Happy New Year!
Trip Start
Sep 10, 2006
1
32
53
Trip End
Mar 10, 2007
Sydney,
Australia
Monday, January 1, 2007
Hello, arrived back in Sydeny last night, much cooler thank god, Cairns very nice, but spent last 24 hours seeking out air conditioned venues in an attempt to stop melting. ANyway wont write too much for now, going to see Pricilla Queen of the Desert the musical this evening so will tell you all about it later.
Pricilla was fab, although I dont think I was quite dressed up for it, especially when I went to buy a coffee (in the casino building, but dont worry I didn't gamble) before the show, and the waitress looked at me smiled and said "staff discount?', it's not my fault most of my wardrobe is now black and everyone else going to watch the show was in sequins, said I wasn't staff but I'd take the discount, didn't work though.
Anyway yesterday I bought a 'see sydneycard' which cost $75 for the day, it then allows you free entrance to a long list of sydney attractions. It took me ages to find somewhere selling the card, Lonely Planet says you can get them at the opera house but the man there lectured me for 10 minutes on why they were a waste of money and said they stopped selling them ages ago although they were still valid for the tour there. However I was determined to get one so eventually traced them down at The Rocks Visitor centre bought one and went on The Rocks walking tour, then a jet boat ride in the harbour (like being punched repeatedly in the shoulders before someone throws a bucket of water over you- was great), then a tour of the sydney opera house (odd woman doing tour, spoke very slowly and had the smile of a serial killer, liked shouting in a menancing fashion at anyone who tried to take a photo in 'restricted' areas), then went to the Sydney Aquarium (whats happened to me? I have turned into fully fledge zoo patron, but the underwater walkways were amazing, huge sharks swimming right over you), then as had an hour left went up the skytower again to see Sydney at night.
3 sisters blue mountains
As I got out at the top there was a man with his family who was in the process of jumping the queue to go back down (loads of people waiting for the lift) by basically being very abusive to the female staff member who was up there on her own and anyone else who tried to stick up for her. Eventually he got his way as it looked like he was about to punch someone and had a lift to himself with his wife and 3 kids, was most odd way to behave at top tourist attraction, he was Australian too...). Anyway I reckon I got at least $150 worth of entrance fees from my $75 visitor card, so 'ha!' to the man at the Sydney opera House.Have decide that I am going to stay in Sydney til Sunday and then go to Newcastle, to do some wine tours in the Hunter Valley, before getting back to Sydney for the 10th, the day before I fly to Bangkok. My brother has offerred to pay for my hotel in Bangkok for my birthday pressie, anyone know what the Four Seasons is like?--------------
---
Wandered around Sydney alot for the last couple of days (ie shopped!) and went to see a brilliant kids play in the botanic gardens on Friday based on 'the wind in the willows' but got too much sun and the headache I got was a killer, still recovered in time to go to the Blue mountains the next day with Sarah who I had met in Cairns. Sarah drove us up, we took the 'worlds steepest train journey' did a short bush walk and caught the cable car back. Am about to leave for Newcastle.
Comments
Koala cuddling
Just heard from Chinese embassy,they take Koala cuddling very seriously.Apparently people start with Koalas and tend to move on to Pandas! Take care Mal xx
sidney
happy new year julie did you mean the four cents hotel franko
Ha ha not!!
funny as ever dad