Whiskey time

Last night I went out for some drinks in the CBD at the Baxter Inn which is one of the "small bar" scene in Sydney. Basically along the lines of a nice british bar, with about 200 different specialist whiskeys, bar staff who aren't hard on the eye and cocktails that don't skimp on the booze. In fact my cocktail was basically just whiskey (Old Fashioned) and I felt like I was channeling my inner Dom Draper drinking that bad boy.



Went to Glebe Markets to have a mooch through all the various vintage stalls, didn't buy anything as nothing really caught my eye (plus it's really expensive here...), still it was nice to visit another bit of the city (the inner west) that has a very different vibe to the eastern suburbs where I'm staying which is more yummy mummy than edgy fashion.



Hmmm. Australian's really do love beetroot. As someone who once ate a whole jar of pickled beetroot I can say I am something of a beetroot enjoyer, however, I'm not sure about it in burgers. Not that I'm going to eat at Maccas anyway...



Maroubra Beach... surfers at 8am, enjoying life...

Hitting the ground running

I've been super busy with work basically since I got to Sydney. UNSW is a fantastic university with incredible resources. I've felt really inspired intellectually by the psychology department, today I was sat with one of the other postdocs just bouncing ideas about learning theory and associative learning in the morning, and then in the afternoon talking to another postdoc about immunohistochemistry and methods of understanding molecular and cellular changes in the brain. And UNSW has an amazing coffee cart with the sweetest baristas who mock me every time I ask for a "latte"... apparently I say latte funny. Oh well. I also say "elevator" funny, I pronounce it "lift".



Australian magpies are weird... and the ultimate Australian past-time.

Like a duck to water

I think it is hard to miss Britain when you're in a beautiful place like Sydney, the sunshine here seems to make everything so much more bright and vibrant than even on a sunny day in the UK. It's like the contrast has been turned up on every colour. Yesterday I went to Cockatoo Island to look around at the contemporary art displays for the 18th Biennale. The island itself was really interesting, with a crazy history and the views from the ferry of the harbour and CBD were stunning.



Ate lunch at the Three Blue Ducks in Bronte, I had an immense steak sandwich which tasted soooo good. Must go again...

Today I've been feeling a little under the weather, I suspect the aeroplane germs have got the better of me and I've got the sniffs and a bit of a sore throat going on today. Still a nice long walk along the beaches (Clovelly beach, Gordon's Bay, Coogee beach) in the sun perked me up a bit. I feel so fortunate to have all this just a few minutes walk away from where I'm living...

She flew away...

I arrived in Sydney this morning at some ungodly hour (5.15am), although I actually felt ok as I got upgraded from economy to club world, which on BA means you get a little booth seat all to yourself which reclines down into a bed! Super cosy and comfortable, none of this "I've got no leg room" torture... oh and the champagne! There is something super decadent about sitting sipping champagne whilst miles in the air! I felt like a (slightly disheveled) rock star. I got a decent amount of sleep which meant I didn't feel too jetlagged today.



My Kir Royale and the trashy novel I'm ready (50 Shades of Grey, pure smut, not even well written)



I've been for a quick wander up to Bondi Junction (mostly to sort out my bank account, and also because I needed milk and a hairdrier) and have been texting people I know in Australia with my new mobile number...