Luci On Tour: July 2005

Melbourne

Let me comment on the weather. Here it is winter. We have made our way to Melbourne which is about a 10 hour drive south of Sydney and here it is COLD. It was 39 degrees when I set out for my walk this morning. And my body absolutely refuses to believe it's winter. I see such beautiful clear skies, no snow, no rain (yes!) and light wind, but I have that internal sensor that subconsciously tells me it's winter, and my mind and body want to refuse that! It is weird. Thus, I am feeling quite confused, not to mention when it is day here it is night where you are!

I can't explain it, but I love the southern hemisphere. I have seen ads on tv about Antarctica - do you realize how close I am to it!? I am on the 14th floor of a skyscraper in downtown Melbourne, which means I am actually sticking off the earth UP-SIDE DOWN! That is weird.

And I spent time performing experiments in the bathroom sink this morning, watching the water swirl down the drain in the opposite direction, FANTASTIC! Out my window is the gorgeous city of Melbourne and beyond that the beautiful blue sea. Wow. Did I describe this room? Well, I should call it an apartment because that's what it is.

I could easily fit three of my NY apartments inside it. It is two bedroom, one with 2 twin beds and one with a king, two bathroom, suite! Giant kitchen (size of my den in NY) and living room with dining room table (something I don?t even have because it won?t FIT into my apartment) and, get ready for this - a WASHING MACHINE!!!! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Of course when we got here last night I ordered sushi and washed clothes. It took me several minutes to fully understand that I didn't have to put coins into the machine. I used a bit of washing powder from the minibar (brilliant) and I have clean clothes! It has been a long time since I used a free washing machine. Oh the luxuries some have. Well, I'm on the way to sound-check. First Melbourne show tonight, and tomorrow night I actually have a few friends coming. Yay! This country is magical.

Love!
Luci

More Sydney Pics

This is the inside of our hotel, the Sydney W. Hotel

On Wednesday we did a tv shoot at the Sydney Opera house. This is me inside of the main building of the Sydney Opera House.

Australia: Sydney

Ohhh, an update! Fun! I wish I could accurately describe the amount of paradise I am currently experiencing here in Sydney, Australia. And it is the MIDDLE of WINTER! I have enclosed a few pictures for your enjoyment, to see the color, the cleanliness, the attention to detail, the perfection of this beautiful city. I can see why it has been voted the world’s best city 8 years in a row. Europe is beautiful, with its drastic culture changes every few hundred miles or so and intriguing history, BUT it is dark in Europe, it is old, it is rainy, it is cold, and modern conveniences still cease to exist in many places (like 24 hour convenience stores, central heating, free local calls, etc.). Here, in the middle of winter it is sunny, crisp, clean, warm in the days (60s) cool at nights, and I can’t even imagine what summer (my favorite season) would be like. Probably nirvana. Ohhhh I can’t explain it.

So, we got here on Saturday morning, after what I think with my estimations and the crossing the date line and all, was over 30 hours of travelling. Wow. There was great stress involved with catching my flights (all 3 of them) because the very first flight out of Savannah was delayed an hour, causing me to miss flight #2 and thus possibly miss flight #3. Let’s don’t discuss the stress of sitting on an airplane concentrating on helping it fly faster because literally every minute mattered, then when we were 20 minutes from landing the captain announcing the airport needs us to circle for 20 more minutes and when we do finally get the clearance to land spending 10 more minutes sitting still on the runway,,,,,no I don’t want to remember that stress. I made the standby list as the official LAST SEAT on the plane, and 6 hours later made flight #3.

Ahh, and we got here, 6AM on what they told me was a Saturday - completely missed the day Friday altogether, amazing. They lost my luggage, nice since I arrived in winter coming from 100 degree GA wearing sandals and a short skirt. BUT smart traveler Luci had brought one pair of jeans and a light jacket carry-on (and even a pair of socks) so I made it the 2 days without my luggage, wearing socks with sandals like a northerner! (hee hee, no offense to my northern friends, but in the south that idea would never occur to us - it’s too hot!) We had that day to check out the city (where I took some of these lovely photos) and the next day (Sunday) completely free. Yesterday was our first work day and the show was fun. I absolutely missed performing and the Australians were Great! Tonight, if I do the classical solo, I might play a little Waltzing Matilda for them...or the Men at Work song... Anyway, I am loving life and cannot describe the beauty of this place. I hope everyone gets to visit one day!

Love!
Luci

LATE ADDITION: As I read over this update I became aware of a hoarse squawking outside, looked out my window, and found a flock of wild cockatoos perching and flying back and forth from the different rooftops of this hotel. COCKATOOS!! I did one of my first major reports on the cockatoo in 5th grade and here they are WILD! Absolutely beautiful. Did I talk about the nature here? I will have to save that for a later post. Heaven, paradise, bliss, Australia. Wish us luck tonight!

Pics...

The guys and the buildings of downtown: Steve squinty, Scottacious, Straightupdave, Randy the pointy manbuilding

The Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Notice the little specks on top of the bridge on the left side. Those are people who paid $160 apiece to mount and climb this tall structure. I was reserved to do it today, but couldn’t get myself moving this morning and missed my chance. Ahh! Maybe next time ‘cause I’ll surely be back...

Find the Cockatoo

See the pretty buildings against the backdrop of blue infinity

Our hotel, me in my plane clothes I wore for at least three days.

A view of the pier where our hotel is located (it was just to the right of the battleship)

A Dedication

Luci:

In celebration of the end of your European tour, I would like to dedicate a song to you. I wish (more, perhaps, than anything in the world) that I created the song myself, but alas, I cannot.

I downloaded a copy of this off the internet and it made me think of you. It is, without a doubt, the greatest tribute I could ever hope to pay you; I think anyone else who hears it will agree...

Here it is (mp3 format), Pastor John Rydgren's "Music To Watch Girls By" - for you, Lu.

Yours,
DAve

(Background info on this tune here)