It was my second week in Sydney and looked like it was going to be a busy one with catching up with old friends and eating out. It started with the weekend away. Gregory, who now works for Hope Global, and his wife Susanna had invited me to stay with them in their new home having recently moved from Sutherland to Kincumber. I first met Gregory before leaving Sydney in 2014, it was he who had introduced me to Vivian Kito and the Wakisa Ministries. Last year Gregory visited Perth were I was able to show him some of our coastline. It was now his turn to show me his neck of the woods or should I say coast.
Early Saturday I left Revesby and travelled by train to Central Station where I boarded the country link north to Gosford. It was a very overcast hazy morning as the train rocked along the tracks leaving the city sprawl to enter the hilly terrain along the Hawksbury River. After crossing several inlets we finally reached the coast at Gosford where I disembarked.
I was picked up by Gregory and Susanna who very kindly showed me around. We had a lovely time exploring the coastline and places where we were able to walk and talk. We strolled over the rocks under the cliffs at Avoca Beach, walked along the Kincumber Broadwater which was a walking trail just near their home.
Then on Sunday after church we drove to the Captain Cook Lookout, at Copacabana, we even made it to Forresters Beach and Crackneck Point Lookout in the Wyrrabalong National Park where we could see up the coast to the Bateau Bay Reserve. It’s a good thing I enjoy walking! What with Vi-Lay trying to do 10,000 steps a day and me going most places on foot between public transport journeys I’ve been doing well with the exercise despite no jogging.
Even though this weekend the temperatures were in the forties with high humidity I had a lovely time at the Central Coast exploring the beautiful, rugged coast line with Gregory and Susanna. It was a delight to catching up with them again. We had so much to talk about.
The wait for the train back to Sydney was a scorcher! There was a hot wind that felt like it came straight from a furnace! Fortunately I was able to shelter from it at the station shop on the platform as I had half hour to wait for the train. I’d just missed the earlier one which I saw pulling out of the station as I arrived.
Leaving the Central Coast it didn’t take me long to get to Central. I rang Vi-Lay to say I was on my 
way. She suggested I stop off at Riverwood Station where she would meet me for dinner. We decided it was too hot to cook at home and she knew a Vietnamese Restaurant which had enormous dishes for $10. It’s nice to know there is someone as frugal as me. We shared our beef soup and pork noodles but decided to go shopping for our desert. Woolies was close by so we walked leaving my bag in the car. We also needed to get the 10,000 steps in so we took a few laps of the shopping centre in the cool of the air conditioner before shopping. Both of us had been craving another durian and were delighted to see Wollies had them in stock.
After our purchase we decided we would go to a nearby park where we could eat the durian in the open leaving the smelly husks in the park bin. Between us we could only consume half so decided to keep the rest for another day. It was really delicious! After our feast we needed a long walk so marched along the bush track until we were attacked by mosquitos.
By Monday the heavy rain Perth had been having finally reached Sydney. Because it had been overcast for a few days I wasn’t prepared for it and had left the windows open when I’d left the flat. While on the train it bucketed down and to make it worse Vi-Lay rang! I felt so bad! She was graciously very understanding. There was no point going back it would have been too late! It poured again as I entered Rockdale then suddenly cleared up. I prayed the flat was ok
and that the wind had blown the rain away from the open windows. God graciously heard my plea for when I returned after midday there was not even a drop on the window sill.
I had stopped at Rockdale to visit the library before jumping back on the train for one more stop, getting off at Kogarah to collect my new glasses. The shop next to the optometrist is a fabric shop and block-out fabric on special caught my eye. Vi-Lay had mentioned she would like some curtains for her kitchen windows where the hot easterly sun streamed in heating up the whole house. I found a 3 metre remnant which would do beautifully. I then returned to Revesby for a short rest before taking the train once again, this time to Bardwell Park where I was invited for dinner by previous client’s, Denise and Ramena. The last time I had visited, was to help with their second son. They now also have daughter.
It was lovely to catch up with them again and see how much the children had grown. Ramena mentioned she knew parents who could do with my assistance even now and how much I had helped them when they were in need. I had a lovely evening before Denise dropped me back in Revesby.
