24th February 2019 - Sydney

We had a wonderful start to the day with a FaceTime call home to chat with David and Helen. We got Anna and Alex too which was a great surprise, but we had lots of fun talking to them all. The surprise for all of them was the discoverey of a small unwanted visitor in one of our cupboards at home, eating holes in flour, sugar and pasta packets! The fact that the cupboard is cleaned out and the visitor will be dealt with meant that we overlooked the loss of a bottle!! We were also able to chat with Mum who I hope now is telling all her friends that she is conversant and competent at FaceTime!

What a change! Sydney after the quiet New Zealand cities we have visited, and our remote locations over recent weeks was a bit of a culture shock. And Sydney is more like London in many ways. Even on a Sunday more cars, people, litter, noise. However, the sun was shining and we had a new place to explore, so it was on with the comfy shoes and walk. And walk we did! From our hotel down to Pyrmont bridge and around Darling harbour, past Barangaroo and then through to The Rocks where on Sunday there are loads of market stalls. They were so good I want to come back in November and do all my Christmas shopping! Then round to Circular Quay where there was a huge liner moored up. Not our chosen holiday style, yet! Of course we were getting views of the harbour bridge and opera house so plenty of photos!

Then on round to the Botanic gardens and Farm Cove and down to Woolloomooloo Bay where 2 Australian naval vessels were moored.

There were lots of birds in the botanic gardens, many of them large and unknown to us, although we did recognise a cockatoo and a moorhen! The others I will have to find out about.

Then we went into the New South Wales art gallery to see what was there. I have to say much of it did not enthrall me, apart from one painting of a child that was so lifelike it could have been a photo. I guess it’s all about taste, and this wasn’t mine! We walked on and stopped at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral. It was very big, and unlike some Catholic Churches very simple with some exquisite stained glass windows. After all that we decided we needed to get back to our hotel, so completed the circle. Geoff tells me we have done in excess of 20,000 steps today, but I have no idea what that means in miles, and my steps are smaller so I’ve probably done more!

This evening has been very special as David and Helen organised and paid for a meal at Bennelong, the restaurant at the Sydney Opera House. At the suggestion of hotel staff we went by ferry, thereby getting views of the harbour, and also the ferry takes you under the bridge before reaching circular quay, so a lovely way to get to our destination. We had a superb meal and were well looked after by the staff who also gave us a lovely table overlooking the bridge. Last Sunday chicken curry in a bunkhouse looking out at Mount Cook, this week fine dining overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge! We are well and truly spoilt and very grateful.