7.00am is a ridiculously early time to have to wake up - for those of you who know me well. Still, trips to Sydney do not come my way every day, so concessions had to be made...
Brenda and family picked me up at 8.30 for the trip to the airport. Her children were eager to enjoy a Macdonalds breakfast and we girls were keen to not miss the plane. There were, after all, no refunds on these tickets. The Virgin Blue flight sailed happily into Sydney airport on time and an easy taxi ride landed us at the Hotel Ibis on Darling Harbour. Alarmingly, they had no booking for us. The one made on our behalf was for LAST NIGHT and had been cancelled as a 'no show'! There were beds though and we were allocated a harbour view room - perhaps a bonus, as the original T&Cs for this prize was a Pyrmont (suburban) view room. The 'Welcome Package' due on our arrival was also nowhere to be seen... Probably pulped after the no-show, we presumed, and left it to Reception to sort out.
The afternoon was spent walking and walking in brilliant blue sky weather. Around Darling Harbour, watching some street performers, into the CBD and cruising through the magnificent Queen Victoria Building. Two 'kangaroos' on spring-loaded stilts bounding through the arcades were particularly good! Down to The Rocks area next, where the Sunday Market was in full flight. The standard of craft was very high and the infectious live Irish music from one of the many pubs invited a long rest over coffee while we enjoyed the entertainment. From there, the paths led around under the Harbour Bridge where we watched people climbing and pictured ourselves there on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Brenda had a slowly escalating toothache that she attributed to the pressure in the plane. "Often plays up under stress and settles in a couple of days" she said...
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