The dream of a lifetime

I began this blog by saying I'd always wanted to go to the opera in Sydney. On Tuesday I'd been inside the actual building that is Sydney Opera House: soon it would be time for me to realise my dream. 'I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of reaching your heart's longing', wrote Oriah Mountain Dreamer in 'The Invitation' - well, this was one of mine!

But patience! I left you on Tuesday, and a lot has happened since then. On Wednesday, it being a reasonably bright day, I decided to give my knee a bit of a rest and go on a harbour cruise: I chose a two hour one, with tea and muffins thrown in, and although it cost a tourist price I thought it was worth it. Sydney Harbour is huge, with a shoreline well over 300 kms long: and the property on some of that shoreline is among the most expensive and exclusive in the world. We had a pleasant trip on a sunny afternoon, and I sat next to a friendly young French woman called Delphine, who was also going to the opera on Friday! Wednesday was my last night in the hotel, and I'd had a huge lunch (it's difficult not to get a huge meal here!) so I settled for getting a packet of instant soup and having that with a banana.

On Thursday I breakfasted, packed and took a taxi up to the Meeting House where I was booked in for the next four nights. I rang the bell, having left a message to say I'd be arriving at ten-ish: no answer! Eventually a voice came from below: it was Nick, the warden, who's a lovely man but somewhat mad (a bit like me, really!). He let me in and took me to the room, which is not as nice as the Melbourne MH one (no desk, for a start) and the loo is out and through a closing and locking door, and almost through the Meeting Room. The shower is even further, downstairs and right opposite an open door to the frequently let lower hall: so there's no sense of privacy at all. But there are cooking facilities: so I began to plan self catering for most of the rest of the week (except on Friday, the plan is to eat out at Circular Quay in good time to walk over early to the Opera House).

So after a long conversation and a brief rest, I set out to get lunch and then to go to the wildlife Centre at Darling Harbour. This, I have to say, was slightly disappointing, and mainly set up for kids, though they did have some very cute koalas, the first I've seen. Kangaroos, too, but in captivity, which seems all wrong in this vast land with so much space for everyone.

From the harbour I took the little monorail - great fun! - to Paddy's Market to do my shopping, treating myself tonight to rump steak. So many restaurants here, other than the very classy and pricey ones, are Asian in some form: so I enjoyed making myself a more traditional supper, and I'd got the remains of a bottle of red wine to go with it.

Friday also started bright and sunny, and Nick asked me when I was having breakfast if I fancied a trip to a beach. I accepted gratefully: I thought an hour's sunbathing would be good. But as it turned out, Nick had several errands that he needed to do first, and all the time the sky was clouding over: so by the time we reached the little cove which is his choice of bathing place it was actually raining! Nothing daunted, I donned my bikini and had my first sea swim for a long time - so long I'd nearly forgotten how, and how unbalanced my excess fat makes me. Another incentive to try to lose a bit... but it really is hard, especially here!

We didn't have an hour: by the time we'd swum for ten minutes it was time to go, as Nick had further engagements in the afternoon. I was rather regretting the trip by now, as my hair was wet and salty and I hadn't thought that washing it just before going out is never a good idea, and I'd not had a nice sunbathe at all. Still, I showered to de-salt, dried my hair and lay down to take a nap. Then it was time to get ready: my lovely new blue dress, my pearls: I should have taken my regular handbag with umbrella, but instead took the smaller one and my jacket, which was hot and not good protection from rain. I got down to the quay early, had a modest meal of lasagne and a huge pavlova, and then walked over to the opera house, in what was by now fairly steady and unremitting rain, But this couldn't really detract from the excitement. I bought a coffee and ordered a glass of champagne for the interval - after all, I don't do this every day! - bought a programme and walked up towards my seat in the circle. At the harbour end of the building you can stand and look out, behind glass, on the harbour, which was misty and totally unattractive in the murky rain. Then I found my seat and looked around.

The ceiling in the auditorium is very high, it's the underside of two of the large 'sails', and this may be why the acoustic has a bad reputation. The seats are generous (with Australia's obesity problem they need to be!), and the shape of the room is wide rather than deep (the rows are nearly fifty seats each at the widest part). I was in the second row of the circle (there is only one, no Upper Circle and no real gallery as such, though there are loggias at the side on a higher level).

The lights dimmed, the conductor arrived, and the house was hushed. I felt a huge thrill as the first, soft, poignant notes of the prelude to 'La Traviata' began. What a moment! I don't think I will ever forget it.

The production was excellent, and the leading soprano superb - she sang so well in the soft parts, which many coluraturas don't. The rest of the cast were pretty good, particularly the man singing Giorgio Germont, who persuades the heroine Violetta to give up her lover Alfredo for the sake of the daughter of the Germont family. At the end, Violetta dies (she has consumption), but not before she is reunited with Alfredo: the last act was very well done and I was sobbing for much of it, so well was the emotion conveyed. Australians applaud during the opera much more than in the UK, where applause for an aria is not very common: but at the end the curtain calls didn't seem very many, and in Newcastle we'd have cheered and stamped for a lot longer. Different places, different customs......

I'd not had my knee strapping on for the opera, and that was a mistake. Friday night the knee was uncomfortable, and today (Saturday) it's been worse than usual, so I've tried to rest it and done very little. I went to get my train ticket for Monday, only to be told you can't buy them in advance - this for a two and a half hour journey, not exactly the metro! So I'll have to get it while pulling all my luggage, and then go and get something to eat as there are no catering facilities on the train either. They don't really know how to do railways here.

Australian Trivia No. 1: you stand to the left on escalators. I've still not got used to that one!

Sydney has, all in all, been a little odd. Most of the 'attractions' are very much for the tourist, and I've not really been bothered. And I've felt a bit on my own: it's the only city where Quaker contact has been minimal. I'm looking forward to Newcastle (NSW) and Brisbane, and Quaker hosts again and talks as well: I've missed the contact, this week.