2007:2008

As I told Jimmy- my man at the bank today, compared to Melbourne Sydney has crap bars and pubs and you have to try hard before you can get a good meal. Also Sydney-siders are mostly soulless and they'd rather pretend you don't exist rather then chat to you on public transport.

But by god- you can EASILY forgive all of Sydney's faults for just one sunset at Manly looking over the water. Or a day on the Hawksebury River. Or a day on the Harbour. Or an afternoon at Warriwood beach. Or a walk/drive through the green, lush suburbs where you can't see the houses for the trees.



And besides- I don't like talking to strangers on public transport anyways.


With that in mind, we had a pretty ACE Christmas and New Year!
Very jammed packed and tiring- but I came through the other end better for it.

Highlights included:
Catching up with the Fraser clan (even though it made me weary due to my recent hermit ways). It was good to see Ains enjoying their company and getting to know them all better!(I think they're liking HER more over ME!) We even had a meeting of the Parents!

Becoming surprise underdog finalists in the Christmas Table Tennis Comp! Myself and my cousin Tim melded together as 2 mild-mannered silent ping-pong stars and defeated all the professional tennis players in the family. It finally took not one but 2 Newcombe offspring's to defeat us in the grand finals!

Boxing Day- we went out on the Harbour to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart race. Very exciting amongst the chaos of it all. One minute we were in calm blue waters in between the Heads feeling pretty good to get that fresh sea air in my hung-over lungs and then suddenly the water turned into a washing machine with hundreds of crazy spectator boats, helicopters and yachts! Poor Ainslie got hit by sea-sickness though and swore never again!

Hitting old favourite Warriwood Beach for a late afternoon swim.

A day on the Hawksbury River with the family up at a fantastic spot that hasn't changed in 20 years!

Lots of prawns!

Picking up the big-arse fishtank and driving it back to Melbourne!
We left early New Years Day and spent the next 2 days leisurely cruising south via the coastal road with a night stop over in Merumbulah where we had the most amazing meal at the RSL of all places! SUPERB seafood and cheap Tooheys beer!!

Below: A Frase in his natural habitat- a road trip!