It's beautiful here. Apparently in December, January & February the weather alternated between rainy and muggy (if they added - cold, it would be a typical English summer). But for us the sun has come out; right now, in mid March it just seems like the endless summer of youth.

Racing yesterday on Sydney Harbour with, you guessed it - me on the wheel. We did pretty well, and came second, in a class of two I might add. It's hard to drive a boat perfectly when everyone else on board is on their 8th glass of fizz, but we managed to make it round without hitting any of the corners.

This week I've also been noshing at both Hugo's and Catalina; body surfing at Tamarama; shopping up Pitt Street ; generally living it LARGE on this little promontory into the harbour they call The Rocks.

On this Australian leg of the tour it's been the battle of the Pale Ales, whether it be Little Creatures, Coopers, or Fat Yak, I'm not sure who is the victor. I surely am the battlefield.

Things I'll have to do next time we come here:

Do the Harbour Bridge walk - they call it the coathanger.
Look at the fabulous bikes at Deus Ex Machina (check out the website).
Confront a Sydney Funnelweb Spider... oooooh scary!

A few nights ago, after swimming in the Indian ocean, I was on the veranda with Yasmin and my good friends Gail & Joe Coffey. A kookaburra was, not perched, but sitting on a telegraph wire just across from where we sat . And all were silenced by his haunting call... his invitation.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Merry,merry king of the bush is he.
Laugh, Kookaburra, Laugh, Kookaburra, Gay your life must be.
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Eating all the gumdrops he can see.
Stop, Kookaburra, Stop, Kookaburra, Leave some there for me.