And then a unexpected surprise...

Sally White and Tom

Sally and Geoffrey in their beautiful living room

Our last night in Sydney was a lovely surprise.  Dear friend Frieda back in Dallas had contacted her old friends Sally and Geoffrey White, who live in Sydney, about our sojourn to their fair city and they invited us to dinner!  So kind of them to bring total strangers into their home and to treat us with such warm and wonderful hospitality.  They live in the Point Pilot area of Sydney, not far at all from our hotel in the Circular Quay but eons away in terms of atmosphere and solitude.  Our taxi driver had a bit of trouble finding their house, which Sally had warned me on the phone might happen, but finally we saw Geoffrey flagging us down and we knew we had zeroed in on the right place.  Once inside their gate, we were treated to a taste of the real Sydney from the eyes of folks who live there.  Wine on their fabulous patio with a sailing regatta right before our eyes--a regular event on Friday nights it turns out--and then a beautiful dinner prepared by Sally.  Their houseguest, David,  an old friend of theirs who lives in Kenya, regaled us with stories of living amongst wild animals (among other things).  He and Geoffrey are old chums and it was fun listening to their stories.  It was the perfect ending to our time in Sydney.  Thank you, Sally and Geoffrey for a great evening. 

Quite a view to have drinks by, isn't it? Sydney Harbor would be to the left. The sailboats were much more beautiful than the picture shows.

Another view from the Whites' patio.