Wheels

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Ed bought his first car two weeks ago. He didn't think he'd be saying that aged 29. So far it's broken down (dead battery), been in an accident (not his fault - Sydneysiders are terrible drivers), had the keys locked in (entirely Ed's fault), had the NRMA called out twice and is booked into the garage for its first engine problem on Friday. Guess it's all that catching up to do.

Having a car has opened Sydney up considerably. Last weekend we went on our first road trip, north of the city to go camping. It was the third attempt after two consecutive wet weekends. It was wet and windy by the third but it had to be done. We are 75% English after all.

We surfed Palm Beach aka Summer Bay in Home & Away, and if you watch the credits you'll see what a dumpy wave it is.

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The campsite was at the Basin in Ku-ring-gai national park, a ferry ride from Palm Beach, and our first experience of the bush. Boasting no more than a cold shower block and a drinks vending machine, we needed more kit for two nights than we took for a month round India. We went with a group of friends and whiled away the weekend walking, playing footie, and having a few beers around the barbie. This despite the kookaburras hiding in the rafters of the barbecue huts only to swoop down to steal snags from between the tongs.

VIP baby!
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Sunday night we stayed on despite the relentless drizzle and defiantly sat around the campfire under umbrellas. The wallaby with its joey that came to join us made it all seem worth it.

We weren't working Monday and the weather improved so we took our time idling down the Northern beaches. We had a surf at Palm Beach aka Summer Bay in Home and Away. And if you watch the show's credits you'll see what a dumpy wave it is. It took us all day to go approximately 25km.

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We've been back to Hawkesbury River where friends had an early Christmas lunch, which turned out to be somewhat star-studded. There was an actress from Home and Away (Amanda, for the unemployed) and the hostess of Australia's Next Top Model. We're in there.

Festival season has kicked off, with our first Sydney event the Newtown Festival. The hot weather, live music, beer tents and Turkish gozleme food stalls made it a very pleasant experience. Global Gathering last Sunday was altogether different. A dance festival, we'd bagged free VIP tickets through a friend of ours working there, and ostensibly wanted to see Mark Ronson.

Newtown Festival
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Boy, did we see him. Either he has a small following in Australia or everyone else was too plastered by then to stand up, but we got right to the front. It was more like a party than a concert with all the singers he brings in. Amy Winehouse, for some inexplicable reason, didn't make it. And as Ed had a 6am start the next day, it was just a few beers for him.

But there's more to come. We've bought V Festival tickets to see The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs and Snow Patrol in March which should be a blinder, and Coldplay tickets go on sale in two days. Culcha, innit. Speaking of which, we went to see Australia, the new tourism ad campaign, sorry, film from Baz Lurhmann with Hugh 'Crikey' Jackman and Nicole 'Oh gosh' Kidman. It was a good romp really, worth it just for the aboriginal kid actor.

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Work has finally sorted itself out. Candice has become indispensable at Take 5 but is sick of paying the rent. So luckily Ed is now working at Sky News and SBS (one of two state channels) as a news producer, glad to be back in general news. The main story remains Mumbai, and it's amazing to think we were there just over two months ago. We spent our last few hours in Cafe Leopold, writing postcards and drinking tea before going to the airport.

Christmas is nearly here and we have friends - the Baldocks Sr - coming out. But first we're off to Melbourne to see Jimmy and Steph next weekend. New city, new experience. And hopefully some turkey on the barbie.

A Turkish delight
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And with a double income at last this means the three-week trip to New Zealand is looking good for February. After all, we think we need a holiday.