Pentultimately Speaking

I have less than a day left in Sydney and in Australia.  I head off to Wellington, New Zealand for the last part of my research trip--asking the Kiwis about their work.  Before I go, I get to meet a retired military officer to get some additional perspective.

So, what did I learn today?

• I suddenly realized why I like Sydney so much--it combines the best of London with the best of San Diego, my favorite non-North American and North American cities respectively.  Lots of great food choices, even if I was not always wise.  Great beer.  Beautiful locale, terrific beaches, friendly people.
• The surfers at Bondi seem better than those I remember near La Jolla, but that might just be time and distance playing tricks.
• People yelling over! or under! when waves approach is apparently global.  
• The water here, even with the waves (and some were mighty big), was amazingly clear.  
• I had been turned off of body-surfing after getting repeatedly pounded into the beach last summer in Delaware, but a great beach makes a huge difference.  Here at Bondi, the slope is so gradual that one can body surf for quite a distance without eating sand.
• And the southern peninsula that sticks up northwards to help create the large Sydney bay is much bigger, so walking from one side to another took much longer than expected.  
• Strange street sign du jour--"Refugee Island" refers to concrete in the middle of the street to ease pedestrians crossing the street, but has other potential implications.
• My feet are going to like Wellington, I think.  All of my appointments are near my hotel, and I don't plan on walking all over the place. 

Finally, something I forgot to mention after the Ghost Tour the other night.  One of the group apparently had a Ghost App for his iphone to measure ghostly emanations.  So, there really is an app for everything.