Rambles from Wollongong

I have not done my own blog note for the trip... We spent most of Sunday night and morning getting ready to leave and even after we got on the plane I kept thinking of things such as “did anybody run the dish washer and if so, did the door get left open so we are not leaving moisture in the dishwasher?"…my practical worrisome side of me gets to be a nagging bother. But at least I know the iron was unplugged!
My traveling book was Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hahn and I valued his insights. I would recommend it. He says that if , as a Christian I am living with a sense of awareness and joy and interbeing (living with a sense of being in the kingdom of God) I am also a Buddhist. P197

We had to fill out some Public Health Passenger Locator Forms, should we develop any H1N1 Swine flu symptoms.. Two people self identified their symptoms to the flight crew and they were immediately given masks and then escorted by health officials at the airport . One of them sat right in front of Sara and me . Saw only a few other people wearing masks... General public doesn’t seem too concerned. Beth says if she has even a cough she will be banned from visiting in the schools. We were scanned by some infra red cameras that took our temp as we came off the plane.
Mt inner time clock is way out of wack. Maybe it was the idea of having gone from Monday night to Wed without any Tuesday sunrise!

Wollongong is not known as a tourist town. It has a coal and steel industry, shipping; economic base along with the university. Wonderful cultural diversity, many Asian cultures. More restaurants than I have ever seen in an area. We have an easy walk to the beaches and a nice city center mall area. We shop at a great Woolworth grocery store. Sara quickly noticed the total absence of corn syrup in the products.
Our university apt is very modest and furnishings are minimal. Cooking burners were removed due to fire alarm and smoke liablities so that is done in a community kitchen.
I am at a loss to know what kinds of birds I’m seeing and hearing as well as the kinds of trees. Many kinds of palm type trees, of course, as well as some trees that are going into an autumn stage so dry leaves are blowing around. I am hoping for a clear night to observe the Southern Cross constellation, but no luck yet.
Other notes of possible interest.. .
I am growing a beard,, gray white and scruffy so far.. will see what develops!

Went to Wollongong Wesley Uniting Church on the mall, it’s a city mission church.
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Rambling on