It's been over a year since I have been back and it was great to see family and friends again, bask under the warm sunshine, head to the sandy beaches, swim in the blue-green ocean, eat out at some favourite places and also meet the newest addition to the family, Pepper!
Pepper is Mel and David's 4-month old puppy, a shi tzu x pug with a ball of energy and a fondness for Country Road tote bags.
Pepper ♥ Country Road totes I have loads of photos (some of which you might have already seen on Facebook) so I won't write a lot here but will mention that the one word I find sums up my time back in Sydney is nostalgia.
Maybe we have been away for so long now (2.5 years and counting) that coming back evokes such a strong sense nostalgia. It was lovely to relive this, but also see how much Sydney has progressed. I was surprised to find how unaffected Sydney was to global recession. It was a stark contrast to our observations this time last year in London. One thing Australia seemed to share with the UK, however, was the shambles the Government was in while I was home!
But enough said, here are some photos from my summer in Sydney.
Bee-lining to the beach the day I landed in Sydney. Could not have been a more beautiful day for lunch at Bronte Beach with Dad 
A visit to the One Noffs store Mel volunteers her time to each week to support the Ted Noffs Foundation and young Australian fashion designers
Pepper sinks her teeth into one of her Chrissy presents from London
Bathers Pavilion at Balmoral is one of my favourite places in Sydney
Birthday brunch with Aunty Kew a Bathers
Bumping into another visitor to Sydney... Adam! What were the odds of being at the same place, on the same day, at same time having flown in from Geneva and London? Weren't we just in Geneva a moment ago??
The ARIA Awards at the Acer Arena on the night of my birthday. Truly impressed by Aussie musical talent...
... Like Empire of the Sun (above), Lisa Mitchell and The Temper Trap (click on the names to view their live performances at the ARIAs)
... And guest start, Robbie Williams (click to view Robbie live at the ARIAs)
Mel with her beautiful handmade wares at her market stall in Balmain. Check out her online store here before they all disappear!
Lunch on the water at China Doll, Woolloomooloo
Time with Mum at Bondi Beach, post a morning at the day-spa
Lunch at Speedo Cafe, Bondi Beach
With my grandparents, Mel and Mum
Lunch with Aunty June and Mel in Glebe
Have missed these family dinners lots!
Visiting my old uni, UTS for the opening night of Republic of Design, the 2009 design degree shows
Brunch with the Millers at Rozelle
Taking Pepper to Bronte Beach with Mel
Swimming at Bronte pool
A Sydney latte, served up with a famous Australian emblem!
With Cindy on her Hen's Night. Congrats to Cindy and Mal on their marriage this month, 17/12/09 in New Zealand
Sharing a few drinks with Trinh at the Ivy in Sydney City. Can't say there are many places in the world where you get served drinks by a waitress in her swimmers and Haviana thongs/flip flops. Congrats to Trinh and Harry on their marriage this month, 12/12/09 in Sydney 
The last supper at Stir Crazy Thai, Neutral Bay 
A final night in SydneyThe photos only show a small part of my time in Sydney. There were many more great memories with family, old friends and new ones. Thanks everyone for a wonderful visit home, and thanks to you for sharing another year of life, travel, work and study on our Two Drifters blog. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays. See you in 2010!
