Tags
blue skies and sunshine, manifest, Melbourne, Miss Kitty, South Pole, Supernatural, Sydney, Winter, X-Men: First Class
A little while ago – which might actually have been a couple of months back now, who can say – I had a very distinct thought. Or a feeling. In any case, it went a little something like this:
Wow, I’m really missing Sydney these days. I have this craving to see it again. Confession: I prefer Sydney to Melbourne in many ways.
So then the week before the one just gone, I find myself being assigned to two new projects at work (in my contracty role). These projects ensured that my contract was extended for another three months, and what do you know… most of the people working on these projects are Sydney-based.
And in one very quick teleconference, the decision was made that it’d be better if I was there in person for the kick-off meetings.

My offices are just to the top right, where the diamond shaped windows are
Licketty-split, approval was given and flights booked on my behalf (ooooh, fancy!) and before I could take my next deep breath, a two day business trip was planned to the land not of my birth, but certainly of my heart.
And oh, I could’ve elected to stay the weekend too, couch surfing with my friends but then I’d have had to re-organise things which would impact other things and so on. So, Thursday and Friday it was, then. And it was enough to sate my hunger for my second home.
(By the way, PLEASE don’t leave comments about how I “manifested” this trip. I honestly don’t buy into that game. The universe creates but for the most part, I think we don’t “manifest” stuff. But that’s another story.)
Anyway, so apart from having to get up at 4am on Thursday morning and leave my Miss Cleo the cat in the care of my neighbour (and worry about her having to stay in the house by herself overnight), it was all good. Very good.
You see, Sydney’s winters are just not as cold as Melbourne’s, not ever. Sure, Sydney-folk might complain about cold weather but they don’t have blasts of Freezing coming directly at them from the South Pole, do they? No, they don’t! So the weather is always milder than Melbourne’s and hip-hip-hooray, because for the two days I was there it didn’t rain. Instead, we were treated to brilliant blue skies and enough warmth that walking around during the day without a coat on, was possible.
Given that Melbourne has had an early Winter (Autmun 2011 = the beginning of Winter 2011), with much greyness and rains that haven’t really stopped since January, I was elated.
Also – I was back in my “other” home. Sydney has always been so good to me, from the moment I set foot in that place as a very green twenty-one year old. And it has that harbour and that bridge. Plus way more natural beauty than the town of my birth.
Honestly, even though I was there for work and only managed to catch up with two of my old friends, my spirits were soaring. I grinned at the airport, the familiar traffic jams and even the most ordinary of buildings, let alone the prettier ones.

More of Sydney's sandstone gorgeousness
The offices of the company I work for are very near Circular Quay and if you peek around certain corners, you can also see the world-famous Bridge. Work was okay, if busy-busy-busy. And I was honestly so grateful for the opportunity to be flown into Sydney that I didn’t mind one bit.
I got to meet a couple of old friends for drinks in Customs House – a wonderful old sandstone building at the Quay – which was participating in Sydney’s annual light and sound show (it gets better every year).

Customs House - which is usually plain sandstone coloured
Can’t say that I slept much on the Thursday night as I was too excited, but the hotel was ultra comfy and far too fancy for an old hippie chick like me. š
The next day was more work, but this time I wandered around at lunch time,Ā revelingĀ in the winter sun and that uniquely Sydney vibe, which generally includes lots of art, but this wasn’t part of the show…

Shiny!
What you’re seeing above – and what transfixed me – was the sight of one building perfectly reflected in the mirror surface of another. Looks amazing, right?
But this cool looking bear was definitely part of the street art on display – check out his metal ribs!

Actually, it was a bit warm out for this bear....
Literally, the city seemed to be buzzing and I enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, that meant that when I got on the plane to head back to Melbourne I was exhausted. Which means in my current state of health/dis-ease I was SUPER-EXHAUSTED.
So once I got home around 8pm, I promptly declared the rest of the evening “do everything in bed” night (and you can keep your f-i-l-t-h-y quips to yourself there!). Which included eating dinner, watching Supernatural on my laptop, drinking tea and being smothered by one Miss Kitty who clearly, really missed me (purr-purr-purr-purr).

The grateful purrs didn't stop all night & she couldn't get close enough to me!
My wee business trip made things very clear to me: my time in Melbourne is for all intents, done. As soon as I can get out of town, it’s time to go. Despite my nieces being here (whom I love to pieces), Melbourne is not my home. It’s just a place I’ve been hanging out in for too long.
But hey, seems I brought the weather back with meĀ for the weekend – blue skies and sunshine on Saturday (a day of recovery, alpaca scarves, kindly people, good food and X-Men: First Class)…

Some lovely parkland near Clifton Hill station
And Sunday (walking and talking with one of my bestest friends in the chilly sunshine), followed by brunch.

Alexandra Gardens, just next to the "Tan Track"
Hope y’all had/are having a great weekend, too!
~Svasti