Why Have Windows If You Dont Look Out Of Them?

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Barely had Roger unpacked his toothbrush and taken a crash course in Fluffy's routine when I packed my bags, caught the skybus again, and jumped on a plane to Sydney. Tragically I was granted a middle seat, with a window seat buddy who spent the entire trip buried in her kindle with not a glance at the cloudless day outside. I think airlines should enforce mandatory viewing time for passengers lucky enough to have windows.


I had a moment of confusion when the hostess delivered me a cup of special tea, with a wink that encouraged me to quell my questions and just take the damn cup. Special tea came in a takeaway cup complete with lid and dummy tea bag tag, but was born in a bottle with bubbles and that's all I'm going to say about that.

Having visited one son and his beautiful wife in Huddersfield, and BD in Melbourne, it was important that I complete the offspring trifecta so off to Sydney I went.

Sydney turned on a stinking hot day. I got up early and went for a walk in the Lane Cove NP. 

Gum tree. There were kookaburras too, but they didn't stick around for photos.


The Sydney son, his beautiful wife, and I brunched at Chatswood, and then we went home and I sacrificed my plastic water bottle to their little dog. Mind you,  I regretted that decision: it's astounding how much noise is generated when a little dog destroys a crinkly plastic water bottle.


We drank cups of tea with family visitors and watched half-hearted storms roll past the window, trailing lackadaisical streamers of lightning. Nine floors below us a party crowd of overexcited children turned the pool into a washing machine.


Monday came and back in Melbourne work called my name. I said goodbye to the Sydney family chapter and caught a plane home. Once again the lucky duck with the window seat kept his eyeballs glued firmly to his phone with nary a care for what was outside. I had to sit on my hands to stop from poking him.

But I've just decided to like you, said the little dog. Why are you leaving now?

Back in Melbourne: Flinders St Station.

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