Page 153 - WDT Magazine Egypt

lished in 1855, hence its giant unlabeled trees beside
sloping lawns. My final day’s walk took my through
the garden to the Goodwill Bridge, filled with pedestri-
ans and bicyclists (called “lycra psychos” by one wag).
One last wander through South Bank took me past
all the highlights and into the far edgier West Bank
neighborhood, filled with inexpensive Vietnamese,
Thai, Greek and Indian cafes. As often happens when
I head out for an aimless walk, I missed all the pos-
sible lunch options. Instead, I burned a few calories
hiking around a hilly residential neighborhood.
A kind man pointed me toward the river with
instructions to walk through a community park with
game fields and shade trees. I eventually made it to a
ferry landing back in South Bank and cruised the river
one last time. Determined to get a good night’s sleep
before the next day’s dawn transport to the airport, I
opted to dine at my hotel, the old-fashioned, hushed
Royal on the Park.
Other diners were scarce in the chandelier-lit
Walnut restaurant, where the menu hovered around
fancy entrees. The waitress took my order for a salad
and chips and returned with a stunning Caesar with
Serrano ham and pecorino cheese, along with a bowl
of perfect fries with mayo and ketchup and a glass of
an Australian tempranillo. I’ve eaten some of the best
chips in my life in upscale Australian restaurants, and
these ranked right at the top. The waitresses offered
to box my remainders for a midnight snack. I wisely
declined.
My ride to the airport at 6:30 the next morning was
actually pleasant, thanks to Kay. The amiable Uber
driver was a fantastic conversationalist, dropping
tidbits about the city and the country. His attitude was
pure Australian—open, unguarded, generous and fun,
just like everyone I met during my two-week adven-
ture Down Under.

Ferries connect the CBD with the shaded
lawns at South Bank.

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