First day - 5th July 2009

I woke up at 8:45pm after heading to bed last night at 10:40pm. I was going to wait up for Simon and Leora to come back from their housewarming party in order to discuss transport, but decided that they'd leave me a note or something. Since I was up before they left, I was given the use of Leora's car, and her GPS (something I was very glad to have).

As I said before, I don't want to drive much, so transport today was mostly via train - however I needed to get to Gordon station in order to begin my travels. Note to self. When you use a GPS, LISTEN TO IT. I ended up going in circles because I saw a station, parked and JUST missed the train, before realising that it was the wrong station. So, back to the car (this time listening to the GPS) and down to the Gordon Station commuter car-park. This time I waited four minutes for the train, and got to Hornsby on time to jump the next train to Pennant Hill.

Why Pennant Hill? I hear you ask. Well today was my day to meet Stephen and his girlfriend Nicky - whom I'd only previously spoken to on the internet. I am quite happy to say that yes, they aren't crazy axe-murderers (although Nicky does carry a sturdy shovel that her grandmother gave to her in the boot of her car).

When I arrived, they were running a bit late, so I perused the small strip of shops nearby. Unfortunately the second-hand bookshop was closed, but there was a Library at the end of the road, so I was able to sit down and have a read while I waited.

We wandered over to The Insomnia Cafe for lunch at about 3pm. Apparently it used to be open until 1am, but now shuts at 11pm (not very insomniac if you ask me!). The food was very nice, and very generous. I had some bruschetta, a hamburger (good quality!) and some punjab chai tea (at least I think that's what it was called).

Feeling comfortably full, we popped down to a local nature reserve and walked up and down some paths (concrete since I didn't have bush-bashing clothes). There was a gorgeous clearing that someone had turned into an amphitheater-style area, with logs set at different levels up the side of the hill, and the remains of a bushfire in the middle. Stephen has a photo that he'll send to me (or can put in the comments here perhaps). On our way back to the car, we saw that someone had dropped both a bicycle, and then later on a shopping trolley off a steep part of the hill that we were climbing. I really hope that the drivers hadn't been on or in the moving vehicles.

After the amble, it was starting to get dark so I hopped back on the train and headed for home. I'm glad I'd thought to bring my jumper as it gets cold FAST here. This morning I was nice and warm, but by 4:30pm I was freezing. Luckily the trains are heated.

The plans for tomorrow are to go geocaching with Stephen and Nicky, then meet up again on Thursday to go to Paddy's Market since we didn't get a chance to go today (basically because got back into bed at 10am after breakfast and didn't get up until 11:30am).

I've organised to see Kathryn on Tuesday in North Sydney, and am hoping to catch up with my friend Shoba in Newtown where I can peruse the 5-or-so second-hand bookstores in the area. I must remember to set myself a budget like I did last time.

It's 6:53pm at the moment, so I'm going to sign off and start looking for geocaching locations for tomorrow. After that, I believe it's lamb sausages for dinner, and then I'll try and get Burn Notice on the TV for the cousins.