Chippendale, Australia

Yesterday I turned to walk across the grass in Darling harbour and spotted a gold coin gleaming at me. Small, the two dollar coins, just right for falling out of a pocket. Picking it up, I spotted another, and then one more glinting at me. I was on the verge of digging at the ground when I remembered that first, there was no rainbow and secondly, I’m no leprechaun. Bonus $6, though. The exchange rate has been on a general upward curve since I’ve been here, bringing that down nearer £3 than it was, but a bonus is a bonus.

I saw the opera house on my first day, so what’s next – see it again? I did that yesterday. So, next – never mind the photos outside, best to be a part of an audience inside. Looking on their website there’s loads on at the mo – it isn’t just one auditorium in there, more a complex like the UK’s National Theatre. Even better, from 3rd to 26th Jan, there are some $25 seats for a few performances, on sale at 9. Audience member and staying within budget, perfect.

I figured the queues might be like those for the London bargain seats, but that if they were that was too bad. No early start for me, instead I went out at 8.35, jogged to the harbour through Hyde park and the Botanic gardens and found the queue at 8.55.

I was position three. Tickets a sure thing. I asked, and the ticket lady said queues build up as word of mouth spreads, but for now it is as easy as. Standing room, admittedly, but like my 1 euro experience at the Venice opera, this is about the location as much as the performance.

I finished my run along the harbour side, stretched and then hustled to make it to the cinema in time for the morning showing of The Hobbit. Or ‘Hubbitpartoo?’ as the Chinese man put it, making sure he was in the right place. I’ve carried 3d glasses around since Brisbane, today it was worth it, 1 dollar saved.

Well, look after the pennies and all that. In other news, it turns out to be cheaper to fly to the States via Hawaii. What a nightmare, but I’ll brave the island just so I can warn you all off. Coming back from the east coast, I’m imagining I’ll come back from New York or Toronto, and either allows a couple of days in Reykjavik at little extra cost, so I’m going to try to make it happen. Tipping my mood from expectant to over-enthusiastic, current music obsession Grouplove are playing at the Big Day Out festival, which is my first day activity in Auckland.

Boom!