No, it's not the Netherlands! But it is a new international adventure. I arrived in Australia yesterday, after 20 hours or so of flying from Indiana. I'm here for a symposium on infant-toddler care and education at Charles Sturt U. in Bathurst, just a hundred miles or so west of Sydney. I've got 5 days in Sydney before heading over to Bathurst. It's a great city to explore! I spent the first two days walking a lot, exploring the central city, shopping for a few items of clothing I didn't bring. People are friendly. It's nice to be in a harbor city-- the ocean seems all around me. I am staying in a small hotel in North Sydney, Neutral Bay, so I need to take the ferry to get to downtown Sydney. It passes the Opera House on the way. It's been rainy since I arrived, but tomorrow it is supposed to clear, and I will take the ferry to Sydney Harbour National Park, rent a bike, and spend the day seeing some the coastal woods and the beach.
