I got up early this morning to get some things done before the 10am checkout. Basically, this involved checking my email and failing to buy breakfast. Oops.

Before I checked out, I handed out the usual cards and asked Anita if she would donate the value of her meal to BDCF once she had some cash. Everyone happy!

Then a rush to get a train from Kings Cross down to Central and a panicked dash to get the connection to North Wollongong. A very pleasant and scenic journey for around 90 minutes before arriving at the station to meet Dion, who I met in Sri Lanka. Lovely to see her again!

Dion’s a smart cookie PhD student with a ton of work to do, so after a bite to eat in the university canteen we managed to get my laptop online so I could update blogs while she studied.

I then discovered a nice student union bar ($5 for two drinks – about the least I’ve paid in Oz anywhere) before we picked up one of Dion’s colleagues for dinner in a very nice Mexican in town called Amigos. The meal I ordered – Bandito’s Basket – was big enough for two very greedy people but I did my best and managed to get through maybe 2/3 of it.

Then off to another bar on the coast (though it was too dark to see the see) where we nattered until midnightish and headed home.

All in all, just nice and chilled. After a week or so of almost constant motion from hotel to hostel to new city to airport, the next couple of days are going to be nice and chilled. Dion’s got a couple of walks and visits planned, but I get a room to myself (no dorm!) and a guide to take me places. All good!