Canberra

Monday 9 January 2006: Drove from Sydney to Canberra, a surprisingly short trip of under 3 hours. The temperature steadily increased the further inland we went (it's 36c here today, 10 Jan). After finding some accom. Marc did a ring around the confirm there was a Monday night game of UWH. After a bunch of calls to out of date phone numbers gleaned from the internet, he eventually called someone in Wollongong who was able to give him the information needed and yes there was a game at Tuggeranong, 20klm south of the city.

While MDR played, MB went to the beautiful lake next door for a lake walk, very pretty with lots of ducks and black swans. Daylight savings really works here, being able to walk in daylight at 8pm is really a novelty for us North Queenslanders.

First excursion today was to the Royal Australian Mint. MDR made all the usual "dad" jokes about scooping up coins from the production line etc, then on the way in the security guard searched MDR's backpack. The Mint is very interesting, we got to see the actual production of coins as well as a lot of static exhibits with historical and commemorative coinage, including Sydney Olympic medals. The photo shows a mock-up of proposed coins when our currency went decimal, these are from a competition, there were 4 sets on show. MB liked the 10c coin with the Kookaburra eliminating yet another hated snake.

MB also got to "produce" an uncirculated one dollar coin on a coin stamping machine, but only after paying $2.50 for the privilege. At the entry to the souvenir shop is a hoard of coins and MB couldn't help but be reminded of her brother with his metal detector, the machine would have went beserk in there.

After our Mint visit, we drove over to Lake Burley Griffin for a looksee then into the city to pick up a bento lunchbox at Tasuke in Canberra city, after checking the lunch menu in the window we went in to order but were given a dinner menu. When we asked for the lunch menu we were told it wasn't available until next week. So we went up the road and had a kebab instead.

Canberra is a very pretty city, reminiscent of a lakeside European city in say Switzerland. There are large stretches of parkland with beautiful deciduous trees, very wide and circuitous roads and lots of boxy buildings.