As March comes to an end, I thought it appropriate to give another update on our life in Sydney. March was another exciting month as summer drew to a close & the sun finally paid us a visit - we're enjoying a real 'Indian Summer'. The month got off to a great start with the annual Mardi Gras Parade. Lucy & I met up with a few friends & tucked into a few beers whilst watching the many floats proceed past - we managed to secure a good viewing spot this year & bought a couple of plastic stools for Lucy to stand on! The black rats (Bundi & coke in a can) slipped down too easily, whilst a couple of middle-aged ladies from Queensland did their best to take me home with them - but fortunately resisted and ended up having a bit of a late one with more friends in the 'Macquarie Hotel' (surprisingly good place with it's own micro-brewery).During the next week, I managed to secure the post of President of the Finance Society - the 1st time I've ever actually ran for any elected post, so a good win ratio for me then! I'm looking forward to the challenge of elected office for the next year - I just hope that I can do something that makes a difference & don't let the course-load prevent me from doing a good job.
Had a great night in Newtown. Watched Hughesy go bananas and that was excellent - he's one of the best Aussie comedians out there & he even makes me laugh by just standing there as his face is crazy! Particularly enjoyed the gags about blokes throwing kebabs at his house - except it wasn't his house! Followed that with a lovely African meal washed down with a massive plate of ice-cream in Slice 'n Ice. Most make an effort to get back to Newtown as it's a vibrant place to spend some time & the Enmore Theatre (where we caught Hughesy) is a great venue.
The following weekend we went to see Jack Johnson play a concert in Centennial Park and he put on a good show. For me, it brought back memories of our wedding day & the first dance. A couple of weeks later and we were back at Centennial Park for the V Festival - a beautiful day, really well organized & some great music. Highlights for me - apart from the free inflatable drinks tray - were Roisin Murphy (ex Moloko) & Queens of the Stone Age. Smashing Pumpkins weren't bad either & there was a bizarre performance by The Rakes (aussie version) - the lead singer is as mad as a hatter! But Duran Duran were absolutely terrible - and I don't mind a bit of cheese - Simon Le Bon sounded so flat I thought I'd have to scrape him off the floor.
Also during March, we had a fleeting visit from Liz & Andrew. Managed to pack in a lot of the Sydney highlights - Lady Macquarie's Chair, Botanical Gardens, Opera House, etc and had a lovely meal at a place called Ripples (overlooking the harbour). Unfortunately, the night took a turn for the worse when I decided I'd had enough of the Opera Bar and ended up with friends in the Cross - drinking teapots filled with spirits until the early hours. Home at 5.30am, up at 7.00am for breakfast - still drunk! The dip in the ocean at Freshwater did me the world of good though! The trip rounded off with a BBQ at Coogee & then a bit of time at Bondi the next morning - the weather really is glorious at the moment. Bit of a change from the UK where snow hit over Easter!
