An old friend

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - - I'm fighting a losing battle to keep my eyes open as I've been here almost 10 hours already after having almost no sleep on the plane from Los Angeles. Although it's only 6 pm, I'm only staying awake long enough to write this and eat dinner - -I'm starving!

On another note, I'm in love with my bathroom (okay, that's sleep-deprivation talking). The room is the size of my kitchen with a two-person soaking tub in the corner. If only I'd talked to the wonderful Ken doll that was sitting two rows ahead of me on the plane, then maybe I'd have a partner in my lap pool. Oh well!

My room has a view over Hyde Park, two huge queen-sized beds and a flat screen TV...how cool is that?!?!

Not even attempting to masquerade as a local, I wore my Cubs hat as I got re-acquainted with Sydney. (Kinda surprised another (I'm guessing) tourist as he pointed at me and said something to his pals.)

Like an old friend with whom I've lost contact, I've found I have to tread carefully when warming up my love affair with this city...looking right instead of left when crossing the street, ordering a "flat white" for coffee, and trying to remember what the hell "rocket" is.

Which brings me to dinner tonight. I had a Brokenwood Shiraz with beef wellington. It's probably too much to spend on a first-night's dinner, but I'm starving! The wine is quite good. I wonder if it's the same wine that my colleague from Frankfurt suggested when he said "Bloodwood."

En route from Los Angeles, I caught up on my movie-watching with "The Lake House," the new "Pirates of the Carribbean," but I fell asleep before "Prairie Home Companion" began. Too bad!

Upon arrival in Sydney, I texted Leg Shaver Guy (remember him from my trip to Perth last year?) Yes, I know, another sleep-deprivation action! Anyway, he responded and said he'll email me. I just read his email and he's going to see if he can switch his schedule and catch up with me the week I'm in Sydney again (Nov. 15-22). We'll see.

What a snob I am!!! I just had a cheese plate for dessert (of course, since I had some wine left!) There was a really nice white cheddar, a creamy Kings Island brie and a not-too-strong stilton. The cheddar was good, but nuttier than I expected. A fabulous surprise, though, was the dates, apricots, prunes and raisins (or sultantas?) that accompanied the cheeses. Fabulous!

Okay, my stomach's full, so I am sooo ready for bed! (One more thing: total price for dinner with wine, entree and dessert? about $40 US!!!)