I had a sick feeling on takeoff today. The crew was late and we had a substitute crew show us on board. It somehow seemed to augur badly. Then the captain warned us that we had "weather" in Brisbane to contend with. I just was sure that this flight was going to be my last. A little rattle convinced me that the panel by my door was going to come off and fly into space, sucking me out with it. Then it took forever to get above these high clouds. We got through a layer of cloud and then there was just so much more of it, far above us. I thought we would fly below the clouds but we just kept climbing and tracking, climbing and tracking. I didn't think there would even be time to serve refreshments, I mean it isn't that long of a flight from Brisbane to Sydney. Do we have the wind in our tail in that direction? Can't remember. Anyway, the plane didn't fall apart, we got through all the cloud and into clear blue sky without a midair. The landing was one of the silkiest ever. When downtown Sydney came into view, a leggo skyline below us, everything seemed normal again. It seemed dull and bland and familiar and unchanging, unlike Brisbane which has had, if not a revolution, at least a good turn of the wheel. And more is coming. New thrusting buildings appear on the horizon with every visit. The GOMA, which opened a couple of weeks ago, is just the most monumental artspace you could wish for in a city the size of Brisbane. Biggest in Australia, in terms of dedicated Contemporary galleries. Even the bookstore is a standout. Now I know what they mean when the media goes on about Sydney having "lost its edge". The edge has moved north to Brisbane and South East Queensland, possibly south to Melbourne. However, I'd probably be bored shiteless again if I had to live there all over. It always seems great there for the first week or two........