We've had an interesting few weeks whilst we've acclimatised ourselves once more to the luxury of the First World. We're comfortably ensconced in our quiet little Pittwater marina, tucked up and cosy and coping easily with the very mild East Coast winter .... in fact, July gifted Greater Sydney with daytime temperatures 1-2 degrees above average along with 20 consecutive days without rainfall. The nights are, however, chilly and we've retrieved our plush feather doona from the back of the lazarette to ensure we're toasty warm in bed. Having the luxury of shore power has also meant we can pump out some heat from our new ceramic electric heater (sadly our little NZ fan heater gave up the ghost) - bliss!!!

It's definitely easy living out at the Northern Beaches and we are making the most of the convenience which comes with being alongside. We've explored all along the peninsular and are totally across the facilities and services available to us. The public transport system is exceptional and our Opal cards get a regular workout both locally and for trips into the city. Uber, a service we haven't really used before arriving in Sydney, has generously offered weekly discounts which we've happily taken up when doing bulk shopping ... who needs a car??? We're mad about the weekly Beaches Market and have been blown away with the quality of the farm direct produce on offer. At the moment, we are absolutely loving the "straight from the orchard" citrus - sweet mandarins, luscious seedless oranges, vibrant blood oranges and plump, juicy limes - and the array of crisp heritage apples (personal faves being the Braeburn and the Crimson Blush varieties). We're becoming very well acquainted with the stallholders and stoked to have the recurring interaction; it's all very friendly and familiar. We're enjoying our regular walks into Newport for coffee by the beach ... you know you're becoming local when you own a well used loyalty card for your favourite café ... and we're thrilled to be able to try out the myriad of Pittwater restaurants and food outlets.

The B Line express bus gets us into the heart of Sydney within an hour, giving us the opportunity to attend some of the many events that are on offer. We had an amazing day at the recent Good Food and Wine Show where we got to see the fabulous Maggie Beer in action together with Matt Moran before we made the most of the opportunity to sample a fabulous array of produce. Loved Cheese Alley, overflowing with delicious dairy treats from both artisan and mainstream cheesemakers. Loved the extensive range of wines available from across Australia (Robert Oatley's Signature Series Chardonnay was a stand out for us, along with both the sparkling Chardy and the 97 point Cab Sav produced by Umamu Estate). Loved the opportunity to check out new products and just had to buy the unique Vantage Australia "Spirit of a Nation" both for the amazing combination of lemon myrtle, Tasmanian mountain pepperberries and mandarin oil and for the stunning bottles, each showcasing an iconic Aussie landmark (we of course chose "The Coathanger"!)

During our global circumnavigation, we fell in love with the food and wine of France, enjoying it in the many islands across the planet that were influenced by "Le Marin" explorers and adventurers. Here in Sydney, there is an annual four day Bastille Festival held across Circular Quay and The Rocks. I was curious as to why this was "a thing" here and discovered that had Cook not arrived in Botany Bay in 1770, we may well have become a French protectorate. The much decorated Jean François de Galaup, Comte de La Pérouse, arrived off Botany Bay whilst in command of a two vessel scientific expedition ( L'Astrolabe and La Boussole) on 24 January 1788. He was met by the First Fleet, also just arrived, and courteously invited to spend time at the new British colony, subsequently landing in what is now known as Frenchmen's Bay. The expedition spent six weeks in the Botany area, establishing an observatory and kitchen gardens, collecting local flora and geological samples, plus reprovisioning with fresh water. The group departed for New Caledonia in March 1788 and were never seen again. The 19th century French naval officer, Captain Hyacinthe de Bougainville arranged for a commemoration monument to be erected at Frenchman's Bay in 1825 and today, the surrounding suburb is named La Perouse in the explorers honour. Interestingly, 0.47% of the local population claim French heritage, including our great mate, restauranteur Antoine Moscovitz , who we are looking forward to spending time with at Bellevue Cottage once we are back in Sydney Harbour. We, along with our friend Margie, spent a sunny Saturday as full on Francophiles - slurping on delicious Sydney Rock oysters prepared by the team of Michelin Star experienced chef Raphael Szurek; tasting the wares of the Parisian Foodie Village; ambling through the 1.4 Km Bastille Wine Walk and indulging in sensational desserts from the Gourmet Produce Alley. C'est magnifique!!

This week, we've been busy with the Sydney International Boat Show, which gave us an opportunity to catch up with our 2007 shakedown crew member Peter and his lovely wife Sheila. We were thrilled to discover that Peter is heading this way in his new to him Hanse yacht later this year and we will look forward to sharing some Sydney water time over the summer! We also caught up with the inimitable Trevor from Freo's Yacht Grot, newly retired after just handing over the reins (and the unique cash register) of his iconic chandlery. We hosted Christo and Daunie (ex SV More Magic) for dinner and a sleepover onboard - a night filled with much fun and frivolity with like minded cruisers who we first met in Borneo in 2011.

Life can't all be about provisioning, exploring, events and friends - we've also been busy getting a few maintenance matters out of the way and lavishing Elevation with love and polishing. I've started a Creative Writing Course which I am really enjoying - it's been a long time since high school English classes and it's really helping me to reflect, review and upskill my literary abilities.

Our "TTR" is happening seamlessly, although we retain the fire and curiosity now engrained in us from cruising and are always looking for interesting opportunities and happenings. All well at the dock.