Things I learned in Sydney

Currently in Sydney, NSW

1. I can now say that I have been a victim of crime in Australia.
2. Australia is full of criminals (kidding).
3. Having my handbag stolen is not the end of the world (I knew that already).
4. It was the coolest handbag I've ever owned.
5. Reporting things to the transit police is as good as reporting it to the real police.
6. Reporting missing travellers' cheques is a pain in the butt (and a 12-15 minute process, according to Ian, who thought that NSW was in the UK. He also asked me whether my TCs were in American or Canadian Dollars after I said I was in Australia. Nice one, Ian.)
7. It is possible for me to lose another passport.
8. The passport fees have gone up exponentially.
9. There is some new, high-tech, "e-passport". They might as well implant a chip in my brain stem.
10. The lovely photo I had was unacceptable.
11. The new photo is ugly.
12. They don't do digital passport photos here (so no choice between ugly photos).
13. They found the first passport I lost in 2003!
14. I will still be able to make my flight home on Thursday.
15. My UK overdraft has come in very handy, as I had to cancel my NZ cards.
16. I am very lucky that I took my phone out before the bag was snatched (although not lucky enough to have taken my wallet, passport and photo CD ... ).
17. My usual security paranoia is well grounded. I had actually turned around to move it to a safer place when I realised it was gone.