Day 217: Sydney, Australia – 11/08/10

Today might be the best day weather wise, so Mike and I do not intend hanging around.  Our hotel is interesting.  Not quite a hotel but a converted wool warehouse dating back to the nineteenth century which is now half private apartments and half holiday lets.

Photo:  View from our apartment balcony

 Photo:  Inside the apartment building

Photo:  The Oaks Goldsborough Apartments

Having arranged to meet Johanne and Steve (Isabella is out for the day with her friend, Hannah) outside the Imax at 10 am, we phone the Citigate hotel immediately housekeeping opens to check that they have Jutta’s jumper, but the woman on the other end does not speak good English and we decide to walk over there first.

It’s a long walk, mainly because my husband exits the hotel in the wrong direction.  Of course, this, apparently, is my fault, as it’s normally me that does the map reading!  We head off, totally wrong for about ten minutes before he checks the map properly and we turn around.  Men!

We are now walking very briskly in an attempt not to be late for Johanne and Steve (Isabella is off to meet up with Hannah, an old school friend from home who now lives in Sydney).  At least the hotel is able to produce the jumper today, and also lucky that Jutta is so small that the jumper fits happily in my handbag.

Although it’s bright and sunny, it’s really cold.  We find Johanne and Steve and walk around the harbour to get the ferry to Circular Quay.  This route takes you under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House.  As the ferry gets going, it gets even colder.  We try to ignore it but eventually Mike gives in and does the unbelievable – he dons a baseball cap.

Photo:  It may be a baseball cap, but at least it’s from Robert Wan (mega pearl guy)

Photo:  Leaving Darling Harbour

As we round the corner, we pass under Sydney Harbour bridge and I can’t believe that I am actually on the opposite side of the world to where I live and looking at what must be one of the most iconic buildings ever.

Photo:  Sydney Harbour Bridge

Photo:  Sydney Opera House

Photo:  Mike and I at Circular Quay

The boat arrives in Circular Quay and we get off to explore.  First we walk to the area called The Rocks.  This is the oldest part of Sydney and there are cobbled streets and, old pubs and hotels, and very expensive shops like Gucci.  But it’s so cold, and when we see the Guliyan Chocolate Tea House we just have to go in – purely to warm up you understand!

Photo:  Chocolate and macadamia brownie – yummy!

Hot chocolate and brownies later, we brave the fierce wind and wander around.  It’s a lovely area, old buildings and streets mixed in with brand new steel and glass structures.

Photos:  Old next to new (I’m talking about the buildings!)

Johanne manages to find some Ugg boots, Mike a tee-shirt and I get a lovely artist designed hoody.  Then it’s back towards the Opera House again.

Photo:  Johanne and I at Circular Quay

We decide to get another ferry out to Manley and walk back to the ferry terminal.  We pass a guy explaining and demonstrating how the didgeridoo works and stand and listen for a while.  It is a strange, haunting sound.

Photo:  Playing the didgeridoo

We discover there is a ferry leaving in a few minutes and run like mad to catch it, only just managing to do so.  The views as we leave Circular Quay are spectacular, made even better by the fact that the clouds disperse and it warms up – a little.

Photos:  Just can’t get enough of that view

The ride to Manley only takes half an hour – that ferry shifts.  There is some sort of yacht race going on in the harbour, and as we stand and watch them go round the marker, there are a couple of near misses.  Seeing all these monohulls leaving over, reminds me once again how glad I am that we sail a cat!

Photos:  On the ferry to Manley

We arrive in Manley and walk down the Corso, the pedestrian shopping strip which leads from the harbour to the Pacific.  This is one of the famous places to watch the surfers, and although the surf isn’t particularly good today, there’s a lot to watch.

Photos:  Surfers at Manley Beach

We search for ages to find a particular restaurant that has been recommended to Steve, only to find that it isn’t at Manley, it’s at Watsons Bay, so we settle for a recommendation from a local guy and have a lovely seafood meal.  Johanne and I have ‘bugs’, a kind of small local lobster which is very good washing down with some SB.

We try to time our return trip to get sunset views of the bridge and the Opera House but don’t quite manage it – on the first ferry it’s too light and on the second one it’s too dark.  Oh well, I tried!  Once the sun goes down it is really cold and Mike and I take cover inside.  Johanne and Steve brave the elements and stay outside, soaking up every last view.

Photos:  Views as the light disappears

By the time we get back to Darling Harbour, we are all freezing and exhausted.  Having eaten late anyway, we don’t need to eat, so we go our separate ways.  We pass through the Harbourside Mall and buy some badness to eat – sweeties.  Naughty, naughty.  Back at the hotel, Mike stands under a hot shower for ages before he warms up, but it was worth it.

What a fantastic day!