Kate & Simon

We’ve been a bit quiet of late, what with celebrating the New Year and relaxing down the beach! Am now in the wonderful Singapore Airport using free internet to update our last few days.

We spent most of New Year’s eve on the beach (as with many days at our apartment near Tamarama bay) but met up with John and Jess in the afternoon to sort out our provisions for later in the evening. We took booze and food up to Rose Bay where we boarded a ferry (after quite a wait where John & I took the opportunity to buy more beer for the queue) to Shark Island. A quick 5 minute ride as dusk started to come upon us and we were there.
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The past 5 days Kate and I have been having a lovely time in our gorgeous apartment next to Tamarama beach found by the ever resourceful Johnny and Jess (that’s ‘tam-a-ram-a’ to you poms - not the typical English ‘tam-a-rar-ma’). We’ve been down to the beach every morning swimming among the waves.

Today we were down Bondi beach, along with what seemed to be around 10,000 people. Madly busy. They are setting up for Fatboy Slim’s New Year’s Eve concert (Shore Thing, run by Fuzzy who Jess works for), with a big stage and big blue lights which are now shining through the clouds as I write this. I think they’ll block off most of Bondi from about 6pm tomorrow, but may be fun to pass by and see what’s going on. Jess is helping organise the event, and picked Norman Cook himself up from the airport yesterday.
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Re: Sydney to Hobart Yacht race,
originally uploaded by simon r jones.

The harbour full of yachts, and spectators. A fabulous sight on yet

another madly hot day

Later that night…,
originally uploaded by simon r jones.

The cheese came out, and was duly destroyed.

Christmas on Tamarama Bay,
originally uploaded by simon r jones.

Ahh, sun, wine and lovely company…

Hi guys! Christmas Eve turned out to be the hottest, muggiest day ever - totally stifling. After getting off the train we had to pop down to Bondi for lunch and a present for John and Jess. And that was about all we managed all day becuase I had a touch of the vapours!
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Have just arrived back in Sydney after 24 hours on the Indian Pacific train. It was an experience quite unlike any other. We were introduced to out attendents as we boarded and then were invited to the lounge for morning tea and a scone, shortly followed by a glass of champagne. We were able to get to know our fellow Gold Kangaroo travellers at this point - lots of them were poms and lots of them were train enthusiasts. After a quick lunch in the restaurant car we arrived at Broken Hill. This is an old mining town in the outback - pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Apart from the mining (zinc and silver amongst other things) the town is also a mecca for artists.
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