Whew.

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore: "How you going?"

Ching and I went to the Powerhouse Museum yesterday. It was a pretty cool place. Wish we could have had more time there. It's all about science and design, with old trains and planes, the history of computers, a headbanging robot, a bunch of experiments, a model of a space shuttle... the list goes on and on. Ching wanted to go before the special glass exhibition was gone. It was a design competition for Bombay Sapphire - mostly martini glasses for their gin. The history of martinis is quite interesting. At least, the very brief history on the wall was. I loved reaching the year 2000 and having Sex and the City as an example.

Ching and I were looking at the glass exhibit and kept hearing this piano playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Waltzing Matilda. We couldn't figure out where it was coming from, even leaning over the balcony and listening trying to get an idea of what direction to look in. Finally we heard it right beneath us as we were leaving the room, and we looked over the railing to see a giant keyboard on the floor below, with keys lighting up and a kid hoping to the lit up key to play the song. I was a bit upset that the keyboard was part of a kids' play area, because that meant I wouldn't be allowed to play Waltzing Matilda on it.

The headbanging robot was pretty funny. It put a mop on and bopped up an down to the music. It also challenged people to a test of human versus robot - who could hit lit up buttons the fastest. It was mean when it won. Held up a sign that said "You lose. You call that human?" Wish I could have had a go, I'd have shown it what human was.

In the experiment area, I got to sniff the difference between L- and D-carvone, mirror image molecules that give spearmint and caraway their scents. The little set up essentially squirted perfum up my nose and after trying out the "which is the real lemon scent" and "smell the different notes of this perfum" as well, I was walking around wiggling my nose like a bunny. When we got to the display on chocolate, we realised how starved we were and decided to leave.

But not before quickly checking out the room made to look like a train station with an old train waiting. I went down a set of stairs in the middle of the room, like a subway entrance, and walked along a little hallway until I emerged in the space centre. I disappeared into a model of a space shuttle and by the time I made my way back to the train room, Ching was nowhere to be found. I climbed up to a little hut with a display and looked out over the room. Couldn't see Ching, but I heard her voice and raced down the stairs calling out until we found each other. I told her I'd been sucked into a space shuttle. "WHERE???" And Ching went down the tunnel.

I wandered around looking at the evolution of transport, and then climbed up to the viewing platform to get a look at the planes hanging from the ceiling. It was also a good vantage point for spotting Ching, since I figured she should be just about finished. Sure enough, I was reading about the flying hospital when she appeared below me.

By that time we were starving, and so we collected our bags and headed towards Darling Harbour for lunch. We found the Chinese Friendship Garden, which we've wanted to see, and were going to have lunch in it until we found out it was $3 admission. Instead, we sat outside but at the edge of the garden, watching giant goldfish swim in the pond and ducking every time a pigeon bulletted over our heads. I looked out over the square and saw a guy in a Tilley hat, green shirt, and khaki pants and almost shouted "James! Over here!" Freaky.

The peanut butter and jam sandwiches didn't even begin to fill us up, so we stopped by the Chinese bakery we've become rather addicted to and got some more food before hiking to Pitt Street. Discount stores galore. $3 scarves. Yes! (not winter scarves, the dressy kind) Also many clothing stores with clearance sales. $10 denim mini that I can sit down in. Yes! It's actually about an inch longer than I was going for, but that's better than an inch shorter and I can always have it shortened if I feel like doubling its price. You have to be careful with these things. One of the girls sitting across from us on the bus on the way home was flashing Ching.

After Pitt Street, we headed to Paddy's for fruits and veggies, since our frige was strangely empty of them. It's obviously mangoe season. Almost every stall had them, but we didn't get any this week. I did find a stall with rhubarb and while it pained me to pay for something I used to get by walking into my backyard with a pair of cutters, it was soooo worth it. If I can keep from eating the rest of the stalks too soon, we'll have apple-rhubarb pie. Mmmmmmm.

We had fresh lamb chops and garden salad for dinner while watching Ghostbusters. Then they went and showed Ghostbusters II. It was total flashback to being 4 ft high and singing "who ya gonna call?? GHOSTBUSTERS!" Anyone else remember the Ghostbusters tatoos that used to come in the Shreddies packages?

Laura came home with her friend? Tom (I think that's his name) and they made the most delicious smelling lasagne. They also offered to make Ching and me White or Black Russians but my headache and exhausted state said no way. Man, it's been ages since I've had Kahlua...

Ching and I booked our flight to Cairns. Sunday evening, 21 November. We also booked a hostel. Now we need to decide what reef tour we're doing so we can book that, and figure out whether it's going to be cheaper and better to go on an organised tour of the Atherton Tablelands or to just rent a car. Tours tend to be about $80 a piece, including any admission fees, while we'd have to pay at each place if we got a car, but it could still cost the same and if we could get a couple of people to go with us, it would definately be cheaper. And tours make you stick to their stupid schedules and sites. We'll see.

My room has an open suitcase and backpack in it. Two weeks seems awfully short.