Sydney - Part 1 - Arrival, convocation
Every cricket fan in India - I presume - longs to see Australia. There is six much history. To those who are old enough, it began with the Benson and Hedges win, followed by various glories. Except for brief patches where Indians lost heavily, for more than two decades, Indian cricket team has been among the best touring teams in Australia.
When the chance came to travel to Australia, there was palpable excitement. The trip was not for pleasure or for watching a match. It was to celebrate our son’s convocation.
Connected via east Singapore and other East Asian countries, Sydney airport was a disappointment. In terms of style, facilities, it is no patch on Dubai, Singapore or I would say even some Indian airports.
Being in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are different. When the rest of the world is facing sweltering heat, Australia has its winters. We landed to a nice chill. Coming from the tropical weather, this was a welcome change.
Universities (especially the old ones) enchant me. When I go there I get lost imagining how the university would have been decades/ centuries ago. I have been to Oxford, Harvard (all as a tourist) came back mesmerised and now a trip to the University of Sydney beckoned.
Australia’s oldest university, established in 1850 looked no less impressive in comparison. The architecture, the elegance, the huge spaces for recreation, the colleges - I found them very inspiring.
I have only been to convocations in India so far. They have been unimpressive.
The convocation in the Sydney University was quite a revelation and a pleasant surprise. Steeped in tradition, the stage, the altar, the sceptre and the mace carried by the Vice Chancellor would not have looked very different from 170 years ago.
Solemnity, grandeur, grace and celebration all combined to make it an event to cherish.
As the names of the students who graduated were being read, there was one discernible pattern - the immigrants significantly outnumbered the locals. The immigrant population of Australia will feature in the next blog.
With the key reason for being in Sydney completed, it was time to immerse oneself in the city.
