Parents Arrived Safe and Sound

Today I went to the Sydney airport and exchanged Jen's mom for my parents. There was a while yesterday evening when I wasn't at all sure whether or not my folks had managed to get out of Ottawa, due to the huge storm that's currently working its way through eastern Canada. But escape they did, and I felt a whole lot better late last night when I got an email from Dad saying that they'd made it as far as Tokyo. They arrived in Sydney around 9am this morning. Janet and Bill and I went to the airport to collect them, and we somehow managed to miss my parents coming in from the Quarantine section! At one point, as I was watching people trickle through the gates, I was just beginning to think we might have missed them, when I turned and caught a glimpse of my mom over my shoulder... looking in completely the wrong direction! So I dashed over and gave her a huge hug! We collected Dad from where he'd gone to buy some coffee, and all was well.

It's kinda funny - my parents met Jen's mom for the first time today, in an airport on the far side of the world from where we usually all live! We all chatted for a while, then Janet said her goodbyes and headed off to get herself checked in and through security. She of course was flying standby with Air Canada, and so we wished her the best of luck for getting on the airplane. Since we haven't heard from her since, I assume that she got on the plane OK and is now winging her way home.

Bill drove my parents and I back home, and after lunch and a short rest we all headed out on a bit of a driving tour of the area. In fact, Bill took us to all the places that he took me on my first day in Australia! We went to Botany Bay National Park, where James Cook first landed on Australian soil. There were tons of birds in the park, including a type of parrot I've never seen before (still not sure what it was) and also a butcherbird. Two more birds to add to my list! We also checked out Cronulla Beach, where we watched the kite surfers and surf lifesavers and enjoyed a drink on one of the terraces.

We had to return to the house fairly early, as I had to meet up with Ruth so we could go to Guides. I left mom and dad chatting with Bill as Ruth and I headed out the door. It was fun going back to the Dolphin Guides; many of the girls remembered me from last year. We played games and handed out penpal letters written by some Canadian Brownies (this unit is run by a friend of a friend of mine back home). This Guide Hall has had about $18,000 worth of upgrades done on it since I last saw it in the spring, and the place looks amazing!

Ruth and I got home from Guides around 8:30, and we had a really late dinner. I must admit I was really impressed that my parents were even still awake when we got home - on my first day here, it was everything I could to do stay awake until 9pm! I've just sent them off to bed to get some sleep, as we will be up early tomorrow to tour downtown Sydney.

And now it's time for me to go to bed too - although I don't feel like I did a whole lot today, I'm really tired too. More tomorrow!