After we got to Shane’s house, I unpacked a little bit, called home and then off we went into Parramatta! This is technically Wednesday, September 30th since you time travel when you fly to Australia. (haha)
Parramatta is about a ten minute drive from the house (Shane tells me that it’s about a 15 minute bus ride).
On the map, you can see the pink blotches – those are the hospitals where Shane goes to school (very close to our house) and Parramatta (the locals call it Parra) is just a little bit south.
So we drove to Parramatta, parked and set out to get lunch! Shane took me to Jamie Oliver’s Italian restaurant in the center of town. It is just across from the town hall so there is a nice water feature and park outside. They also have public ping pong tables where all these little kids were playing. It was pretty cute.
Here’s the menu. You can click on photos to make them larger so you’ll see that the prices are pretty high but remember that everything on menus in Australia includes tax and tip!
We both ordered cokes om nom.
The food there was sooo good. We ordered meatballs to start but were so excited that we didn’t think to take photos haha.
And then obviously at an Italian restaurant we both got pasta. I got a truffle parmesan one and Shane got a bolognese. Shane also didn’t follow Dad’s “one sip before the main meal” rule.
After lunch there was a police incident happening in the park so we boogied out of there! You can see the ping pong tables though!
From there, we walked to the bank and met with an advisor to deposit all my money! Goodbye all my cash! It’s been nice knowing you!
The bank I chose in Australia is super technologically advanced! You can send money to people by entering their phone number into your app! ALSO if you forget your bank card, you can make an ATM request for cash on your app (you have to input your pin and it will give you a special code) and then it will text you another code to put in the ATM! So you can basically authorize the bank to release cash to you with just your app and an ATM.
Pretty neat!
After that, we went to IKEA and to Costco – both of which are EXACTLY the same. It was so weird. A lot like being back in North America. I didn’t take any photos because I was very tired and getting kind of grumpy (really grumpy.. Sorry, Shane!). Haha. I didn’t forget to buy Ghirardelli brownies though!! And again! They’re the EXACT same!!
I haven’t needed to make them yet though because Shane’s roommates, Andre and Brendon, (weird… I have to correct: MY roommates) keep making SUPER delicious desert foods. Brendon made chocolate cupcakes and Andre made rhubarb strawberry crumble. There is a very real chance that I am the worst baker in the house haha.
So after that it was bedtime! Shane went to return the car and I passed out haha.
Miss you all!
Carmel
Carmel on a Plane 
Love the ping pong tables. I wonder if you have to bring your own racket and ping pong balls??? Shane doesn’t know the one sip before dinner rule??? Lol!! I will have a lot of work to do when we come to visit I see!!! Too funny. I didn’t think the prices were that expensive at the restaurant – looked like delicious food. You are lucky to have such prolific chef’s living with you and Shane! And they can fix your teeth after feeding all the sugar – hmmmm – I wonder if Dentists have to adhere to the hipocratic oath of “Do no Harm”!!! lol.
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Hahahaha I should ask them!! And yeah you have TONS of work to do on that rule 😛 I tell ya…
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