Monday 14.12.2015 – Holiday

I arrived to the hotel yesterday evening just before nine. I travelled with Gus, our “internet and social event guru”. During our drive we talked everything and nothing, we didn’t go to “small talk” at all, but talked about his marriage and my relationship and so on. There was some long silent moments as well and I have to say that I appreciate people who are able to be silent together, without it feeling awkward.  We visited his mom’s place and I regret that I didn’t take any pictures from there. Anyway, the view from her balcony was so amazing that I just had to say that if I had that kind of view, I would sit there every evening drinking red wine and wouldn’t need TV at all. Gus told me that that was pretty much what her mom and her visiting friends do. I must ask a photo from Gus. Also the house was more or less like skiing chalet, those who have had skiing trips with me in Austria and France know what I mean.

So I arrived with Gus to my hotel just before nine, had a bit different experience of staying in a hotel compared to Narromine. Don’t take it wrong, at Courthouse the hostess herself carried my +20kg luggage to next floor and they all were most helpful. But this hotel experience I really needed, a bit of luxury before going home.

I spent some time by the pool after the breakfast and wanted to build my tan lines ;-) But all the time I was enjoying the (burning hot) sun, I could hear in my head all the comments Australians had made during the competition; meaning that people in Australia are more seeking for the shade, covering themselves with long sleeve clothes rather than taking their tops off and sunbathing as people from North Europe might do. I got some nice tanning lines anyway :-)

Dinner in Sydney

I had asked around what other teams are doing after the competition, and Matthew – our new champion in Standard class – was organizing a dinner and drinks-happening at Quarrymans, Sydney. It was quite interesting walk+train+walk+bus trip to get there, but it all ended up happily. We had a great meal and shared a taxi with Swiss to the airport hotels after 2 o’clock at night. I was glad I had late wake up and so my flight home started.