Back in Sydney: Home Sweet Home Away from Home

As I walk uphill from Darling Harbour on Druitt Street towards Town Hall and the Queen Victoria Building, I take in every little bit of my familiar surroundings.  The cool, morning wind blows in from Hyde Park towards Cockle Bay and refreshingly hits my face.  The smell of that mid-morning breeze on a Sunday just takes me back.  They say that smell is the sense that is most closely associated with memory.  I’m not sure what the pleasant, airborne odor is, but I think it is just a reminder that I am back in Sydney; 16,000 kilometers from home in a place I have referred to as my home away from home.

It is 4th time back here, and my 3rd consecutive year to see the greatest sports team in Australia: the South Sydney Rabbitohs!  But before my eyes can lay upon both Reggie and the mightiest players in footy, I must reaffirm myself with all the little things I have missed most.  For starters, seeing rows of Cherry Ripe bars is always a welcome sight.  Then, there’s strolling into a Woolworth’s a gazing upon the aisles of Tim Tams in every flavor imaginable.  Then, of course, grabbing a flat white while watching the boats go up and down Darling Harbour.  It may not be gazing at the Opera House or hugging a koala, but these are things I have missed dearly.  Well, that plus my Bunnies!

Checking in at the hotel in Darling Harbour is no different; a handful of the staff there recognize me and are only too happy to see me.  So much so, that my room got upgraded from city-view to harbour-view!  It is a little weird seeing the hotel get renovated; the half-rotunda lobby has been blown out and is in the process of being expanded.  I guess I can forgive them for that, but I think it looked pretty nice before.  But before my judgement could pass, my room had one rather nice surprise: the TV screen welcomed me with text and all!

After syncing my phone up to work locally in Australia, it was time to see some old friends.  The pastry cabinet at the Vienna Tea House inside the QVB beckoned me with its assortment of goodies.  The oodles and oodles of South Sydney gear at Peter Wynn’s store in Parramatta attracted me like a magnet.  Within a few minutes, my arms were covered in a small avalanche of red and green rabbits.  On my way out of the store, I ran into a bloke wearing a Souths jacket and shouted “Go Bunnies!”  He then turned to me and asked if I was from America, due to the fact that I had no accent.  He then revealed himself to be a fan from Twitter; he told me his name was Jeff, but I knew him from his Twitter handle (@MadRabbit).  He was only too happy to meet me and so was I!  It never ceases to amaze me of how many people in Sydney recognize me.  All I have to do is shout out “GO BUNNIES!”, and see who will come flocking.  If there’s one thing being a Souths fan has taught me, it’s that you’re never far away from a friend (unless they’re a Roosters fan!).

I am a stranger in a foreign land, so very far away from home, and yet, whenever I wear my Rabbitohs gear in public, it never ceases to amaze me how kind everyone is.  If there’s one thing America needs more of, its a whole lot of Australian bunny rabbits!  It is so good to be back down under.  I have missed you very much!