Friday, June 16, 2006

Oh my god! They killed Skippy...

"Tut tut tut tut."
"What's that , Skippy? There is a man coming towards you with a knife and fork?"
"Tut tututut tut tu."
"Ya think he's gonna eat you, Skippy?"
"Tut TUT TUT TUT."
"You'll be alright, Skippy. You'll... er, um, erm. Bye Skippy."

Yes folks at around 8p/m/ on Wednesday night your foreign correspondants spotted 'Chargrilled Kangaroo Steaks" on the menu and just had to indulge. It didn't taste like chicken but a bit like beef but slightly more chewy. (For and vegans/vegetarians think semi-frozen tofu, I guess).

Yesterday we took a train-ride into the Blue Mountains, about 70 miles outside Sydney and did something called 'hiking', which is a posh word meaning we walked up and down bloody steep slopes in brilliant sunshine and finished in a lovely small town called Leura. Think wild west town without horses ( the locals probably ate 'em!)

Today is our last full day in Sydders and we went...wait for it... drum-roll...Whale Watching. We had an early (6:30) start and boarded around 0800hrs. There were a few Japanese onboard but we checked them for harpoons first, knowing how they like to catch whales for 'scientific research' purposes. Yeah. Right. Then it was a 45-minute trip out of Sydney Harbour and then we spotted our first pod (as us experts call more than one) of hump-backed whales breeching (jumping out of the water), squirting water from their blow-holes, swimming close to the boat and swimming by just under the surface of clear water. When not doing the above they were bashing the water with their fins. T'was a fantastic experience despite heavy swell and in total we saw 6 whales in 3 pairs, which was handy for them as they are migrating north for a bit of nautical nookie. One of the Nips was very queasy and stayed below nose-first into a sick-bag. Trish has just started getting that sea-sickness feeling and we have been ashore for 15 minutes! Below a shot of one of the aforementioned whales - You had to be quick to get a shot of 'em. On the right one of the green and queasy Nips complete with slowly filling sick-bag.
















Tonight we plan to take a stroll across the Harbour Bridge (about 5 minutes from our hotel) followed by a good beer and some grub. We may try roast platypus tonight...Tomorrow we leave for Cairns with another early start.

Speak in a few days after we have got our bearings there.

Paul, Trish and Froggie
XXXX

p.s. Pennie, we saw your double today. Same shape, hairstyle and clothes - We thought you had followed us. XXXX <--- For you and Bill

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

All the way to Oz to see Aussies? I only had to go to Maidstone yesterday to do the same - Adsteam board. Their Grand Poobah is named Bruce. Bruce said the best six minutes of football he had seen was in England - the climax of Oz v Japan on tv.

Anonymous said...

Chargrilled kangaroo? Think frozen tofu? Hmmmmmm … Be afraid, Froggie – be very afraid. Yonks ago I seem to remember a Skippy as a chocolately caramelly toffee-ish bar – also quite a chewy sort of thing – but I don’t think it would have survived being chargrilled. Sounds like you and the whales are having a whale of a time ... something pretty special to press in your book of memories.

Anonymous said...

Headline of the day following 24 passes culminating in Argentina scoring: "24 carrat Goal"

Anonymous said...

A double in Aussie land, wow we get everywhere. Did you ask if she had the same name, and how come she had my clothes, does that mean I can go out and buy lots of new ones?

Pressies arrived but not opening them till the DAY. Many thanks in advance.

I spent my whale watching trip speaking down the great white telephone! and saw precisely one fin.

Love and hugs from Pennie and Bill