I played to an audience in ages. But I have said for awhile now that I would like to get back into performing like I did when I was living in San Diego so here's an opportunity. I stay home to practice for a few hours while they roam the city.

We arrive at a small bar furnished with wooden tables and leather couches. Very chill. Isaac plays the majority of the time and Laura and I each play a small set of covers and originals. I am especially moved by Isaac's song "Lovin You" and his cover of "Romeo & Juliet" by the Dire Straights. Laura wrote a new song titled "Ohio" that tugs at my heart too. After my performance, I am told my voice sounded great but my stage presence was a bit subdued---I needed to let go more. As you know, I am not shy but I do actually get nervous performing when I both sing and play guitar! Only plenty of practice and experience can tame those butterflies! We enjoy the rest of the evening over a jug of Fat Yak and listening to the final band of the evening, The Sign. It's members, Jo and Paul are from Tasmania and Jo's voice is an even growlier Janis Joplin! Heading home, we get caught in a rainstorm and laugh at how soaked we are by the time we reach the train.

The next day ends up being all about delicious food. For "brekkie" as Australians say it, I enter Savta where the man recommends the Israeli omlette. I'm starving and spring for it. I find a table outside and pour myself a glass of water from a chilled glass bottle while I wait. My meal arrives and I tuck into it. Chopped cucumbers and tomatoes are nestled against a cheese and herb infused omlette. My favorite part is a dollop of thick lemon-tinged yogurt called "labne" atop an olive oil and thyme mixture named "zatar" which I spread on my turkish toast. Yum!

I buy a Daytripper pass for today's transportation. For $18, you get access on most of the trains, buses, and ferries throughout Sydney for 24 hours. We bus to Watson's Bay to walk along the coast and meet Isaac's friend, Lauren. Lauren works at Funky Pies, a vegan pie joint, so we decide to try it. I order a spinach and onion pie and the flaky crust is excellent. After our late lunch, we wanted to take a ferry from Watson's Bay but realize we missed the last one. Instead, we bus to Circular Quay (a downtown transportation hub) and hop on a yellow ferry bound for North Sydney. I relax and watch the Sydney skyline float by. We pass the Harbor Bridge and see a group of people ascending it. This activity is popular with tourists but costs several hundred dollars. If it included a bungy jump I might be interested but I didn't want to pay that just for the climb itself. We pass the Prime Minister's house with its regal columns and pristine gardens. The last stop before we turn around is Mosman Ave. This area is tranquil with boasts bobbing in the water and opulent old houses surrounding the harbor. Several have balconies that wrap around the entire length of the second story. I love balconies. :)

The highlight of the day is our dinner at Italian restaurant Fratelli Fresh. Up to this point, I have not really indulged in a high end dining experience in Australia. Being a budget traveler, food is an easy cost to cut if you live on grocery store runs and sandwiches. But this is our last night in Sydney so Isaac, Dave, Laura, and I are going to splurge! We walk past the sex shops, tattoo parlors, and the colorful characters of King's Cross until it gives way to the more urbane district of Potts Point. Fratelli Fresh displays their menu on a large blackboard each based on the ingredients they have on hand that day. Our appetizers are mozzarella topped tomato slices brocollini, and crispy polenta with oyster mushrooms and gorgonzola sauce. Oh my god. The combination is goose-bump inducing and we make quick work of it. My main dish is farfalle pasta with asparagus, spinach, and percorino. Laura orders a risotto, Dave a slightly spicy penne, and Isaac a really spicy gnocchi. After savoring our own dishes we decide to rotate to the right several times to experience everyone else's. It's agreed that all the dishes are delicious, but Laura's risotto with it's delicate vegetables and shredded gorgonzola cheese takes first prize. We bask in the luxury of it all, sipping Sangiovese and talking about topics as intelligent as our favorite N.P.R. program to as cheesy as how much we truly love the band Hall & Oates. We toast each other and a wonderful time in Sydney!

City & Solitude

On our second day in Sydney, Isaac and Dave take us to Bondi Beach. In less than 10 minutes on a bus, we arrive at Bondi's shores. Normally, city beaches disappoint me. But while Bondi is certainly busy, it's wide white swath of beach is quite clean and lovely. Walking around, I am amazed at how utterly tan everyone is. The sun in Australia is intense and the country has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world. I am not one who tans well, therefore, I lather up with spf 50 all over my body and plonk a wide brimmed hat on my head. We take turns--a few people swim amongst the crashing waves, while others stay and watch everyone's stuff. Bondi is an interesting people watching spot--sunbathers strut in various states of undress, a man sells books for $1 from red shelves, and people of various abilities try out the surf. After swimming and sunning (well, not so much sunning for me!) we walk part of the coastal route from Bondi to Coogee and admire the scene from clifftops above.

Later, we quench our thirst with drinks on the rooftop of the Glenmore hotel in The Rocks district. Dave tells us that many historic hotels have been converted into pubs but this particular one still houses travelers as well. The view of the opera house from here is fantastic! We move on to dinner at the Australian Hotel. I order basil and onion pizza topped with emu! It tastes like high quality steak and is delicious! I try some of Dave's kangaroo and that is yummy too. Who knew?

After 2 days of city exploration, we decide to train to the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. The train ride to the town at the base of the park, Katoomba, is two hours. I look out the window for awhile then read some of the Pattie Boyd book I bought at the beach yesterday. Before I know it, we are there. Given that I live near some of the most iconic mountains in the world, the Grand Tetons, I wasn't sure how impressive this site would be. But as soon as we arrive at the first lookout, I am floored. The wind blows a waterfall into a mist so fine it looks like smoke drifting past the rock face. The mountains are not incredibly high but what is striking is the length and depth of the immense gorge below, thick with trees. Halfway through the hike to Pulpit Rock, I see a thin, jagged rock protruding from the side of the mountain. I gingerly climb out on it, look down and feel vertigo. There is so much to look at, it is frustrating because I can't take it all in at once. Soon, we arrive at Pulpit Rock and marvel at the sandstone rocks rising from a thicket of green while sharing chocolate with hazelnuts. I love a bustling, artsy city with superb architecture as much as the next person, but also appreciating the majesty of nature in quiet solitude.