Stay LEFT
(by Hunter)
Ken, our flatmate, asked us to take care of the “spotty dog” (the Dalmatian Igby) while he was out of town last week. As a deal sweetener, he offered us the use of his car. Man, did we take full advantage of that!
I sure hope he didn’t look at the odometer before he left, because Candace and I logged some serious klicks. We had the added benefit of a three-day weekend (thanks to the Queen for living another year) to get the most use out of the vehicle.
We spent the first day doing “work” - house hunting in Manly, and exploring the adjacent, more outlying, areas. We sure can visit a lot more open-houses when we don’t have to walk to each of them.
That night we drove out to “little Italy” - the Sydney suburb of Leichart – for a nice dinner. The guide books all mention an Italian meal at Leichart as an attraction, so we dutifully trooped over there. Our authentic Italian food was skillfully prepared and served by cheerful Asians. Viva Italia!
The next day we got up early and drove out to the Blue Mountains for a scenic drive and a nice hike. The mountains evidently appear blue due to a fine mist of eucalyptus oil exuded from the trees. The landscape is characterized by dramatically precipitous limestone cliffs, waterfalls, and gum trees. We hiked the “Grand Canyon” trail, which was an incredibly beautiful hike, but not at all grand in the “large size” meaning of the word; the “splendid” meaning of the word grand is more accurate. The canyon was quite narrow and lush, and the trail wound dramatically around pools, behind waterfalls, and under projecting rock ledges. It was one beautiful glen after another; grotto-a-lotto. We got out of the canyon in time to watch the sun set, and then join the flood of holiday drivers headed back to Sydney.
The last day we took the dogs and our surfboards out to the farthest of Sydney’s “northern beaches” – Palm Beach. The dogs got plenty of running in the park, and we got plenty of good uncrowded surfing in the head high waves. We packed a picnic and made a full day of it.
I have effectively made the switch to the left hand side of the road, without (much) incident. I knew the mental switch had taken hold when I saw an American program on TV and my instant reaction was “whoa, get back in the correct lane”. Please keep an eye on me when I come back to visit the US…
I paid Ken back for his vehicular generosity by accidentally leaving his dome light on, and draining his battery. We may not have another road weekend for awhile, I imagine.
Ken, our flatmate, asked us to take care of the “spotty dog” (the Dalmatian Igby) while he was out of town last week. As a deal sweetener, he offered us the use of his car. Man, did we take full advantage of that!
I sure hope he didn’t look at the odometer before he left, because Candace and I logged some serious klicks. We had the added benefit of a three-day weekend (thanks to the Queen for living another year) to get the most use out of the vehicle.
We spent the first day doing “work” - house hunting in Manly, and exploring the adjacent, more outlying, areas. We sure can visit a lot more open-houses when we don’t have to walk to each of them.
That night we drove out to “little Italy” - the Sydney suburb of Leichart – for a nice dinner. The guide books all mention an Italian meal at Leichart as an attraction, so we dutifully trooped over there. Our authentic Italian food was skillfully prepared and served by cheerful Asians. Viva Italia!
The next day we got up early and drove out to the Blue Mountains for a scenic drive and a nice hike. The mountains evidently appear blue due to a fine mist of eucalyptus oil exuded from the trees. The landscape is characterized by dramatically precipitous limestone cliffs, waterfalls, and gum trees. We hiked the “Grand Canyon” trail, which was an incredibly beautiful hike, but not at all grand in the “large size” meaning of the word; the “splendid” meaning of the word grand is more accurate. The canyon was quite narrow and lush, and the trail wound dramatically around pools, behind waterfalls, and under projecting rock ledges. It was one beautiful glen after another; grotto-a-lotto. We got out of the canyon in time to watch the sun set, and then join the flood of holiday drivers headed back to Sydney.
The last day we took the dogs and our surfboards out to the farthest of Sydney’s “northern beaches” – Palm Beach. The dogs got plenty of running in the park, and we got plenty of good uncrowded surfing in the head high waves. We packed a picnic and made a full day of it.
I have effectively made the switch to the left hand side of the road, without (much) incident. I knew the mental switch had taken hold when I saw an American program on TV and my instant reaction was “whoa, get back in the correct lane”. Please keep an eye on me when I come back to visit the US…
I paid Ken back for his vehicular generosity by accidentally leaving his dome light on, and draining his battery. We may not have another road weekend for awhile, I imagine.
posted by Hunter Williams at 6:07 PM
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