What is it with this train?
I'm on the Central Coast line again! This is the fourth time this trip, but the first time this trip was also the first time in a good twelve years. Ooh, and it's just started raining... big, splatty drops. Real summer rain. Yum.
I've got the usual Idontwannagohome feeling that I get the day before I leave, but it's less painful than usual-I have real plans to come back now. I'll bet I'll have those pains when I eventually leave San Francisco instead. That's a year or two away, though. And this trip has a seven-hour stopover at Honolulu, just enough for me to grab a car and go for a bit of a drive there, and one last swim before I return to the icy Californian side of the Pacific. I've got a bit of work to finish off when I'm back in the office on Wednesday (U.S. time), and it's work I'm looking forward to. Still, winter. Bleh. I'll be in need of warming cuddles.
The last ten days or so in a nutshell:
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I did indeed get together with Penelope Swales the day after Boxing Day. It was a rushed little café meet-up, but pleasant and enlightening. We'll so get together again, next time we have a chance. Her partner was lovely, too.
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I had lunch with seagoon and naturalredhead the day after that. I was only lukewarm about the food that the café at Hyde Park served us, but the company was just lovely. naturalredhead badly twisted her ankle shortly afterwards, though, which dampened our spirits a bit. I hope you've recovered, mate. -
I spent the next few days catching up with various people, including lunatravels, Rrrob and C. (along with a Bay Area poly person I didn't know, who was visiting Sydney), anemore (she's changed her username, apparently), and a lot of people without LiveJournals (who despite that are worthy of catch-up time =) ). I consistently found myself meeting people at 10pm or later; since everyone's on holidays, nobody particularly needs to get up early the next day, so after dinner and a walk with one friend, I could enjoy some late-night café culture with another, and sometimes go home with them for some snuggles. -
I watched the 9pm family fireworks on New Years Eve with uberredfraggle, her partner and his son. It was from Dudley Page Park in Dover Heights, a fair distance from the Harbour Bridge where it was all happening, but a great, all-encompassing view. I spent midnight at elissande's place; she and S. hosted a sci-fi themed new year party. There was a tardis, an inflatable darlek, and lots of sexy, creatively-dressed people, including some old friends who I might not have seen otherwise. (Hiya, zarabee! And a belated happy birthday!) Exhausted from the previous few days, I was in bed at my parents' place by 1:30. -
Since then, more hanging out with old friends and new interests, all sans LiveJournal. The exceptions are uberredfraggle's birthday party at an outdoor cinema venue (see my FaceBook photos), and bradz and YvonneZ, whose place I just left, after another dip in 20° ocean water. They're looking after my Kombi this time. Driving it up was a minor ordeal; the long freeway trip made it run a little hot, so I pulled over for it to cool down, but then it wouldn't start again. I was at the bottom of a gully, too, so I couldn't clutch it in either direction. Luckily I pulled over just past a guy whose transmission had shat itself, and the two truck driver towed me with a strap far enough for me to be able to clutch start it that way.
I wish I could stay here longer. I always do. Oh well, most likely: next time.