Another weekend in Sydney is in the books. And sadly, it's my last weekend. I leave on Friday, but not before a long (and by long, I mean short) week of work, and a bunch of fun activities planned for the evenings. But I'll update you on those after they happen. This weekend I got one of the worst sunburns I can remember having. I know the hole in the O Zone down here makes the sun so much more intense, but I didn't think I was out that long! I'm still in pain on my shoulders, which is conveniently the spot I carry all my bags. I really hope it's better by tomorrow.
Friday night after work, I met up with Aarron to do a bit of shopping. I got a few souvenirs for friends and myself, then we walked through Chinatown and had dinner at The Old Town Hong Kong which was quite good! I even tried duck for the first time! It was tasty, though the skin could have been crisper. We also had salt and pepper shrimp, fried noodles, seafood spring rolls and roast pork belly. A veritable feast! After dinner, we went to a sort of speakeasy for drinks and to watch the North Sydney kids train wreck themselves nearly out of the bar. It was really entertaining, but Aarron had to be up early to go to work in the morning, so we didn't stay long.
Saturday morning dawned cold and sunny. The perfect day for site seeing. My coworker Tara and I walked down to Circular Quay to catch the ferry to Manly Beach. We were starving when we got there, and since we didn't really know where we were going or where all the shops were, we got stuck eating McDonalds for breakfast. But once we found our way, the day got so much better! We walked along the street leading to the beach, got some coffee and juice, checked out the little market, and finally ended up walking on the beach. It was SO NICE! It wasn't too hot, the breeze was blowing, and the water was refreshing. We sat on the beach for about an hour, then Tara decided she wanted to do more site seeing in the city and headed back. I stayed another 45 minutes or so to finish my book, then meandered back to the ferry myself, stopping to buy a few more souvenirs on the way. On the ferry, I got a spot up front outside with amazing views of the harbor, bridge and Opera House. Finally I got the pictures I've been wanting to take! But they came at a price. By the time I made it back to my hotel, my shoulders were so hot and painful, I knew it was a bad burn. Instead of walking around more, I decided to relax, do some more reading, and rest up for the next day. But first, Aarron had to take me to Mary's Burgers for dinner, Sydney's equivalent to Dick's in Seattle. It was delish.
Tara, Aarron and I woke up really early Sunday morning to catch the train out to the Blue Mountains. Aarron had planned a great day for us, seeing the Three Sisters, riding cable cars, and having high tea at the Hydro Majestic hotel. When we arrived in Katoomba, we let the backpackers get on the first tour bus while we got coffee. Then we caught the next bus out to Scenic World, where we rode the Skyway across a ravine that had a see-through floor, took the cablecar down to the floor, walked around the temperate rain forest, then rode the steepest incline railway in the world back up. It was like a roller coaster at Disneyland, except real!! I took a million pictures of the Three Sisters, and at least one of every tree and plant we passed. It was great. We had to hurry back to the bus to finish the trip around the park to get back to the train for high tea in Medlow Bath. The views from the hotel were amazing overlooking the Megalong valley. And while we were waiting, Bob Geldof decided to wander around the restaurant. As Aarron and I were trying to decide if it was him or not, his handler informed us that it was Sir Bob Geldof. Right. He was a bit spacey, but it was entertaining. The tea and sandwiches were good, but the champagne! Pol Roger! That's seriously my kind of tea.
I can't believe how fast this trip has gone. I have 3 more days of working, and one more tourist activity left. Sydney is such a cool city, and a very easy city to be in. It would be an fun place to live, with its cultural diversity, endless beaches and laid back attitude. Too bad it's such a long trip from Seattle. I would come here all the time! Anyway, I'm sure I'll have one more post to end this Australia trilogy because I have to tell you about the last, possibly coolest thing we have left to do! And I have to post pictures, too!
Friday night after work, I met up with Aarron to do a bit of shopping. I got a few souvenirs for friends and myself, then we walked through Chinatown and had dinner at The Old Town Hong Kong which was quite good! I even tried duck for the first time! It was tasty, though the skin could have been crisper. We also had salt and pepper shrimp, fried noodles, seafood spring rolls and roast pork belly. A veritable feast! After dinner, we went to a sort of speakeasy for drinks and to watch the North Sydney kids train wreck themselves nearly out of the bar. It was really entertaining, but Aarron had to be up early to go to work in the morning, so we didn't stay long.
Saturday morning dawned cold and sunny. The perfect day for site seeing. My coworker Tara and I walked down to Circular Quay to catch the ferry to Manly Beach. We were starving when we got there, and since we didn't really know where we were going or where all the shops were, we got stuck eating McDonalds for breakfast. But once we found our way, the day got so much better! We walked along the street leading to the beach, got some coffee and juice, checked out the little market, and finally ended up walking on the beach. It was SO NICE! It wasn't too hot, the breeze was blowing, and the water was refreshing. We sat on the beach for about an hour, then Tara decided she wanted to do more site seeing in the city and headed back. I stayed another 45 minutes or so to finish my book, then meandered back to the ferry myself, stopping to buy a few more souvenirs on the way. On the ferry, I got a spot up front outside with amazing views of the harbor, bridge and Opera House. Finally I got the pictures I've been wanting to take! But they came at a price. By the time I made it back to my hotel, my shoulders were so hot and painful, I knew it was a bad burn. Instead of walking around more, I decided to relax, do some more reading, and rest up for the next day. But first, Aarron had to take me to Mary's Burgers for dinner, Sydney's equivalent to Dick's in Seattle. It was delish.
Tara, Aarron and I woke up really early Sunday morning to catch the train out to the Blue Mountains. Aarron had planned a great day for us, seeing the Three Sisters, riding cable cars, and having high tea at the Hydro Majestic hotel. When we arrived in Katoomba, we let the backpackers get on the first tour bus while we got coffee. Then we caught the next bus out to Scenic World, where we rode the Skyway across a ravine that had a see-through floor, took the cablecar down to the floor, walked around the temperate rain forest, then rode the steepest incline railway in the world back up. It was like a roller coaster at Disneyland, except real!! I took a million pictures of the Three Sisters, and at least one of every tree and plant we passed. It was great. We had to hurry back to the bus to finish the trip around the park to get back to the train for high tea in Medlow Bath. The views from the hotel were amazing overlooking the Megalong valley. And while we were waiting, Bob Geldof decided to wander around the restaurant. As Aarron and I were trying to decide if it was him or not, his handler informed us that it was Sir Bob Geldof. Right. He was a bit spacey, but it was entertaining. The tea and sandwiches were good, but the champagne! Pol Roger! That's seriously my kind of tea.
I can't believe how fast this trip has gone. I have 3 more days of working, and one more tourist activity left. Sydney is such a cool city, and a very easy city to be in. It would be an fun place to live, with its cultural diversity, endless beaches and laid back attitude. Too bad it's such a long trip from Seattle. I would come here all the time! Anyway, I'm sure I'll have one more post to end this Australia trilogy because I have to tell you about the last, possibly coolest thing we have left to do! And I have to post pictures, too!
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