Sydney Day 2: Ballet at the Sydney Opera House and pictures

I’m sitting in Sydney’s Custom House Library (which seems more like an architectural feature than a library – they have fewer young adult books than Auckland’s main library – horror! But it’s a nice architectural feature) hoping the free internet will work and that I’ll be able to post this. If you’re reading this, I must have figured out how to use it.

Our plan yesterday was to go out to Bondi, but we didn’t actually make it. The Angel has been trying to switch her NZ driver’s licence for an Aussie one, but was having difficulty with a lack of instructions and silly desk people at the transport authority, and has to go back some time this week. While she was doing that, I walked to the Opera House and booked some tickets for the Australian Ballet (yay!!!!!). I had a voucher, but the voucher was only useful in November, but it was okay because we got under-27 prices anyway. I had another voucher for buy-one-get-one-free burritos, so we had those for a very late lunch. They were interesting.

The ballet was a trio billed as ‘British Liaisons’, and included Checkmate from 1937, Concerto from 1966 (?) and After the Rain from 2005. After lunch we bussed back home to get ready, took lots of photos and went back into town in our finery. I had trouble finding finery because I haven’t got that much in my suitcase, and I didn’t think Sydney would be cold (IT IS COLD!), but with a bit of creativity I was both well-dressed AND warm.

The classic image of the Opera House is the outside – I never really thought much about the fact that they have concerts there too. They do – over 2500 performances a year, which I thought a rather fantastic number until I realised they have the Concert Hall and the Opera Theatre and some other theatres as well, which makes sense considering the number of shells. We were early, so we stood in the foyer admiring the architecture and drinking Semillon which I’d ordered in a combination French-Australian accent. My accent is going screwy.

We should probably have had dinner before leaving, but we weren’t sure how to fit it in, so we took a box of Maltesers in with us. We had great seats on the balcony and there weren’t any tall people in front of us. The orchestra was in a pit that went all the way under the stage, which I thought was a great idea because they weren’t all squashed in, and the conductor was a woman. I think she’s the first female orchestra conductor I’ve seen. You can see the shape of the shell from inside the theatre, and it’s a lovely space.

Checkmate was first. It tells the story of a chess board, red against black. One of the red knights falls in love with the Black Queen, and hesitates to kill her at a vital move. She then takes his sword, kills him, and goes for the old Red King (she was entirely evil). Wonderful dancing, gorgeous thirties-style costumes and great music. The Castles came on carrying dumbbells, which garnered some titters from the audience. We were a bit confused by the Knights’ Heil-Hitler salutes near the beginning, but possibly that was seen as a loyal, Knight-worthy thing to do when the ballet was choreographed in 1937. The Angel pronounced Checkmate her favourite.

Next was After the Rain, which started with three pairs of dancers doing pas de deux (I think) in grey costumes, which was followed by a lone pair. It was absolutely beautiful and was my favourite of the three. At times it seemed as if the woman was floating through the air, and the movements were all so fluid yet controlled. The dancers got loud applause.

Concerto was the final piece, and I think it involved the entire company. The women were dressed in short, brightly coloured dresses and white tights, which I thought was very sixties, and the men in matching skin-tight leotard/tight things. Lots of movement in concert, and quite a bit of humour in the choreography.

We’d both like to go again, but I’m not sure my budget stretches that far...

And... finally... PICTURES!

Sydney Opera House at sunset

St Mary's Cathedral

An example of the Everything-In-Sydney-Is-Huge phenomenon. Note the size of the basins vs. the window.

Sydney, Day 1: St Mary's, Art Gallery, Botanic Gardens, Opera House, Pizza in The Rocks

Woke at 8am Sydney time. Hurrah! The Angel works Tuesday-Saturday so today is like her Sunday, therefore waking at 8am is acceptable. Anyway...

I had an awesome day yesterday. First we went for brunch at a nice cafe: I was attracted by the ricotta hotcakes, but in the end decided on the steak sandwich. Though the food took a while to come, it was very good when it did come, especially The Angel’s risotto.

