The Final Chapter of The Ozzie Adventure

[theshopper3]

Today we are off on our next adventure. Tom & Donna are taking us to Sydney for a day & a half. We are all really excited. We are flying out of a small airport in Melbourne.
We are all up early, the girls are not joining us as they will be staying with there sister in Melbourne & taking the train to Melbourne as there is not enough room for all of us to drive. But that is OK, they are used to it & it is cheaper than driving. So girls have all there stuff together & the orders are giving to be good, have fun the usual Mom stuff.

On our drive to the airport we pass thru the area that was hit with all the wild fires a few months back, it is a very sad sight & omminious to see how it took out a house here & there yet left others.

We head into the small airport to check in for flight #6, It is the usual check-in process, other than they don’t ask for any ID… Hm this is weird, oh well. Walk around & check out the one shop while waiting for our flight. Nice short 1hr flight to Sydney. Tom is loving this small airport & going carry-on.

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Once we landed it was out of the airport & hail a cab that will take us to downtown Sydney. Tom & Donna had booked a lovely Hotel in the downtown area, central to everything so that we didn’t need to rent a car. With check in done it is time to explore Sydney. We head off to Darling Harbour & The Opera House. Tom is leading us to what he thought was the way, but we find ourselves along the harbour side where the cruise ships come in. There is a cruiser in port & Tom decided that maybe we should ask for directions. We could see Darling Harbour, but were not sure we were on the right track. So after confirming we were we venture on, admiring the scenery.

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As we get closer to the Harbour you can see what looks like people walking on the top of the bridge????? Apparently this is something that you can do for about $150.00. Have to be awfully brave to that in my books. Next up is the Quay along the water front, it is a beautiful area, with a huge boardwalk and little shops. This is where all the ferry, trains & bus’s leave from. We happen upon an Aboriginal playing along the way.
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We make our way along the Quay to The Opera House, it truly is a beautiful structure. We decide to be silly & have Tom take a shot of us jumping…… Well that was a feat in its self trying to coordinate us jumping & Tom taking the picture, well after a few try’s we accomplish the jump.

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We walk all around the Opera House marvelling at the amazement of this building. Head down to the lower level & enjoy a frosty beer looking out over the Harbour.

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Check out a few of the shops along the Quay & decide we should have dinner. I had picked up a few little pocket cards at the hotel that advertised restaraunts & decided to find “ Jackson’s on Robinson” . It is a really cool place, it has 4 levels with a different type of dinning place on each floor. Excellent meal & very reasonable. With everyone having a full tummy, we went in search of some refreshments to take back to the room. Picked up a bottle of wine & back to the hotels as we were all a little tired & knew we had a full day ahead of us tomorrow, with more sight seeing and our flight back to Bendigo.

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View from or room
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Up early & off to Mackers ( MacDonalds) as they call it is OZ. Today we are heading to two beaches. We had inquired yesterday that we could get a day pass to use on all the transit systems for $17:00 each, which we felt was a good deal. We head over to the Quay to catch a bus that will take us to Bondi Beach. This is a very famous beach in Sydney, for it surfing as well as the TV show that is about it. Like our Bay Watch.
Enjoy the 40 minute bus ride to Bondi.
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It is a beautiful beach, I am amazed at the length & width of this beach, I think the only other beach I have seen of this size was in Hawaii many years ago. As we were there early it was not to busy. Walk along the beach, toes in the sand. We see the Lifeguards & decide that we need to get our picture taken with them, the girls would be so jealous since they all watch Bondi Beach & love the guys. So we approach them & ask If we could take out picture with them, which they graciously agree to….

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<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/mND ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/__-7EsMmpka4/SfjoD ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/theshopper3/ ... site">Cook Islands Australia</a></td></tr></table>

Back on the bus to take us back to downtown to hop on the Ferry to go to Manley beach.
This is another well know beach for surfing. A beautiful ride out to Manely, sort of reminded me of the ferry ride from STT to STJ.

<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/QcQ ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/__-7EsMmpka4/SfjpY ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/theshopper3/ ... site">Cook Islands Australia</a></td></tr></table>

Manely is a pretty little area, it is very old with lovely building, dating back to the 1800’s. There is two separate beach area’s here. One right where the ferry lets you off. This beach area is fairly small There is a food court area so we decide that to grab a lunch & sit by the water and enjoy the view.
The beach area here is roped off & there is also a netting in the water. All of the waters around Australia have Great White Sharks in them & they use the netting to keep them out of the swimming area. . Don’t think you would get me in that water….. The Life Guards are always on the watch for sharks..
After lunch we stroll down the boardwalk , to the other beach. This beach is much bigger than the other one & much different than Bondi.

<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/ht4 ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/__-7EsMmpka4/Sfjpm ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/theshopper3/ ... site">Cook Islands Australia</a></td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/w9_ ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/__-7EsMmpka4/Sfjpw ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/theshopper3/ ... site">Cook Islands Australia</a></td></tr></table>

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Walk around, have a beer at a little bar overlooking the beach.
<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/Jzg ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/__-7EsMmpka4/SfjqB ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/theshopper3/ ... site">Cook Islands Australia</a></td></tr></table>


Back on the Ferry to the Quay, check out the souviner shops & hit Jackson’s for dinner before our flight back to Bendigo. Sydney is a beautiful city with so much history & beauty. We are very glad we were able to experience it.

Arrive in Melbourne at 10:30 pm and do the 2 hr drive back to Bedigo,

Wow, today is our last day, the time has really gone fast. Not much planned for today, so we pack up our bags & do some last minute shopping. Go for our last Kangaroo hunt and enjoy a nice quiet even with our friends.

Up early for our drive to Melbourne to catch flight #8.
Have a teary good bye with our friends & we are on our way., thru our honour gate….LOL

<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/CmV ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/__-7EsMmpka4/Sfjrg ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/theshopper3/ ... site">Cook Islands Australia</a></td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/ZeO ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/__-7EsMmpka4/Sfjrj ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/theshopper3/ ... site">Cook Islands Australia</a></td></tr></table>

We are truly blessed to have such good friends & have the opportunity to visit with them in their home. It has always been a dream of ours to visit but never thought we could make it thru the long flights. We learned we could & are now looking forward to going back in a few years & explore more of such a beautiful country.

I apologize for such a long report, I guess I don’t know when to shut up….LOL

Our final 3 flights were good & we were happy when we arrived back home.

Here is the link to all the photo’s.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/ZeO ... directlink

The Shopper

[California Girl]

Great, great, great! Loved every word! Thanks for taking the time to post your report & pictures....I know it's a lot of work and it's very appreciated!

[linne]

Thank you for the report and all the pics. What an exciting trip you have had. With so many different experiences. I want to go to Austalia once in the future!

Linne

[NIKKI]

Hi

I really enjoyed your Oz trip report. Loved the pictures it brough back lots of lovely memories
We have been a few times now and are totally in love with the place and the people we have made some very good friends along the way.
Sydney is my favourite city in the world.
Roll on Sept when we will be going back again

[lprof]

My mind has been winding through these last parts of your report...that's OK, I needed a brain exercise!

I came away from the reading feeling that the best part was the energy and excitement this trip brought you...it shows in your retrospection, in smiles and happy faces of the photos, and in the joy of being with your friends...all so good! The "We did it" photo of you two jumping is priceless.

My husband spent R&R from Vietnam duty in Australia in 1969; he was quite taken with the country and the people. Since then we have turned down several trips there because we did not have the time to spend, really seeing it all. Now, it is even more on my "bucket list". Thank you so much for putting this report together and for sharing your photos.