Tuesday I had some business at the bank before meeting my old Arncliffe neighbour, Pat for a Thai lunch at the restaurant which I had frequented regularly after church, Gai the owner still recognised me. Pat then took me to the station at Wolli Creek but on route we called in to see my old neighbour Des in Forrest Rd. He was his grumpy old self complaining of all the letters he had had to redirect after I left saying I should have contacted everyone before I left! Pat and I laughed as we left, he hadn’t changed a bit!
That night as Vi-Lay left for dancing, I decided I’d go for a jog. The first since arriving! I had to be quick as I wanted to get back before dark. I felt so much better afterwards and decided because I had been eating too much that I would once again cut down to two meals a day, breakfast and an early dinner.
Wednesday, Vi-Lay had requested another day off and started working on the curtains so that she could sew them at her mum’s this afternoon. I decided I’d miss breakfast and wait till we met up with Milly and her son in Carlingford for Yum Cha at 11am. It wasn’t as if it was a change to my usual breaky time as it would only be 8am in Perth!
After Yum Cha in Carlingford we drove back across the river to Bray’s Bay Resurve were we walked along the foreshore and along the Kokoda Trail Memorial Park at Rhodes then on to the track past Concord Repatriation Hospital on Yaralla Bay. We then drove to Vi-Lay’s parents place, which they are renovating and repairing, at Burwood before Vi-Lay dropped me at the train station as she was returning to her parents’ home to sew her new curtains.
I took train to Central before changing to the Illawarra line and getting out at Kogarah to see if I could get a second pair of glasses again with no gaps through my health fund. Dropped of DVD’s at the library in Rockdale before heading home. We had both eaten so much at yum cha neither of us really wanted anything much to eat and were happy with a light snack. That night Vi-Lay helped me put together a new resume so now I’m ready and God willing will find part time work on my return to Perth.
Thursday 9th February, I worked on my last blog before Louise from Kirkplace picked me up for a coffee at 2 pm. We had a lovely long chat exchanging life stories before returning to Vi-Lays. I then took a train into city to visit my Krav Maga training centre before meeting up with Vi-Lay who showed me around the area where she works. Then together walking to the Spice I am Thai Restaurant in William St where we poured over the menu and chatted while waiting for her god parents. We had planned to do a Thai crawl (similar to a pub-crawl but with Thai restaurants which my sister Kath and I use to do when she was in town). We wanted to start with entrées at Long Grain, then mains at Spice I Am and finishing up back at Long Grain for desserts. It didn’t quite go as planned as we were unable to book at Spice I Am so we decided to start there then finish with entrée and dessert at Long Grain. It was quite difficult choosing what to have as both places had such delicious dishes. I was very disappointed with Long Grain as they had taken off the menu both the entrée and the desert platters which had a little taste of everything. 
Still it was a very enjoyable evening before being dropped home.
Friday, only one week left and still so much to do! I took the morning to do things at the house then at headed to Beth’s for a swim in the pool before pub dinner. It was another stinking hot day so we sat around in the air-conditioning till it was cooler then jumped into the pool staying in the shade to keep cool and shelter from the scorching sun.
Friday night was once again a great night with my usual steak, chips and salad even through the Thai’s who had taken over the restaurant were encouraging me to try their Thai dishes, I just couldn’t break from tradition.
Photos: 1. Sunset Central Coast 2. Susanna and Gregory 3. Lichen on rocks 4. Kincumber boardwalk 5. Central Coast coastline 6. Durian for two 7. Yum Cha 8. Friday night at Kogarah Pub
Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for all the friends I’ve been able to catch up with while in Sydney and for Jen extending her stay to the 14th of February to take care of Mum. His provision has been a huge relief to me.
Praise Him for Vi-Lay’s generous hospitality and friendship.
Please pray that my sister Jenny will find work now that she has returned to Geelong, Victoria.
Pray also that I will know the Lord’s will and that I might find work now that I’m back in Perth.
Praise the Lord for mum’s continual good health and safety on the road. Please pray that she will willing decide to give up driving before her licence expires on 21 April this year. Please continue to pray Mum stays safe on the road.
Mum’s big 90th birthday is coming up, please pray that her surprise birthday party on the 29th April will go well.
Please continue to pray with me that I will lean on the Lord for His leading, strength and wisdom as I encounter the challenges that lie ahead.
Thank you to all my supportive friends and prayer partners. I really do appreciate you.