Next we took the bus into the city and wandered down some streets in the general direction of the Botanic Gardens. I was struck by the scale of everything; I felt a bit like I’d been shrunk when crossing the roads or walking beneath the shop verandas or looking up at the buildings. We were distracted on the way, first by the ANZAC memorial, then by St Mary’s Cathedral and then by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

St Mary’s is magnificent, with beautiful stained glass windows and stone carvings, soaring wooden beams and well-worked paintings. The light glowed gold from high amber windows. There were windows into a dark passageway above the main church, and I wondered what it would be like up there, and who would use it.

I very much enjoyed the art gallery. In an inner foyer a violin/guitar/voice trio was playing These Boots are Made for Walking in French while two little kids drew as fast as they could on easels – they had until the end of the song to finish their drawings, and then the next volunteers would have a turn. We went into the wing with oil paintings from the 15^th-19^th centuries and spent at least an hour admiring the works. There was a beautiful one of a woman in a dark salon rethinking her fit of pique, and I was particularly struck by the play of firelight across her dress. I can’t remember the name of it, or the painter, but I might go back and check (it’s FREE!).

Next we went into the wing of 20^th century Australian art, which I think was spoiled by going into the 15^th-19^th century wing first. Many of the painters in this wing were trying to make statements and (in our uneducated opinions) might have been trying out different techniques just to be different. Art critics shoot me now. We liked the more modern, fully abstract artworks better. A set of rooms had found-object and audio-visual works, which were interesting: one involved Ken in a finned American car with his hair blown back by a fan, and a video showing (live) classic film shots of Ken and the car. The tv on another looked like it showed the view out a plane window (random aside as I write: I can hear a FROG!), but it was actually the wing off a toy aeroplane, with a disc of crinkly plastic turning in behind. Quite cool.

And then, just as the sun was drawing towards the horizon, we got to the Botanic Gardens. Lots of beautiful trees and lots and lots of bats – in places it smelt a bit like a zoo. We came out by the harbour and The Angel pointed out a fort on an island that was too small to be used, because if you fired a cannon it rolled back so forcefully that only a few people could be on the island, and they had to be at the other end of it.

We walked around the harbour to the Opera House, and I took lots and lots of photos. As we got to the Opera House the sun was going down, so I took some photos on Sunset Mode (I wonder what settings Sunset Mode uses?). There are lots of nice (expensive) shops along Circular Quay, including a Guylian restaurant where they serve $8 hot chocolate.

We were aiming for the hotel where my Arty Aunty is staying, and walked through a bit of the Rocks and under the Harbour Bridge to get there. I decided I would take no more photos because I had lots and it was getting dark, but kept seeing things that needed to be recorded for posterity. So I recorded them.

We felt a bit underdressed in the hotel foyer, but Arty Aunty came to save us and took us out to dinner at a proper Italian pizzeria in the Rocks. It was lovely to see her, and put off the goodbye hug just a bit longer. The pizza was great, the conversation scintillating (I really just wanted to use that word) and my rich Italian hot chocolate amazing. Was sad to say goodbye.

I was thinking of limiting my posts to 500 words. I’m not sure that’s going to happen. Have a great day everyone!

Sydney, Day 0.5: flight to Sydney and settling in

Aaand... I am in Sydney!

It’s amazing how you can go through a (mostly generic) airport waiting area, get on a plane, come out through a (mostly generic) airport waiting area, and be in a completely different place. It didn’t really hit me that I had changed cities until I was walking towards customs and there was the Sydney skyline through the window, looking like a postcard but REAL. And then there was the bus trip into the city (no trains because of track work, but the buses were therefore FREE) and staring out the window (trying not to look too much like a tourist even though, yes, I am on an airport bus) at the cute buildings that I shall call garrets because that’s the word that springs to mind. Little terraces with awesome wrought iron balconies. And going past Mt Carmel and being reminded of Looking for Alibrandi (is Mt Carmel in there? Can’t remember) and all the streets and people and old heritage buildings (i.e. those that are more than one hundred years old) and then the towers and EVERYTHING.

