I’m sitting at Sydney airport, very reluctant to leave this glorious city and amazing country. It was quite a surprise to me to see the levels of sophistication and international flair. There are people from all over the world living here, every iconic business/technology brand well-represented, and technology that supercedes our U.S. technology. The woman dress at the height of fashion, the men are stunningly beautiful and people are so friendly that I’ve managed to make more friends in my 3 weeks here (Perth/Fremantle for 2 weeks, one week in Sydney) than in years living in Austin.

Folks are fun fun fun – clever, smiley, kind, supportive. I had client work here and found the participants open, hard-working, and smart. If it weren’t for the exorbitant prices (having something to do with the American dollar, I suspect), this would be the perfect city.

I went to the zoo and saw the kangaroos and kuala bears. I went to the aquarium and saw the sharks and corals on the Great Barrier Reef (dying, unfortunately). I visited markets in Fremantle, and Sydney – markets filled with handmade crafts of such creativity that I ended up spending a fortune on a handmade chandelier (with hanging beads and balls and amazingly fun things that make me laugh), a pre-historic something made into a platter, a sculpture, some beautifully hand-made scarves from alpaca and silk and boiled wool – everything in bright sunny colors to match the beauty of the country.

The country is filled with green – trees that I’ve never seen, in wonderful shapes and sizes – lots of them. Sunsets on glorious white beaches. Birds with colors and sounds I’ve never known.

And the business people have a wonderful ethic – honest, hard working, creative, and yet with a work-life balance that we have not achieved yet in the states. They know how to play (and drink a lot, I’m afraid) and how to work, and how to know the difference. And they are all fair-minded, generous of spirit, and good at what they do.

It has been a glorious holiday in a far-away land that will call me back again daily until I return. After all, with all of these new friends, how can I not?