Ozblog: Day 18
Yesterday (Wed 28/02) was a long day of amazing contrasts. Firstly to the gym early lunchtime for my fifth (!) visit, and still feeling the benefits. Then later ticking off two of the 'must dos' on my tourist agenda; the aquarium and the Summit/Orbit bar. Both were brilliant and well worth a visit. Being underneath sharks at the aquarium is unreal, and many of the tanks are just beautiful. I think the five of us spent two and a half hours in there, including sloving all my present worries at once in the gift shop, with no rip-off prices. Five of us then had an excellent meal at Blackbird Cafe on Darling Harbour, before getting the monorail back part of the way home - totally unneccessary as it goes in a circle which makes it no quicker than walking, but just for the experience.

Orbit bar and Summit restaurant (or is it the other way around?) are basically the same thing. On about the 28th floor of a round tower, the whole bar revolves, giving you a view of the neon splendour of Sydney for miles and miles and miles, in a ninety minute complete rotation. It is a truly magnificent experience. Add to that the restrained funky music in the background, and the 'nouveau seventies' feel to the furniture, and it is a great cocktail experience, like I've never had before. I even actually HAD cocktails! Have never bothered before.

Plans to go home after this with M were brushed aside when one of our party, more recently arrived in town, asked if I'd go for a drink. Just a couple then, as it's already 1am. I made it home at 6.10am. Let's just say the sauna was good, and I'll be going again. Earlier, in Stonewall bar, there had been a group of six of us talking, none of whom I knew before last night. Along with me from the UK and my new friend from Ireland, the others were a Spaniard and a German who live in Ibiza, a Canadian (Ontario) who lives here, and his American friend. Welcome to cosmopolitan Sydney - and not an Aussie in sight!

More coincidences unfolded earlier in Summit bar. (Names changed here to protect the innocent, but the story's still true.) M and I arrived first. We were meeting Jane and her partner Diane, who are absolutely lovely and who live here, and whom I've met a few times already. Jane, as well as being a lesbian herself, has a gay dad, Eugene, who is visiting here for Mardi Gras with his partner of 15/20 years, Tony. We all meet, they're introduced to me as Chig, all having quite a laugh. At some point, it's mentioned that I live in Birmingham, and I overhear Tony and Eugene say the name of one of my friends in Brum, Roger. I say 'did you just say Roger Murphy?', and it transpires that Tony and Roger were best friends from school in Ireland. Then my real full name is mentioned, and Tony goes 'So YOU"RE C*** H******!), like I'm famous or something, and he tells me we've met before, when he visited Roger in Brum. All I can say, once again, is 'small world'. And indeed it is.

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