Bats, bowls and the Blueys

Moonlight Cinema
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But before we saw in 2009, we actually squeezed in quite a lot of day-trips and activities that are definitely worth a mention.

For a start, our friends Jack and Lizzie joined us in Centennial Park, not far from where we live, to watch the new Bond film Quantum of Solace...outdoors. Blessed with a beautiful evening, we relaxed on the grass nibbling on some seriously gourmet snacks that Lizzie brought in her spanking new Christmas pressie - a picnic basket. As the sun set behind the screen, and the movie started, huge bats swooped above us adding more excitment to our experience than Daniel Craig could muster - Candice was very disappointed there were no scenes involving the ocean and short swimming trunks...

As the sun set behind the screen, huge bats swooped above us, adding more excitement to our experience than the movie itself

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Next, we spent a day taking part in a curiously Australian pursuit - no, not swimming with sharks or sucking at cricket (ha!) - but a spot of lawn bowls, my dears. Yes, for some reason, the game favoured by grey-haired crinklies around the rest of the world, has somehow managed to attract the "yoof" here in Oz. Perhaps the fact that it's played barefoot and booze is allowed has something to do with it. Needless to say, after a few rounds on the green our bowling left a lot to be desired. Our drinking, on the otherhand, was on top form.

Paddo bowls
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The next day, we thought we'd cure our hangovers with some fresh mountain air and headed due west, to those lovely blue hills we spied so often from our balcony. After long stretches of ugly surburbia, we suddenly started climbing into a verdent landscape... full of bogans. Man, there are some hicks in this country. Beards tickling their bellybuttons, which burst boastfully from tight wife-beater vests. Did somebody say Bundy and Coke?

But grisly men aside, the Blue Mountain area is a sight to behold. As we were only there for a day we headed straight to the tourist centre of it, Katoomba. We gave a cursory nod to the famous, and spectacular, Three Sisters, then left the tourists behind via a steep descent down The Giant Stairway. We hiked for about 4 hours through unexpectedly lush forest - think giant ferns and waterfalls - before rejoining the throngs at the carpark. We had just enough time for a cream tea in the Olde Worlde town centre before heading back to Sydney.

Ooh, me back
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As said in our previous entry, we then had a fab new year. Bats, bowls and the Blueys? That's so 2008. Bring on beaches, blistering heat and Byron...