Australia - Manly
Trip Start
Dec 05, 2005
1
60
124
Trip End
Ongoing
Manly,
Australia
Monday, September 18, 2006
We picked Andrews parents up from Sydney airport late on the Friday night and took them back to our apartment building in Manly, where we had been able to book them into an apartment on the 8th floor - with a balcony and view out over Manly beach.
Sadly, our plans for a relaxing weekend around Manly esplanade, sunning ourselves on the beach and enjoying al fresco meals was scuppered by the heavy rain (it had to happen sometime) so we travelled to Warringah Mall and spent some time wandering around the indoor shops instead. We met up with a couple of friends who had just moved over to Sydney; Paul and Lynne. Both Paul and Lynne had worked for the same company as Andrew and his Dad did in the UK, and now Paul was transferred to the Dee Why office for a couple of years.
We chatted and caught up for a while and agreed to meet later in Manly for some dinner. Paul and Lynne had only just arrived in Australia the previous day so were disappointed to be greeted with what can only be described as truly 'British' weather! We assured them it would pick up soon and that we probably wouldn't see much more rain for the next 6 months!
Back in Manly we all went to a local woodfired pizza restaurant and tucked into some delicious pizzas and beers before heading back to Andrews parents apartment where the beers and wine continued to flow. As the morning crept nearer we said our goodbyes and embarked on the long journey back to our place (about 30 seconds away!).
The Sunday saw Andrews parents return in to the centre of Sydney while we assembled a few items for them to take back to the UK, including Andrews didgeridoo and a backlog of cds full of photos. When the folks returned we headed out to a recommended restaurant on the Manly Esplanade called 'Ribs and Rumps' - no prizes for guessing what they sell there!
Andrew was feeling adventurous, easy to do when someone else is paying! and ordered a steak and seafood combo. Now in the UK you may expect this to include nothing more than a chunk of beef and some scampi but in Australia they have a slightly different approach. Alongside the huge slab of cow there lay a crab, mussels, calimari and a whole octopus (tentacles and all!). Verdi could barely watch as Andrew devoured the entire platter, and followed up with a chunk of cheescake for good measure!
Andrew took his Dad into work the following morning, to meet up with some old work colleagues and to suss out some products he would soon be exhibiting in Hong Kong. We then took Andrews parents to Sydney airport and waved them off, leaving us to return to a rainy Manly. It was great to see Andrews parents and sad to see them go, although we knew we would see them back in the UK early in the new year - as soon as the money ran out!
