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Day 4: how many pets can you pet?

Our day started way too early for me. We were picked up by our tour guide at 6:50 in the morning. Sounded like a decent day - breakfast with the kangaroos, followed by a trek through the Blue Mountains, which got their name since, well, you figure it out. Since Alice is still sans luggage, she is wearing a pair of my shorts and the "the dingo ate your baby" hat I bought for the trip. To throw off the locals, I'm wearing my NFL Tailgate Party cap. The ugly American.

We were joined by a second couple (Swedish, but not the kind that are on the Bikini Team) and then we were off to meet the kangas. I must admit that I had my fill of them yesterday. I mean, how many critters can you look at, touch and photgraph on a vacation? Anyway, we get to the park where the roos roam free, only to discover that the ridiculous amounts of rain which they have been getting (see earlier entries) has resulted in the closure of the only road into the park. Breakfast yes, kangas no.
But that was ok, we were going to do something else. So off we went to the mountains. Checked out a few spots. No hiking though, so I was a bit disappointed. Can you believe it - at one point, the tour guide asks me a trademark question. I gotta stop telling folks I'm a trademark guy.
For goodness sake, I went into trademarks since I really don't have to help anyone. So I tell him something (providing the appropriate dsclaimer that I am not an Aussie lawyer, do not play one on TV and he may want to consider contacting someone else, even if it's just the Swedish chick sitting next to me.) But I give him the advice. Odds are I'm right, after all, I've been making this stuff up for years and haven't been disbarred yet. Besides, what's he gonna do, complain to Mel Gibson?

And, oh goody, on the way back we stop off at yet another game park.
This one was a bit different, however. They let the beasts walk around.
Looks sort of like the bar scene in the first of the original Star Wars movies. I think it's now considered Episode 4 - Luke Discovers He's Not Like Other Boys.). As Alice was petting a roo, I can see she was thinking "what a wonderful, soft peaceful creature.". I was thinking, "that would make a cool briefcase and gloves.". After all this, we took a ferry back to Sydney and walked around The Rocks, an artsy area down by the harbor. Didn't buy anything. Obviously Alice was not in the mood.
For those of you keeping score, I report that when I first drafted this entry, Alice's bag had still not arrived. I hate Qantas. Although their flight service was good, this delayed baggage thing - apparently very common with them - is ridiculous. Don't fly them. They are either totally incompetent or they don't give a shit (or whatever word they use in Australia to say shit. It's probably something like "G'shit" or "shitaroo.". I don't know. I'm not really into the culture and I don't speak the language. So I call Qantas. After an enjoyable 10 minutes on hold, I tee off on the Aussie chick who had the misfortune of "helping"
me. But she calmy assures me that the bag is due for delivery between 6 and 9 this evening. I tell her seeing is believing. Let's face it, I've heard that line for the last three days. The reassurances she is giving are worthless, sort of like Enron stock or a third testicle. I must have really turned on the charm. She hangs up on me.

Anyway, Alice decides to take a bath, either to drown her sorrows or drown herself. Being a sensitive guy, I realize it's time to swing into action. So I start typing this entry.

Then off to dinner with Alice's friend Marg (see earlier entry) and her friend John. Somewhere between the spring roll and the ginger beef, we start to blitz out. (Remember, we got up awfully early.) I can tell I'm off my game cause everything I'm saying is making sense. But Marg and John are such great sports, they make believe we are interesting and drive us back to the hotel.

On the way up, we ask our nightly question to Shawn the bell captain.
"Has Alice's bag arrived?" This time he paused, looked at us and said, "yes, it's in your room." We thanked Shawn very much for his help. He called Qantas a few times to check on what was going on with the damn bag. If we weren't so tired, we might have been more enthusiastic about receiving the bag. All we could muster was a meek thanks so much.

So Alice is now back to wearing her own clothes. And I am back typing this entry. But I'm tired. Although it's only 10, this is the most tired I've been since arriving in Sydney

G'night my friends. Happy Valentine's day. And remember, I hate Qantas.