Right. Breathe. I’ll try to go in chronological order.  I apologise for long sentences , capital letters and parentheses. Yes, I know this will be long. I won’t come after you with a pitchfork if you don’t read all of it :)

Lots of my family came to see me off at the airport, including my four-year-old cousin who had to leave early to play his FIRST EVER GAME OF SOCCER (awww). Thank you all for coming, and for all the texts and calls! I’ll miss you! You must come over and visit me :D   I did the electronic passport control, where it reads your passport, face-recognises you and takes a picture when you go through the gate. Very Minority Report.

I was in the back row of the plane, and my TV was showing The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest when I sat down (I think the flight attendant was watching it). No window seat, unfortunately, and even the windows closest to me were curtained off for the flight attendants. There was a nice German girl sitting next to me, however, so we talked while we waited to take off and I tried not to watch the movie (I hadn’t seen it and it was halfway through).

In the end I did watch the last half of it and the first quarter (in that order – it’s okay, I’ve read the book) mostly because I couldn’t figure out how to use the remote properly until halfway through the flight. We had fish for lunch, and then (it seemed like just a few minutes later) we’d touched down in Sydney. My phone welcomed me to Oz when I turned it on, and I winced as text messages came through. I can’t remember how much it costs when I receive them, but most were (hopefully free ones) from Vodafone, so I don’t think my credit has gone down that much.

I met my friend The Angel at Central Station. My suitcase-I-found-on-the-side-of-the-road is holding up okay, though I think the dragging handle may not last much longer. I bought a weekly public transport ticket and we bussed back to The Angel’s house (with more garrets! Possibly the same ones... I have no idea where we were). So good to be free of the suitcase... The Angel found out I hadn’t seen Despicable Me, so we got that out of the video store, had beef and vege noodles for dinner and then watched movies and ate mussels and chips. Yum. We also saw Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (Punk Lawyer Girl must watch it if she hasn’t already, also possibly Disneyland Tax Girl though you may think it’s weird. But it is awesome).

Despite my attempt to adjust immediately to the time difference, I woke at 5.55am Sydney time. I will try harder tomorrow.

Dawn.... Why am I awake at dawn?

It's a quarter to seven. I've been awake since six, so in total I've had five and a half hours sleep.
Possible reasons for inability to get back to sleep: there's a tui chortling away outside in the mistaken belief that it's full morning, or the cat also believes it's morning, or maybe it's because I leave NZ in six hours and counting... (aahhh!!!).

I was going to have all my packing done by Thursday, but that didn't happen. I came back last night after a lovely dinner with my family (thank you!) to a bed with detritus piled on top of it, a suitcase with a mystery weight (our scales have decided to stop working consistently) and various open boxes. As of 6.55am, I am pretty much packed, though I don't think my parents will be fans of my packing of boxes to be left behind. I'm hoping to have three boxes sent over by ship - it started out one box but has increased to three-and-various-extra-bags-that-will-have-to-fit-in-thank-you-Mum. This is mainly because I decided to take the vast majority of my books, after previously deciding I will live entirely off my e-reader (next job this morning: take out some books so other things fit...).

I had Punk Lawyer Girl and The One who Speaks Russian on Skype as I packed last night, which was awesome and saved my sanity, and Brother Ecl hovered and asked for work while I waved my arms and jumped up and down (tell me if you want your codenames changed!!! I shall be using codenames :D).

At 12.15am someone decided to let off fireworks for an unknown reason. Dad and I went out onto the deck to watch them. They were professional ones with starbursts and everything, and pretty through the trees.

I should get up and have breakfast and repack boxes.

I do hope tornado weather is over and there won't be any surprises at the airport...

One Day To Go... + itinerary

I feel a bit like I'm clawing at every last day. Every morning this week I've woken up and double-checked the date: Wednesday (two whole days in NZ to go), Thursday (one whole day in NZ to go), Friday (this is it omg I still have soooo much to do and probably shouldn't spend time blogging...). I am currently waiting for an ID photo to print, so I have a few seconds.


