May 10, 2005

SYDNEY, Australia - The LMU women's basketball team began its 12 day journey to Australia with a 14 hour plane ride. Many players were able to sleep on the plane, and arrived in Sydney ready to go. The team was met by Brooke Ingalls, the representative from Basketball Travelers. Brooke will be guiding the team during its stay in Australia.

The first stop in Sydney was famous Bondi Beach. The Lions ate breakfast in Bondi before having a little time to walk around. Bondi is one of the most famous and crowded of all Sydney beaches. Bondi- an Aboriginal word meaning "place of breaking waters"- was developed in the 1920s and 1930s. It is a home of Sydney's sports subcultures- cyclists, anglers, surfers, bodybuilders and skateboarders all congregate in Bondi Beach. But since it was Tuesday morning at 9:00am, it was a little quiet when the Lions visited.

After spending a little time at Bondi, the team took a bus tour around the city on the way to the hotel. The group's bus driver, Paul, took the team to a spot high above the city where everyone could take in Sydney's beauty. After getting out to admire the city and take pictures, Paul drove the team to its hotel, giving a brief history lesson about many of the sights. The team arrived at its hotel in the historical area, The Rocks, in the late morning, and the players had some free time to walk around or relax. Many of the players walked to the Queen Victoria Building to check out the local shopping.

The group gathered together for dinner near the hotel. After a good dinner, they walked around Circular Quay to view the Sydney Opera House at night. After a quick stop for ice creamn, the team went back to the hotel for its first night of sleep in Sydney.