Down Down Under

Touched down in Sydney less than 24 hours ago. Having a blast and ticking (checking) things off my list faster than expected.

The hotel is lovely and service top notch. My first view of the Opera House was from my room last night. In fact, that was my first Australia photo. Can't post pictures yet as the ancient Compaq they have here doesn't even have a USB port. Will see what I can do from the Internet cafe across the street.

This morning started out cool and I was rather glad my sail had been cancelled. After walking all of 1 1/2 blocks to Circular Quay, the hub for nearly all Sydney transportation, I picked up my Smartvisit card and hopped on a ferry to Darling Harbor. The ferry stopped right outside my first destination: Sydney Aquarium. The Smartvisit card got me right in without having to wait in line. A turn to the right, a jog to the left, and there I was. Platypus! Two of them. About half the size I thought they were, but cuter and far easier to see (and photograph) than I expected. Like most exhibits in the Aquarium, the platypus lived in a very natural setting with the company of other critters in their eco-system, in this case fish, lizards, and turtles.

The Aquarium is huge and beautifully designed. The signage is great and the flow takes you through the various habitats with no uncertainty. Unlike other places I've been where they make a big deal out of the one underwater tube they have, Sydney aquarium has at least three underwater passages. My favorite gives you an good look at the seals and sea lions. I can now add four new pinneped species to my list. The other tubes go through tanks with various sharks and rays. It was amazing to be down under all that cartilage.

The Aquarium has certainly benefited from the whole Nemo craze. The last section before the gift shop is the reef with tanks focusing on Nemo, Dory, and other critters from the film. From there, you go straight into the portion of the gift shop dedicated to the same theme.

After the Aquarium, I took a loop on the monorail to get a feel for that end of the city. To my surprise, the trip was narrated which made it much more enjoyable. The cars need a bit of refurbishing, but it's a great way to get around.

The ferry ride back to Circular Quay provided the opportunity to take the iconic Sydney photos. Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Opera House, the Opera House through Sydney Harbor Bridge. There were lots of little ants waving from the top of the bridge. They were taking the famous bridge climb, something I will not be doing.

Lunch was at Doyle's, a very famous seafood restaurant. Scallops Mornay done perfectly. One of the things I have to get used to here is that tipping is just becoming part of the culture. Charge slips have the line to add a tip, but nobody seems to expect one. That included last night's taxi driver and even the bell man.

A quick change of clothes and I was off for what was probably one of the stranger bits of my trip. I had arranged to have coffee with a friend of a friend of a friend who had contacted me through one of those community Internet sites. While I knew he was a recruiter, I did not realize he saw this as an interview. There he was with my resume, asking me how interested I was in moving to Australia. It was a great experience as it gave me some insight into the business world here and took me to a neighborhood I probably wouldn't have seen otherwise. Surry Hills is a lot like SoMa in San Francisco, well past its prime, but coming back as a very hip part of town. Lots of bistros, hair salons, and loft office space.

So, that it is up to now. Well, there is one more thing. I've spent an inordinate amount of time looking down toilets. Several people asked me to confirm the stories of the water in toilets spinning in the opposite direction in the southern hemisphere. A full day and several toilets later, I still don't know. The toilets I've used here have very strong suction, and the water just goes down. No spinning. The search for truth will continue.