The pleasant breeze from the ocean softened the heat of the January sun. Flowers bloomed in planter boxes along the city streets, and fountains sparkled beneath the blue skies. Eucalyptus trees, palms, and a host of other plants filled the city parks and squares.
I was engaged in one of my favorite activities — walking through a place I’d never visited before. It was a beautiful day in Sydney, Australia, and life was great.
About a dozen years ago, John and I had the good fortune to travel to Australia to attend the wedding of two of our friends. It was our first time in the Southern Hemisphere, and the trip was full of delightful surprises. (For example, did you know that the constellation Orion appears upside down in the night sky in the Southern Hemisphere? I had no idea until I saw it.)
During part of the trip, we drove from a pretty beach town called Surfer’s Paradise down the coast to Sydney.
Sydney, Australia quickly became one of my favorite cities in the world. John and I discovered a wonderful lunch place that served both meat pies and fruit pies. We went cruising around the harbor and took a trip to Manly Beach. We visited the opera house and watched a planetarium show at the observatory.
But the most memorable day was the one where I simply walked around the city. With a guidebook in hand and the harbor on my left, I left our hotel and went exploring.
After strolling along the downtown streets for a while, I reached the botanical gardens. A little tourist-train ride included a guided tour where I learned about the park, enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and even saw bats hanging from the tree branches. Later, I ate at a small cafe, climbed up the Fleet Steps, and watched the boats in the habor. The weather was perfect, the people were friendly, and the food was great.
Long before I got back to our hotel, I had fallen in love with the city. I’m sure you’ve heard that old cliche: “It’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.”
Well, Sydney was a nice place to visit AND I would love to live there. If I ever become rich, I’m going to buy a second home in Australia just so I can spend every January in Sydney.
Talk to you next month!
-Susan 1/5/2024
Susan and John Ruff, Fantasy Authors 
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