On Friday morning, I woke up at 5am. We met up at 6.30pm in lobby and made our way to the office, before going to the Brisbane Airport. It's my first time on Virgin Blue. In fact, it's my first time consuming anything from Virgin! Richard Branson has not touched my Singaporean life with his empire!

The flight was fraught with thoughts of:

1. The Virgin case study we did during our Strategy class
2. Equity which all passengers deserve, i.e. why children are allowed onboard
3. Death (during the violent bouncing of the little aerocraft in the crazy winds).

After 1.5 hours we arrived at Sydney. Had a cup of tea and took a cab to the other office.


We were greeted by this lady with a hearty laugh. In about 30 minutes, we learnt a lot about her. That she used to be a journalist for a non-white medium in South Africa back in the apartheid days. That she and her husband left South Africa for Australia 30 years ago. That she has 2 daughters. One works as a model in Australia. The other as a lawyer in London. That her husband does the road race. =))


We found this AUD6,000 chair throne in the office.
No one wanted to sit on it. So I did. =))


Went to the Longueville Hotel for a lunch discussion with Dave.

(#3 and #5 are camera-resisting... They keep showing us their backs eh!)

In Australia, hotels are not what we think they are. Some hotels do not have accommodation. The main features are: food, bar and jackpot machines + other forms of gambling. This basket of features is repeated throughout the country, and sometimes paired with other uses such as a sports ground/league club.

#3 ordered a Schnitzel. When it was served, Dave said they knew #3 wasn't local, so they made his schnitzel in the shape of Australia. Well... sort of... =))

After the discussion, we headed for a work site to compare the difference between Brisbane and Sydney. I think construction and its contents are fascinating. I never seem to walk too faraway from real estate and construction.

On our way back to the office, Dave showed us the most extravagant graveyard... with an incredible view of the Pacific Ocean.


FWAH!!! WIN!

The view is really... AWESOME! (This is the right way to use the word 'awesome'!)

Dave then wanted to show us Bondi Beach... So we looked out for people with surfboards...


The world famous Bondi Beach!!

It's impossible to resist falling in love with Sydney. It has everything. I loved Sydney the first time I was here. I still do. I wish 'Good Fren' was here to share this with me.

Beautiful little motifs of history.

Grand gestures of modernity.

Finally, #3 and #5 got their bags and checked into their hotel while I waited in the lobby. They were staying in Sydney for the weekend, while I'd be flying back to Brisbane in a few hours.

While waiting in the lobby, I heard a familiar accent. An elderly gentleman was on the phone. Turns out he used to be with the Admin Service long time ago and is now pursuing his own business. I was still chatting with him when #3 and #5 re-appeared in the lobby. They thought I was picking up elderly men. =))

We then headed for Circular Quay.

I've been banned from commenting on pictures with #3 and #5 looking as they do above. 0_O

Circular Quay was bursting with energy... Just as I'd remember it to be.



While they took pics of each other, I took pics of them. =))


I love this pic!!!


We helped others too!


A really kayu pic of us! =))


Oh... The Sydney Opera House is so photogenic.




The underside of the Opera House reminds me of 'Good Fren's college in Oxford (St Catherine's) and our college in Cambridge (Churchill).

#3 and #5 booked tix for a Beethoven Concert on Friday night. The experience must have been amazing!

The Opera Bar...


We spent some good time baking in the Australian sun. Soaking in the Australian way. Consuming Australian beer.


Before we made our way... a few hundred metres away... to dinner...

It's so cute how #3 and #5 have gotten used to my food-pic-taking ritual. They would pause while I took the pics of their food...
I love this collaborative ethos...

I had crocodile and kangaroo skewers... While #5 had some spicy Kangaroo... The sauce tasted Thai.

#3... had... erm... some dead cow...


As we ate, the sun set, and Sydney became even more dazzling.

I hopped onto the train at Circular Quay and was off to the airport to catch my flight... Within 3 hours, I was back in the Brisbane serviced apartment. Super tired!