These penguins are small dougal... Those penguins are far away

ok so Australian jet lag officially sucks! like a big fat hoover.

On Tuesday night, I got so overcome with TNS ("Tired N' Silly-ness") that over dinner I told Gareth he should try to get a job as an oversized, ornate statue of a Chinese dragon except he'd have to grow his moustache out long.

At this point everyone agreed that I really needed to go to bed.

But waking up every hour and feeling like you need to eat a big meal at 4am is not really the way forward for sleepfulness.

So between dinner (which was in the most awesomest vegetarian restaurant right on a wee penninsula overlooking the whole of St Kilda bay) and the first gig, I went back to the hotel for a snooze. What happens next just goes to prove the "you snooze you lose" rule. Gareth went for a wander and ended up on a boat tour to go see PENGUINS! Real life itty bitty Southern Hemisphere-dwelling cute little penguins. He said they were very cool. But much smaller than he expected.

Once again I rued that snoring-arm-rest-wrestling aeroplane man.

But inside I was pleased for Gareth. Honest.

After much talk of penguins, it was time to go onstage at the Prince of Wales. Considering it was the first gig with the new reduced line-up it went spectacularly well! The crowd were the quietest lovingest clappiest crowd yet. And Gareth and I got to play a song each which went down a wonder too. It was such a privilidge.

Wandering home past the peachy sunset we all felt like little sunbeams.

Yesterday brought Sydney, where we sleep-walked off the plane into a radio show. The man told us live on air we looked like a "Picture Perfect Folk Family" at which we guffawed for slightly tooooo long. In a disdainful fashion. As we left Gareth piped up "Will you buy me a milkshake now Mum?".

yet more giggling.

Sadly, there was very little time to see any of Sydney except backstage at the venue (which is the Basement, a jazz venue where very many incredible jazz babies have graced the stage) BUT we took a very short stroll between soundcheck and stage time, and lo and behold, right around the corner was: The Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and none other that the QE2! Whatt a gobsmack.

My miniscule words can't describe that picture.

not a usual pre-play experience... but then, neither is a penguin cruise (grrrrrrr)

I can also confirm that the moon is backwards here. very odd. oddy odd odd.

So... I have now slept a whole 7 hours right through, which is a small miracle, and that shall speed me through to Brisbane which is today's stop.

Jo