Eunos Chump

Some pics taken this evening in the botanical gardens; will be on the plane in the morning.  This tree grew here for more than 200 years, long before any Europeans arrived. It's been a beautiful summer's day, so seeing Xmas trees and decorations seems very odd.

The new office opened yesterday, so I can come home in a couple of days.  It has a cracking view of the neighbouring building's air-conditioning plant harbour bridge.  This is Bridge street, which I am ashamed to admit I have not strayed from all week.  The office is at one end, my hotel the other, the shop where I buy biscuits is in the middle.

This project is pissing me off now, but then I always get annoyed if everything doesn't run perfectly, perhaps I should learn to be more realistic.  Went for a bit of a walk last night to clear my head, seeing as it was such a warm evening.  Hard to believe this was originally designed in the '50s.

Out again on the bike, this time south of Sydney and through the Royal national park.  It's like riding through one of the conservatories at Kew gardens.  I followed the Old Pacific highway, which includes this road built in the sea, around the side of some cliffs. Look, it's Home & Away!  OK, it isn't, I tried to visit the place where they film that but got lost and gave up. Looks lovely, but it was extremely windy and I had my hands full keeping the chunky, unaerodynamic BMW pointing in roughly the correct direction. Later in the day I visited a waterfall.  It had a car park, a visitor centre with restaurant, a gift shop... all for this pathetic dribble of water.  Perhaps it works better in the winter. I did get a present for the Mrs though.  Despite covering more than 500 miles, and even passing through Kangaroo Valley, this is the only wildlife I've seen (apart from a lizard thing, about half-a-second before I ran him over).

Rode the GS all the way through Yengo national park today, in a big loop.  It was one of my best rides ever; in fact it was a Top 10 lifetime experience. Here I am, racing a car AND a train towards the Sydney harbour bridge.  I've been over this 4 times today thanks to my poor navigation - at $3 a go. Oooh, some mountains.  Little ones, anyway.  This camera position isn't very good, but it was the best I could do. I don't know what those creatures are, but they look cute.  I didn't see any though, nor any kangaroos despite several warning signs.  Disappointing. Having a little rest - not too close to any houses, as I saw rednecks gawping at me as if they'd never seen a motorbike before.  Didn't want any Australian Deliverance shenanigans kicking off. This was the only vehicle I overtook (outside the city).  The road was so quiet I only encountered 2 vehicles going my way in around 70 miles. Interesting mailboxes.  I didn't sto

Picked up my hire bike this afternoon, it was super fun riding it back to the hotel in heavy traffic in 35C heat! Initially I couldn't get it off the sidestand, it was so heavy.  I thought I was going to have to admit defeat and ask for a tiny bike, but then I noticed the rear wheel was up against the kerb... shifted it forward, and there we go... I quite like it so far.  It's the new watercooled job, but still a bit tractorish.  Very comfy though.

I'm working in Sydney this month, here are some typical tourist photos: The Opera house is pretty impressive, but awkward to photograph.  I'd like to go and see a show here, but there's nothing playing that appeals at the moment - I suppose all their A-list celebs (Harold from Neighbours, Skippy the bush kangaroo, etc), are doing panto in the UK right now. I told you it was awkward to photograph - you need to be on a boat in the harbour really. It took almost 24 hours to get here; 7 hours on a Boeing 777 to Dubai, then another 14 on this A380.  It was OK though, I got some decent sleep AND and the in-flight entertainment system had the original series of Battlestar Galactica to watch.  That wood - it's plastic.  Like a '90s Mondeo Ghia. I became very confused by the time difference; Monday seems to have been just a few hours long. I've hired a motorbike for the weekend, a massive BMW GS1200!  I don't approve of adventure bikes, but it