A Manly Meeting

Going out for an evening meal without children in tow is a rare luxury this year but Saturday night afforded us the opportunity courtesy of older son Tom. What a fine young man! So woke up Sunday, ready for the drive to Manly still replete and contented from our Thai meal the night before. Good to come back to Shelly beach which had been the venue for a fly infested lunch right back at the start of the year but here we were again no flies, no swimming trunks either and in the company of 6 other poms. The long sleeves and trousers give it away a bit but considering we are heading into the depths of winter we can't complain as we compared notes around the barbecue with our fellow exchange teachers and all came to the same conclusion that we are all a bunch of jammy gits, enjoying our year immensely but all with the feeling that it will be great to get home too.


The children found alternative ways to amuse themselves, giving us the willies, as they clambered up the surrounding rocks bare foot. It was only a 20ft drop at the top I suppose.


We came ill prepared for barbecueing so having left half a kilo of cooked fish stuck to the communal barbie we beat a hasty retreat to the clifftop behind the beach and had a fruitless attempt at whale watching. They are heading north at the moment stopping off at Hervey Bay for a bit of whale "rumpy pumpy" before coming back down in September but no sightings today so we got back down to "So when are you doing the Barrier Reef?" and "What's your school like?" before saying our goodbyes


We were well looked after this weekend and before heading home Richard had one more surprise for us as we headed 3km south to North Head Scenic drive which according to our lonely planet guide "offers grand views of the harbour, ocean and city skyline." Now we dont always bank on the lonely planet to deliver the goods. This is the same book which had us doing a 60 minute round trip on dirt roads to have us looking at kangaroo poo on pebbly beach two months previously. In addition when I read about my home city it stated "Quite frankly there is very little to see or do in Southampton", bloody cheek. On this occasion though Richard and the LP guide did not disappoint and apart from the serious concern that this picture shows signs of a belly and bouffant greying hair that Liberace would be proud of it certainly was a view to add to the memorable list. Needless to say the camera does not do it justice. Tina and I would argue that it doesn't do us justice either.