Lunch with Roxy

    Well, the "roomies" are actually not too bad.  We don't interact except to exchange hellos, but at least they and their gentlemen friends seem to disappear when I need to get to the bathroom to get ready for bed without having an audience, and they have been pretty quiet.  Today it was a bit cooler and windier but still sunny in the morning.  I waited for Roxy to pick me up at noon in front of McDonald's and she was right on time.  We drove to Bronte Beach, which is just over from Coogee, and after parking we crossed the street to find a place to eat.  We ended up at a little place called "swell" (it was!) and got a table just inside the restaurant but open to the outside.  During a wonderful lunch of salad and wine we talked and talked and talked - about the trip, the other members of the group, ourselves...  It was such a wonderful afternoon.  As we chatted the sky slowly darkened and it got chillier and finally began to rain, so that when we finally left we had to walk across the road in the rain to get to the car.  We were actually there talking until after 4pm and it just felt very comfortable.  I think that we will be able to keep in touch even though she is always away somewhere.  She also works for an Australian travel company and leads a Trans-Siberian tour for Aussies that sounds pretty interesting.  
       Back at Coogee I joined Ethan and his mates for the nightly Jeopardy viewing and then we went back to Five-O for yet another fabulous dinner.  It may seem funny that we have been there so many times, but it is delicious, convenient and inexpensive - all the right stuff.  Back to my itsy party pad to start a little packing so I wouldn't have to do it all at the last minute.  It seemed to be double dates for the roomies tonight.  It was pelting with rain all night and very windy - again, lovely to hear from inside my little cell, but I wonder how it will be tomorrow.  We are hoping to go to the Blue Mountains and hopefully it won't be raining there.