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Near by the fish market: Advertisement for a movie

Question. What has a diameter of 5cm, is hairy, compact, and has 8 legs? When this something finds an incomprehensible way to getting on the inside of our car's hatch door, this question gains in relevance. So it happened on August 3 near by the fish market. Discovered after we had stored our groceries in the boot. When Claudia put the spider into the open with a grass spear and it raises its front legs due to this touch, our suspicion raises: A Sydney funnelweb spider. Abruptly, we are being reminded that we are not only in the heart of a 4-million metropole but in a continent with sometimes very scary wildlife. Even though there are no reports of recent casualties: In principle, the venom of a funnelweb is fatal. See as well our special report Spinnengeschichten (in German only).

Feuerzangenbowle and cheese fondue – that is winter!

Feuerzangenbowle (~fire-tongs grog?!?). There is no translation for this European delicacy of hot orange juice with lemon, red wine and tea, topped with a loaf of sugar which in turn is drained in rum and ignited until the whole sugar has melted and dropped into the liquid below... When Peter had driven Matthias and Irina to the airport in July, they had discussed that the two will bring along a sugar loaf and the famous Heinz-Rühmann movie "Die Feuerzangenbowle" when they'd return from Germany so that we could heat-up the Australian winter. Bine and Eric couldn't resist to this idea and pushed forward for upgrading it with a Swiss cheese fondue. Finally, Silvia and Wolfgang completed our round. On Tuesday, August 19, the following took place in a large gang: We expats heat up Matthias' and Irina's house, melt the cheese and white wine (for the fondue), squeeze the oranges and lemons (for the grog) and stand devotionally around the fire pot when the rum is burnt. This is topped with the cult-movie each of us had seen at least a dozen times before. The memories of previous "fire-tongs grog evenings" are awakened, of temperatures below zero and ice-cold hands (what was that again?) . This is something the Sydney winter cannot offer, but nevertheless: In order to adequately celebrate the day, it rains and is cold, a wheather similar to German November. Fantastic!! A hearty thank you again to Matthias and Irina for providing the venue and to Bine for spending a whole afternoon in the kitchen, grating the cheese.

Claudia at the City2Surf run 2003

City2Surf. In 2003 we participate again in this mega-event, assigning the same responsibilities to each as last year: Claudia runs the 14km fun run, Peter takes the photos. As last year (see Monthly Report August 2002) the morning dawns with sun shine, a beautiful winter day. Again, 65.000 runners have subscribed, subdivided into three starting groups. Again, Claudia is part of the red group of the serious runners. However, everything else is different, easier as last year, mainly due to the two reasons (1.) The course, the location of the drinking stations, the overall spirit are known and (2.) Claudia is faster than last year. Therefore, she keps a better pace in the homogenity of her entourage – with this number of runners, most concentration is consumed by the barging and stumbling. Her proud result: 84:32 min and place 13.390. That is 1.652 places better than last year :-) At the finish line in Bondi, we meet some friends and have a sausage sizzle and a beer.

Kayaking in Port Hacking

Kayaking in Port Hacking. On August 9, we train various paddle strokes, balance in the surf, and open-sea rescue assisted or unassisted. The water is cold, but is somehow has a special flair to improve our paddling techniques in mid-winter on and in the water. Andrew is happy to accept our proposition to organize a kayaking week-end in Pittwater for the 16th and 17th of August. This is Peter's second and Claudia's third overnighter where everything for camping is packed into the kayaks. Being a genuine ingenieur, Andrew has even booked the weather at its best: Radiant sun shine, not a single breeze, the sea as flat as it can be. We seize the opportunity and leave the sheltered bays for the open sea. From Palm Beach, our tour leads along Barrenjoey Lighthouse and Lion Island to Putty Beach and Lobster Beach for lunch break. We set up camp in The Basin. Thanks to Kevin's suggestion, each of us has carried some wood logs – the evening dies away at a camp fire (side remark: isn't it a bit mad to paddle along wood for a whole day...?). On the second day, we explore the bays of Pittwater, paddle over to the sea side of Palm Beach and back to the cars. Fish and Chips on the beach are the last official trip doings.

Heidelberg Castle in a summer night

Peter in Schwetzingen. Peter's company had ordered him to Germany for a project. In a nolstalgic mood, Peter booked his hotel in Schwetzingen, just 1km from our former appartment. It is still summer in Germany, still dry and hot – though not as terrible as in June-July. Coming from winter, Peter particularly enjoys the long days and the feeling of strolling through well-known streets. The cheese stall at the Schwetzingen farmers' market attracts his special attention on his first Saturday: Such half-deliquesced cheese would never – never! – pass through the Australian quarantine. For the first time in Germany since 16 months – wheat beer under chestnut trees, bushwalking in the Palatinate, BBQ evenings, "Handkäse mit Musik" – the time elapses in no time at all.

Kevin and Andrew "disguised"

Kevin and Claudia's kayak. Kevin, the good soul, attends to Claudia's boat and spends a whole Sunday and a Thursday night to transform it into an individuum: Long experience goes into it when he changes every singe nut on Claudia's Mirage 530 for edgeless ones (for that the belongings stored in the bulkheads don't get torn), when he puts "breathing tubes" between the water- and airtight compartments to allow pressure equalization in extreme temperature changes, when the seat padding is neatly re-done and glued onto the seat, the pump switch gets a security cover, and the pump outlet gets a plug (so that the water doesn't enter through it) etc. etc. Many thanks to you, Kevin! A big Thank-you-Kevin-BBQ is scheduled for the day of Peter's return, September 14. But at the end of the day, this work is priceless.