We did most of the Sydney touristy bits, which mainly seem to be around Circular Quay. It's possible to while away more than a couple of days around The Quay itself. The first day we listened to the aborigine playing his didgeredoo; sat and ate ice cream whilst watching the ferries coming and going and wandered up and down the shops and bars, soaking up the atmosphere.
One of the things that really struck me was the size of Sydney Harbour. It really is vast, with many bays and beaches, all accessible uing the ferries, which are tremendous fun.
No trip to Sydney would be complete without a visit to the Opera House. It certainly lives up to the pictures we see. Of course, we had to see a show and spent a fabulous evening watching Madame Butterfly.
One area definitely worth a visit is The Rocks. Just a short walk from Circular Quay, The Rocks is a warren of streets and buildings going back many years. The area is steeped in history. Once home to vagabonds, thieves and drunks it now houses chic bars and restaurants (one being the Fortune of War, the oldest pub on Sydney, where we partook in a glass of Tooheys ale). At the weekend they have a market selling local produce but also wonderful crafts - another shopping opportunity which we couldnt miss. A visit to The Rocks Museum is also well worth the couple of hours it takes to go around.
We spent some time in Manly, where we stayed with Pam's niece, and also paid a visit to Dee Why where Pam lived for a year. Both lovely seaside towns.
The transport system is fabulous - especially the Tangara, double decker trains. You can catch a bus or use the train system to easily get around. Not forgetting, of course, those wonderful ferries.
I spent a lovely couple of days with Nicky and Sophie, who was very taken with Aunty Jo. Nicky very kindly drove me around and showed me some more sites of the Harbour: Botany Bay, were Captain Cook landed; Bundeene Bay and many more.
Pam's sister and brother-in-law really looked after us, making sure we were never without something to do. We were taken on a bush walk in the Blue Mountains and, believe me, we have never experienced anything quite like it. The heat was incredibly intense and we were exposed for much of the time. The walk started innocuously enough but soon came to see just how hardy these bush walkers are! They have a rough idea of where they want to go but don't worry about maps etc! We soon found ourselves scrambling over boulders, wading through rivers and climbing up the side of mountains. Every so often everyone would flop into the river to cool down. It wasn't until the end of the day when one of the ladies said that she was surprised that we hadn't seen any snakes that we realised just how 'bush' it was! Regardless, it was a fabulous day and next time I will be more prepared!
I was also taken kayaking for the first time. A whole morning paddling along the creek watching a variety of birds, flying fish and lizards - absolute bliss.
Sydney was wonderful, i had a fabulous time and I really look forward to returning in the future when I hope to see more of the country.
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