Sydders - part two (must be read second) Oz

When we woke up we had one of those twice-yearly hangovers that reminds you (if all the twenty-somethings weren't enough) we are nearer 35 than 25. The discovery of our poor mental state following our first night on the town in a month was only matched by our discovery that when they said 'Boutique' hotel, they were talking from the perspective of a roach. It wasn't quite a flea-pit, but it was as near as we expected to get in this hemisphere.

The poor outlook was compounded as Sydney then experienced the wettest 48 hours in five, or was it eight, years? As representatives of two great island nations well used to the odd splash of rain we of course ventured out - although we may have done it a day later than we'd planned. When we did re-engage, it was so wet Bondi Beach looked and felt like St Ives, something so improbable, it's no wonder nobody has spotted it before.

The Manley ferry could have been at sea for all you could see of the Harbour shore and the Bob Dylan film we saw at the cinema on recovery Sunday required something we were very short on, not dry, clean clothing, but mental agility. We pulled through, saw the sights, enjoyed dragons on Chinese New Year and ate well.

By day four we were fully recovered and ready to catch our flight to Auckland..... Unfortunately while we were ready our plane was not, after 3.5 hours on the tarmac the Chileans gave up - what have the Chileans got to do with it? We were trying to fly Lan Chile - Pepe we must have words. Ten hours late Qantas delivered us to the right country (Australian customs having confiscated the wine), if not the correct destination.

Our second Sydney report brings some balance to the blog, after all not everything can go your way for a full five weeks.