UP THE PARRAMATTA RIVER

FRIDAY 11th FEBRUARY

  I got up reasonably early after Robert left for work, checked the e-mails, posted the blog and performed all the ablutions before walking down to Eastwood station, where I caught an express train down to Central.  It was pretty packed and I had to stand all the way.  Some blonde Aussie bird chatted on the phone behind me effin' and blindin' like a true Sheila all the way into Strathfield.  I was releived to get off at Central and this time headed the right way into Pitt Street.

 I soon came across Lawson's Record Centre and after a thorough search I found CD's by Astrid Gilberto, a double Ella Fitzgerald, a Best of Henry Mancini and a Jimmy Preston all for the princely sum of $25.00.  I then switched to George Street where I found a delicious fruit of the forest ice-cream.

 I walked on to Town Hall where I caught a train to Circular Quays.  There I investigated the ferries.  In essence I discovered that I had just missed the ferry to Parramatta and the next one was at 2.30pm.  I found a cafe and had a toasted ham and cheese croissant and a cup of coffee and read my Elvis book until it was almost time to board the ferry.  I had a quick look around Circular Quay and spotted an ethnic musician at work and dropped some change in his basket.

The ferry pulled out promptly at 2.30 passing the Opera House on our left with the Sydney Harbour Bridge on our left.

We powered through under the bridge and soon left it in our wake, fairly whizzing up the river.

 We were fairly steaming along when there was a fairly strange sound from the engine which effectively cut out.  As far as I could make out we had lost one of our propellors, if I interpreded the skipper's announcement correctly.  At any rate we limped into Cokatoo Island where we were told a replacement boat would pick us up and continue the journey to Parramatta.

  And indeed after about a quarter of an hour a replacement boat, the Dawn Fraser pulled up alongside us and we all transferred boats.  I had a fairly rotund young lady squat down beside me who seemed intent on photographing every object in sight, even to the extent of extending her arms six inches in front of my face with the camera in her hand right in front of my nose snapping something off the side of the boat.  If it had
                           
not been for the fact that she had a lean and fit 6' odd guy with her, I might have repremanded her!  Anyway when she got up to take another picture from a new vantage point, an old boy quickly slipped into her seat thereby ridding me of her annoying presence!

 We continued up the river all the way to Parramatta where the boat terminated.  On Charles Street there was a loop bus going to the station.  I had heard the old boy sitting next to me talking about it, so when I got off the boat I simply followed him. At the station I had about 25 minutes to while away until my train and I wandered around the underground part of the shopping precenct until it was time to go.  The barriers refused to accept my Senior All Day Concession ticket, and when I queried this with an attendant, he carefully examined it and then asked me if I had my pensioner's card.  I replied that I had forgotten it.  After some deliberation he let me through, reminding me in future not to forget it!

Robert picked me up at Mount Druitt and we went to the Rooty Hill RSA for a couple of drinks.  Back home Reilly gave me a right royal welcome and I took him for a walk.  Jeannette cooked yet another tasty dinner and after that we made contact with Alan on Skype.  This was followed by several Heinekens before finally adjourning for the night.