G'Day Then
We're here in Sydney after a punctual but gruelling 24-plus hours in transit. Mom is easing her feet at the hotel while I have found internet access down the street -- not free alas, but cheap.
First impressions: way better weather! It's overcast here and rained earlier, but nice and warm -- T-shirt weather. We're somewhere downtown, but there are barred windows and tight security in public buildings, a la California and other US cities. Lots of young tourists, as you might expect.
At the airport we stopped for a reviving coffee, then took a shuttle bus to the hotel. As we walked to the bus, a stand of eucalyptus trees wafted their scent over us. Guess we're in koala-land.