and I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more...

So I can check off the "Walk from Sydney to Perth -- and back" spot from my "What to do in Australia" check list. My feet have never been so tired. Not even after hiking Old Rag, or walking all over creation in San Fransisco or even walking through Tokyo. Oh no, nothing beats the streets of Sydney for making you crumble to your knees in foot-filled agony.

Walking forever was not how my first Saturday in Australia started, though. Ash and I started the day by going to a market that's held once a month in the Manly public school yard. The is the market where Ash has gotten some of her more incredible jewelry, so I was excited about the prospects. She did warn me though, that this market is more often used as a sort of massive community yard sale and that sometimes it's just pretty terrible. Yesterday was a mixture of incredible and terrible. Parts of the market look like the flea markets I used to frequent with my Pop-Pop and parts of it looked like the really cool artsy markets that I've been through in NYC. I didn't find anything that I wanted to come home with, so Ashley pointed me in the direction of another weekly market held on the Corso in Manly.

Now, this market hit the jackpot. I seriously could have dropped $500 in a heartbeat. However, for any of you who have been shopping with me, I absolutely cannot impulse buy anything above $10. I just can't. I have to think about the purchase for at least a few hours, and then I'll come back and buy it. Now, this tendency has gotten me into trouble in Mexico (missed out on a gorgeous pair of earrings), NYC (missed out on gorgeous, cheap clothing) and now Manly (missed out on the coolest convertible shirt thing). I looked at the shirts for a while, but decided to go down to the beach to think about it for a while (actually ended up thinking about all the seagulls that were wandering around the sand, and the millions of cute toddlers running around, EVERYWHERE.), and then wandered home to think about it some more. By the time I decided I wanted to buy the thing, I had already made plans to meet up with my friend Travis in Sydney and I did not have time to go by the market and pick it up. So then I decided that if I really love it, still at the end of the trip, that I'd go down to the market on my last Saturday and buy it. However, on that last Saturday, I'll be in Daintree National Park, in Queensland. Oops.

Anyway, after the markets, I got home, cleaned up and caught the ferry to Sydney. Now, down in Sydney, the wharf is called the Circular Quay, pronounced the "circular key." And those who pronounce it phonetically are immediately identified as foreigners, nearly always American. Mrs. Curl thankfully saved me from that embarassment and at the ticket gate, I deftly asked for a "day-tripper to the Circular Key" (That's an all day pass for ferries, busses and trains from Manly to Sydney.) By the time I arrived at the Quay, I was starving, so Travis suggested we walk over to the fish market for lunch.

"Sure," I said, the unsuspecting visitor, who picked her shoes because they matched her outfit, not because she expected to be walking a marathon through the city. The walk to the fish market was beautiful and we walked through Darling Harbor area, past Travis' old office building, past the National Meritime Museum and a number of beautiful bridges. By the time we actually got to the fish market, I was famished and getting a little tired. But, I knew a good basket of fish and chips would definitely revive me. So, I ate my fishy, fried goodness in the company of about 5000 seagulls and one very interested, unidentified avian creature. Tasty and greasy. Mmm!

Then, Travis and I were off to Hyde Park area to meet up with a friend of his from Uni (college). Now, I have a pretty decent sense of direction, so I quickly realized that not only were we completely backtracking our walking path, but that we were walking quite a bit further beyond the Quay to get to Hyde Park. Now, we happened to be walking through the main part of the city, and currently the whole of Sydney has been overrun with World Youth Day Pilgrims. So we walk through the main shopping districts, and the heart of the city to Hyde Park, where St. Mary's Catholic Church is located. Past 1000s of Pilgrims. Travis and I were discussing that we weren't sure exactly what the deal was with World Youth Day (Catholic youth convention held in various cities around the world) but that we were fairly certain it was pretty intense experience for them. I mean, the Pope has been making appearances all week. I liked Hyde Park because of the giant chess board with the 2 foot tall pieces.

Anyway, my fingers are hurting right now from typing, so I'm going to sign off now to shower, and get ready to meet one of Ash's family friends. I'll pick up the rest of the expedition later today. To entice you to check back later, the next chapter of this massive walk does include: A rugby match, a digerredo, the Sydney Opera House and My Fair Lady.