Some months ago a colleague(a fellow expatriate) and I were chatting about bush walking around Sydney. He and I got to talking about the coast track in the Royal National Park. The Royal National Park is a big patch of green on the map just south of Sydney. Last year, Jean and I hiked the 26 kilometer long trail along the park's eastern edge. My colleague had walked the trail as well. "Did you go through the tunnel?" he asked. "What tunnel?" He told me that as part of a friend's birthday request, he and a small party had accompanied the friend on a hike from the town of Stanwell Park through a 1.6 kilometer(1 mile) long disused railway tunnel to Otford(southern end of the park) and then along the whole 26 kilometer track to Bundeena in the North. I was, to use his terminology, gobsmacked. We spent two days covering that distance. I was also intrigued by the revelation of this little gem of Australian industrial archaeology. With the assistance of Mr.

Let the feasting begin! Ever heard of a chocolate pizza? Yum! Making good progress... On a sugar high! Best way to spend a birthday...with good friends and chocolate! Thanks everyone for helping me celebrate!