From: Jhalpert

Sent: June 17, 2006 9:05 PM

To: Pbeesly

Subject: Sydney Day 8

Ah Pam…I’m so sorry that you’re feeling blue. I know just how you feel, believe me. When I think of home, I don’t think of my empty apartment in Stamford. You’ve seen it…it’s a box. Maybe someday it will be a home, but right now it’s got a long way to go. And when I think of co-workers, it’s people like Michael and Dwight that I think of...as frightening as that seems…not the perfectly nice people in Stamford that I barely know. And you, of course. Always you.

The longer I stay here in Australia, the more up in the air I seem to be. I know that moving to Stamford was a smart decision, but sometimes smart isn’t always wise. Does that make any sense? But at any rate, for better or worse I seem to be committed to the Stamford branch for the present. And I know that you have to stay at Dunder Mifflin at least through your internship, which could lead to a better job for you, either in or out of that company. There is no room for you to transfer to the Stamford branch...believe me, I have contemplated all sorts of lurid plans for getting rid of Lisa, but she seems to be settled in for the duration. So I guess we’re stuck with the status quo for now…a long distance relationship, with weekends here and there. And the distance seems longer every day.

Anyway, tomorrow I leave for Cairns. There are a couple of things I want to do there, that I would regret missing, such as snorkeling on the reef and visiting the rain forest. But after that I have no need to sit on the beach…I can do that at home...where it’s actually summer. And this whole thing with my Dad has got me antsy. So...We’ll see what happens when I get to Cairns tomorrow.

I am totally exhausted. I can’t believe how tiring shopping is...I must have walked 20 miles today. There are three markets that happen on Saturdays in Sydney. One is the Peddy market, which is in a huge warehouse like building and is basically a giant flea market. It is the place to buy tee shirts and clothing, toys and hats, plus there is a huge food market upstairs. There is also a frightening amount of tacky souvenirs. I almost bought Davie a wonderfully realistic snake, but I was afraid I would frighten Janice into early labor. So I resisted.

Then there is The Rocks Market, which is held outside at the end of George St. under white tent like awnings. This is a more upscale market, and you can buy jewelry and nicer clothing. I did a lot of shopping there. (No telling what I bought…you’ll just have to wait until I get home!) Finally, there is the Paddington market, held at Paddington School, which is kind of a craft fair. I bought a few interesting things there.

Across from the Sydney Town hall is the Queen Victoria Building, which is gorgeous. Very elaborate and ornate, it is one of the fanciest malls I have ever seen. The displays include a Chinese wedding coach, carved entirely out of jade and a revolving mannequin of Queen Victoria on her coronation day. There are two hanging clocks, one British and one Australian. The British one shows scenes from British history when the clock strikes the hour, and the Australia one shows scenes from Australian history, when a coin is placed in the slot on the Seeing Eye Dog statue…the money going to charity. Every day at noon, they have opera under the huge stained glass dome right in the middle of the building. The shops here are very expensive, but it was worth seeing.

Tonight I just ate an early dinner, and was all set to go to bed, when I remembered someplace I have been meaning to visit. Right next door to our hotel is something the Aussies call a Wagering Lounge. It’s a bar and an OTB, but it also has "pokie machines." So I had a beer and won 10 dollars on the slots. Luckily, I was so tired that I quit before I could lose it all again. So here I am drinking tea and eating Tim Tams…my usual bedtime snack, a whole $7.50US richer.

I must say that Sydney is just beautiful. It’s very clean and the people are very friendly. But I am looking forward to getting out of the big city and going someplace a bit more resort-like. I’m taking the hotel transport to the airport tomorrow at 9:00 am for my flight to Cairns.

I miss you.

Jim

From: Pbeesly

Sent: June 17, 2006 9:06 AM

To: Jhalpert

Subject: re: Sydney Day 8

Dear Jim,

Please, please…don’t let my passing bad mood affect your trip. You must do everything you had planned to do…no exceptions! Just keep asking yourself this question…When is the next time I am ever going to get to Australia? Anything that you don’t get to do…you will regret. Your dad is okay…I spoke to Janice yesterday, and I am fine too. I miss you…but, so what else is new? I will survive just fine until you come home, loaded down with didgeridoos and boomerangs and those funny hats with the dangling corks on them, giant stuffed crocodiles and heaven knows what else. I know what happens when you send a man shopping!

