Australia, G'day all Bruce's & Sheila's
Trip Start
Jan 10, 2008
1
17
22
Trip End
Jan 20, 2009
Sydney,
Australia
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
We've had a great time 'down under', albeit at our usual insane pace! Just to fill a few of you in briefly - Michael & I arrived in Oz beginning of September after a month in raining, chilly Blighty. So I could for fill my "Chief" bridesmaid duties, as my sister Vicky got married.
We landed in Sydney after a very looong & tiring journey. Despite managing to snatch some much needed Z's in our hire by the hour beds in Beijing airport & raising a smile at the Chinese translation for fire evacuation plan "FLEE FOR LIFE ROUTE".
Sydney welcomed us with blazing sunshine, highs of 24 & cloudless blue skies
Suzy diving the GBR - honestly!
. Unfortunately our hostel welcomed us with a mild whiff of boys boarding school & kitchen t-towels that looked like they'd been dragged around the back garden of Fairfield (Back family home) by Reilly & Connor (Back family Labradors) for several days. We also quickly learnt that our breakfast plan of scrambled eggs & fried mushrooms was optimistic as the utensils & cleanliness left me feeling like I'd regressed 15 years of my life - student living!Our insane pace has taken us,
* Up the Sydney harbour bridge climb. Donning our regulation blue jumpsuits, been primed, prepped, breath tested & finally clipped on for our 3 1/2 hour tour. We negotiated narrow walk ways, ladders & girders, summiting 134m above the harbour waters on a perfect spring day. Awesome.
* Lunched at Sydney fish market on battered basa & the best calamari I've ever tasted whilst the impatient sea gulls dived in & stole our prawn tails. Finishing our Gourmet day dining at the infamous "Harry's cafe de wheels" - pie cart, Wharf side, Woolloomooloo. Tucking into a traditional Aussie pie topped with regulation mash & ladle of gravy. Highly recommended.
* Strolled through the Botanical gardens, surrounded by towering eucalyptus, tea trees & wattles, screeching cockatoos & sea sparkle, whilst a marathon of locals jogged around us. All with Sydney's modern high rises glistening in the back drop
Jumping on Whitehaven, Whitsundays!
.* Been to Hervey Bay, whale watching. Unfortunately our boat was 1 of 3, instead of the usual 19 that decided to battle the strong south-easterly's, 2 meter swells & driving rain. Fortunately the migrating humpbacks did not disappoint & put on a close encounter show of tail slapping, fining & distant breaching. M & I then set about eating our $200 worth of "free" muffins as few others looked keen!
* Snorkelled & dived the Great Barrier Reef, whilst rainbow coloured fish the size of me casually swam by.
* Spent 3 days sailing around the turquoise seas of the Whitsunday's on Kiana, 16.4 meter yacht. Relaxing on the white silica sands of White Haven beach, diving, snorkelling, soaking up the sunshine & spotting turtles, dolphins & distant whales.
And finally we've cuddled a Koala, spent a day walking in the Blue mountains, cruised 2,200 k's effortlessly along the "Bruce" Highway from Cairns to Brisbane, although we have to admit to some minor one-way street map reading tensions in Brisbane!, eaten plenty of Vegemite & nearly all the time the sun has shone.
We must say a big thank you to Jane & Chris & Jay & Helen who's hospitality was unwavering. We left feeling full, clean & rested. It was great to catch up with you guys, keep enjoying.
And tomorrow we head in the direction of Christchurch, New Zealand, to pick up our car called a "spaceship" - we'll keep you posted!
lots of love
"The Pommes"
