Day 1 Sydney. It was a long flight (14 hours) from Los Angeles to Sydney, and that was after a 5-hour wait in the Los Angeles airport, after a 4 hour flight from Atlanta (2 hour wait) and 1.5 hour flight beginning in Gainesville.

The security people have really turned the Los Angeles airport into a problem; to go from terminal to terminal you have to do security all over again, including removing shoes and belt buckle. I cannot recommend LAX due to this situation.

In Sydney we decided to take a cab given our luggage, AU $35 (US $.79) to 8 Quest on Dixon, Darlington Harbor. This is billed as one of the economy hotels in Sydney. The place is good, right near the Darlington Harbor that features a walk around a small park, the tourist Centre (free maps, information) the IMAX theater and Aquarium with Wildlife Show attached. We had a head and shoulders massage Chinese style (AU $15 each) to help get the kinks out. We also ate Korean noodles (watch the piquant sauce) and took a tourist train ride during a small shower. Saw a couple of interesting birds, one that looked like a Florida Ibis, but bigger with a black rump.

While attending “Sounds of the Outback,” an original musical presentation at Darling Harbor featuring a guy playing some huge didjeridoos, we learned that the name is not aboriginal in origin, but came from Europeans coining a name that mimicked the music. The instrument was born, according to the musician, when aborigines discovered a hollow eucalyptus filled with a native bee nest. The buzz of the bees, amplified by the hollow log, apparently gave rise to the idea that it could be used as a musical instrument.

After a small nap we joined the tour in the hotel lobby (the other group is staying somewhat further away in the Marriott). We are 64 total; originally capped at 42, the tour has increased about 30 percent. It is a two language tour, Spanish (Mexicans, Chileans, Spaniards) and English (U.S., UK, Sweden and Denmark). We repaired to the Spanish pub (bottle shop) up Liverpool Street and found it to be very much like the Centro Asturiano in Tampa, complete with flamenco guitar and Argentine Tango dance instruction.

Mr. Kees Von Haastern provided an introduction. Wine and beer was served along with squid, shrimp, meatballs (albondigas) and salad (bread). He provided the outline for tomorrow’s session. The biggest headache is the extreme security as George Bush and other world leaders are here for Apec and traffic is rerouted, streets are closed and the opera house where the meeting is taking place barricaded with barbed wire. The benefit to this is that the city is much quieter than normal as local folks have decided to take these days off.

Our Australian beekeeper host welcomed the group and gave a quick overview of beekeeping in New South Wales. 4,500 beekeepers, producing 30,000 tons of honey and pollinating several crops. Major honey source is the various Eucalypts. Few young people entering the business. Most beekeepers are migratory. The queen industry has been given a boost by beginning to export queens to the U.S. Quarantine station in place (we visit it tomorrow). About 1,300 folks have registered for Apimondia at the current time, about an average turnout, but more appear to be coming each day.

We left the pub and went to the main market and there found a bank of computers, an in-mall cyber cafe (No café). AU $2/hour. In the hotel the Internet service is around AU $6/ hour. I bought some yogurt at Coles grocery store, huge and right in the down town Sydney mall.

Tomorrow we begin early with a 6:45 a.m. breakfast, leaving on the bus at 7:50 a.m. .

We left the pub and went to the main market and there found a bank of computers, an in-mall cyber cafe (No café). AU $2/hour. In the hotel the Internet service is around AU $6/ hour. I bought some yogurt at Coles grocery store, huge and right in the down town Sydney mall.

Tomorrow we begin early with a 6:45 a.m. breakfast, leaving on the bus at 7:50 a.m. .