This is an old Yogi Berra quote but it fits the bill. Today we go into the airport…again. This time we’re armed with knowledge and hopefully we’ll end up at the airport. I’ll be back at you later. Oh, one last thing. They may, just may, offer a bachelor’s degree in public transit. The system is so big they publish books on it, schedule books. http://CityRail.com It is extremely user friendly though. It’s like BART but more personal. Agents are extremely approachable and they know their stuff. The trains run on time. There are basically two directions. In and Out. In goes to downtown and out goes to the burbs. You can see their english roots…mind your step, mind the gap signs are everywhere. It is clean as a whistle. You do, however, see lots of tagging on the walls that line the train tracks as you pass by certain areas. Taggers seem to be universal. All and all it is a superior way to get around.
So, what happened today? Well, we got up early and went directly to the airport with our new-found knowledge. We arrived about 8:15 a.m. Bernie’s plane arrived at 7:20 but he had to go thru customs so we figured we didn’t have to get there too early. While we were waiting we got to talking to this AU man who was waiting for his granddaughter and daughter to arrive. I asked him about a visit to the outback. He said, “Well, I’m an Australian that doesn’t want to see Australia. Too many bugs, too dusty, too hot. No, I rather stay here than go there.” He went on to say that the parking rates were criminal, Perth was more expensive than London and he really preferred cruising because, “I only have to unpack once.” He was a kick. We had a great time visiting until his relatives arrived. And we kept on waiting. And waiting. Where in the world was Bernie?
Ray decided to ask the man at the Help Desk for, well, help. How long does it take to get thru customs this time of the day? Stuff like that. That went no where. So, Ray went to the airline. The airline wouldn’t tell him anything. In the meantime, I was sitting near the exit from Customs watching for Bernie. A friendly young woman with a 4-year old struck up a conversation with me. In the meantime, I could not help but notice that all the people that had been standing around waiting while we were standing around waiting…were GONE.
I should have preferenced my remarks by saying that Bernie was traveling stand-by as he works for an airline in Virginia. So…there was the possibility that he didn’t get on a flight. Our phone doesn’t work here so he couldn’t call. However, I had checked our email before we left the house and there was no email indicating trouble…so WHERE WAS HE?
Then it struck me like a lightening bolt…perhaps he was coming in tomorrow. You know, you do lose a day getting here and that complicates everything. When Ray arrived back from a Customs Help Desk, he announced that Customs wasn’t “holding him”. As soon as I mentioned the next day theory…Ray immediately relaxed and we exited the airport, went out to breakfast (we were starving, it was 10:00 a.m.) and returned to the house where I read an email from Bernie. “Hi, I’m in Los Angeles now and leaving at 10:30 p.m. See you tomorrow.” EEEEKKKK.
Ray at the CityRail.
Breakfast of field mushrooms, spinach, feta, pine nuts, toast and vinegar. Yummy.
After kicking ourselves in the derriere (a french term) sufficiently and adroitly avoiding casting neither criticism nor blame, we surfed the web to figure out our next move. Ray suggested a trip to Cornulla on the train. Perfect. We rode out, walked the town which was almost surrounded by water (the Tasman Sea), viewed Shark Island from afar and returned to Oatley, bought fresh salmon and Greek salad from the fishmonger whose brother-in-law lives in the U.S., a sweet potato from the vegetable stand and came home and drank heavily. And here I am blogging about it.
Moi and the Tasman Sea. Water was fairly warm. Not so cold today.
Tomorrow we get to go to the airport again. Actually, the CityRail does not go to the airport. There is another rail service that does and for that you have the opportunity to pay through the nose. So…we jumped at it. $36 for the two of us to ride into the airport from the CityRail. Did I mention that Sydney is extremely expensive. But not as bad as Perth according to our “source”. Ever so grateful that we have a place to stay and a car to drive which is essentially free. Otherwise, we’d have to mortgage the house.
Ray on the veranda at sunset.
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