My itinerary (more detail is available for those who ask!!!)

Leave NZ Saturday 7 May
Arrive Sydney 7 May
Leave Sydney 18 May
Arrive Tokyo 19 May
Leave Tokyo 22 May
Arrive London 23 May

Yay!

Book #18: South Africa - Spud by John Van de Ruit

Sooo... I have had a long break. And this will be the last round-the-world book for a while, because soon I will actually be going round the world. It’s also the first book representing Africa, so now when you click Africa on my awesome map, you will actually get an article (go on, click!).

I’m not sure whether this counts as a YA book because the protagonist is thirteen-fourteen, but there’s a reasonable amount of YA material in it. Spud is the story of John Milton, a boy with a scholarship to an elite boys boarding school in South Africa. The book is told through diary entries (and he must have his diary glued to his person at all times, because the entries are pretty frequent) and treats of John/Spud’s first year at boarding school in 1990.

I am really, really glad I didn’t go to a boys boarding school. I’m sure most of them aren’t like this one, but probably some of them are, or at least were back in the dark days of last century. Some of it sounds fun, like illegal late night swims and dormitory camaraderie, but 6.40am classes and traditions like torture on your birthday would be hell.

It makes for great reading, though.

Spud’s woman trouble is impressive, with no less than three girls after him (despite, or perhaps because of, his beautiful soprano singing voice). His father and grandmother (named Wombat – unexplained...) are teetering on the edge of insanity, and his mother enjoys filling her handbag with club sandwiches at school gatherings. His cubicle mate is semi-bald for a large proportion of the book, and one of the boys in the dormitory enjoys catching and eating his own bats. Spud’s never quite sure where he is on the student hierarchy. South Africa is undergoing a huge political change with the release of Nelson Mandela, and Spud would do anything to be a freedom fighter.

I snickered through a lot of this book – the writing describes absurdities clearly and with a certain matter-of-factness, and you can’t help but be both amused and appalled. I’m glad I’m not Spud.

As a point of interest, the boy on the front cover looks a bit like my brother (hi ecl!!!!).

Any books set in South Africa you know and love?

The State of Bookshops

I’m getting worried. In NZ 70% of our bookshops (Whitcoulls-since-1888(?), Borders and Bennetts – basically all the chains) are under voluntary administration because their parent company is semi-bankrupt. They keep telling us they’re pretty sure the NZ stores won’t be affected that much, but said NZ stores seem to be selling off most of their stock.

I was in Whitcoulls yesterday and they have sale tables throughout the shop, with pretty recent titles going for $10 or less (normal retail is about $20-$30). I was nearly tempted by some of them, but luckily I’d forgotten my wallet and I am GOING OVERSEAS SOON so I will not buy paper books. In the young adult section, they’ve started putting ALL the books face out to use more shelves and fewer books. The vampire invasion is even more obvious – I guess they’re the books they can be sure of selling.

I understand that if the chains go, the independents will get a lot more business. Whitcoulls has felt a bit like a pharmacy for a while now and Borders has always been the big corporate (though now I guess it’s one of the last Borders chains still standing) but it’s not fair that we lose 70% of our bookstores in one foul swoop. Whitcoulls, despite the clinical feel, is a New Zealand institution.

I’d like to support Whitcoulls. I have a few books I would buy from their ebook store, if they were there. And they’re not. So I look on international ebook stores instead, which won’t help Whitcoulls, and I find them. But they are not available in NZ. If I lived in Albania, I could buy them. If I lived in Tajikistan, I could buy them. I can buy paper copies, but not ebooks. Except if they’re kindle books, apparently – I can buy those from NZ. I almost would, but then I’d have to read on my computer.

Maybe I’m a product of the want-it-now generation. Maybe the want-it-now generation has had a hand in the downfall of the bookshops. But I don’t understand why you can get the paper version but not the ebook. Except if it’s a kindle. Or maybe (after further sleuthing) Whitcoulls just haven’t got it together and put the ebook up on site.

Right. Rant over.