Oh...I RSVP’d to your friend Dan about his party. I told him we’d come if you were conscious, and knowing you, even if you weren’t.

Love and kisses,

Pam

From: JWilson

Sent: June 17, 2006 2:00PM

To: Jhalpert

Subject: Sydney Day 8

Hey bro,

I just wanted to catch you up on the latest. Dad has a Doctor’s appointment on Monday the 19th. Dr. Shah is a good friend of Ted’s and will tell us what’s what. So don’t worry. I spoke to Pam yesterday and she’s writing you the same as I am. Keep on with your trip…do everything. We all have to live vicariously through you, you know. I’m not getting to Australia any time soon…or any place else for that matter. And neither are Mom and Dad. So…you have to be the foreign correspondent for all of us.

I was just watching a show about the Great Barrier Reef on the Discovery channel. It looks awesome. I’ve been spending my days sitting in Davie’s wading pool, just waiting for this baby to be born. In this bathing suit I bought in a moment of insanity, I look like a baby blue whale. I keep expecting people to try and push me out to sea. Why on earth I would choose August as the month to have a baby...I don’t know.

Davie has been all excited about the photos you’ve sent. He’s seen Crocodile Hunter on TV, and seems convinced that he’s going to see you on the show, now that he’s seen you with all those animals. Oh...and thanks for not buying him a snake, fake or otherwise.

Your fat sister,

Janice

From: Jhalpert

Sent: June 18, 2006 2:32 PM

To: Pbeesly

Subject: Cairns Day 1

Hi Sweetheart,

I’m feeling much better about things, thanks to your letter and Janice’s. Poor Janice…she sounds miserable. What’s the weather been like there…is it really hot?

This morning when I came down for my last "brekkie" at the Vibe, all of the chorus people were there too, having a big farewell breakfast. It was really nice…they sang a couple of song parodies they had written for their conductor and tour director. I didn’t get many of the jokes, but they sounded a lot better than "You have won a tiny Dundee." They were splitting up; some were going on to Cairns, for a tour extension, some home, and a few on to other places like New Zealand or Adelaide.

My flight to Cairns was three hours long. One thing I got from the Bryson book is the fact that Australia is a really huge country and everything is very far away from everything else. Which is why dashing off to visit Alice Springs or Ayers Rock (Now properly called Uluru) or the Coober Pedy opal mine is really out of the question. It would take a much longer trip and a much bigger budget than mine.

Arriving in Cairns, however, was hitting an entirely different climate. It felt like Florida…and looked a bit like it too. One of the chorus people said that it reminded her of Miami back in the 50s or 60s before it got overdeveloped. I wouldn’t know about that. We went to Disneyworld when I was 11. That’s my knowledge of Florida. But I do remember the palm trees and the way the air felt. My hotel, The Cairns Country Club Resort is great! It is totally huge. My room was miles away from the lobby, past three swimming pools with waterfalls and a swim-up bar, a gigantic indoor/outdoor restaurant and all sorts of tropical gardens.

In theory, this is the dry season, but our hotel bus driver told us that it’s done nothing but rain for the past few weeks, which has put quite a damper on all of the reef activities. It’s not raining today, thank goodness, and the temperature is in the 70s. My room overlooks one of the pools, and I think I’ll go for a swim and check out the swim up bar. It’s great to be able to put on a bathing suit and not have to cover it up with a snowsuit like in Sydney.

As we were driving through the resort town of Cairns I saw a bar called The Dundees, which reminded me of you, for some reason, and one called Shenanigans, which looked like fun. There is an Esplanade, like a boardwalk, I guess, near the water, with shops and restaurants. The hotel has a free shuttle bus back and forth. There is even a huge casino. But I’m not sure I could top my winnings in the Wagering Lounge in Sydney.

Tomorrow is my Reef Adventure. Pray for sun.

Love,

Jim

PS: Yes, by all means, tell Dan we’ll come to his party. I’ve been meaning to e-mail him. At least I sent him a post card, and bought him a truly hideous souvenir.