Days 24 – 26 from 28
Well, we would never have believed it but after all the torrential rain the sun shone down on us on
Sunday at the Bathurst 1000, what an incredible day! We have been to many motorsport events at home in the UK and in Europe but have never experienced anything like this event! Rich loved his helicopter flight when he got to see a couple of laps from the air! Look out for my On the Road Again at the Bathurst 1000 blog on our Motorsport page coming in the next couple of weeks to read all about it.
Also enjoyed an afternoon wandering around Katoomba whilst we were in the Blue Mountains, a quaint but busy town that has stood still in time boasting an eclectic mix of niche shops, galleries, cafes & bars.
Yesterday found us on a catamaran sailing up the Parramatta River from Sydney Harbour, a lovely relaxing trip taking around an hour and a half.
Sadly we are very nearly at the end of our Australian adventure with just two days left until we head back to the UK. We have packed so much in to our time in this wonderful country, covering several hundred miles by car, bus, ferry, train, tram, cable car and helicopter, not forgetting over a 100 miles on foot! We have seen some amazing sights, exprienced local life and met many interesting people from all cultures.
We have lots of stories to tell so look out for my blogs when we return to the UK.
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Days 20 – 23 from 28
The whole of New South Wales has been subjected to torrential rain and storms for a couple of days so we have been pretty much grounded!
We were up bright & early today ready for the start of our next adventure…..catching a train to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains ready for the Bathurst 1000 race on Sunday!
Beautiful views of the sunrise over Sydney Harbour from our breakfast table!
Arrived in Katoomba, which is a 2 hour train journey from Sydney around 10.30 am, the weather was fair & we could see the Blue Mountains but within an hour the rain was torrential, the mist came down and we can no longer see Katoomba much less the mountains!
Mount Panorama circuit where the Bathurst 1000 will be held has been awash for days and more rain is forecast tomorrow so we are really not sure how much of the race we’ll see….so watch this space!
Returning to Sydney on Monday afternoon.
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Days 16 – 19 from 28
One for my Bro in law, Allan…we were lucky enough to witness a part of Australian history as the most famous steam locomotive, 3801 (pronounced thirty eight-0-one) in the country crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the very first time! 3801 operated from 1943 – 1974. The meeting of these two Australian icons was to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Harbour Bridge. The crossing was scheduled for the 19th March which was the actual anniversary but bad weather postponed the crossing. It made all the headlines here!
Sydney Fish Market – we hopped on a ferry to Pyrmont Bay & walked to Blackwattle Bay where the fish market operates. This is a working fish market that moves 14,500 tonnes of fish annually! in addition to the fish market there are foodie retailers, cafes & restaurants and even a seafood cookery school! Access to the auction areas is limited but you can see the trawlers & loading bays. A must for seafood lovers!
We took the tram back to Pyrmont Bay, walked across Pyrmont Bridge, along the waterfront featuring many seafood restaurants to Barangaroo where we hopped on a ferry back to Circular Quay.
Museums – A wet & dull day saw us exploring the museums that the Rocks has to offer:
The Big Dig – is located beneath one of the best Youth Hostels in Australia, if not the world, the hostel
has been built on stilts above the Dig. The Dig is the largest urban archaelogical excavation in Australia. Remains from the earliest European settlers have been found including the foundations of over 30 shops & houses dating to 1795. There have also been in excess of 750,000 artefacts discovered, many on display. It makes for a fascinating visit.
The Rocks Discovery Museum – is housed in three buildings dating to 1844 and tells the story of the Rocks & it’s inhabitants, there are also some interesting artefacts from the Big Dig on display here.
Museum of Contemporay Art (MCA) – There were only exhibitions on two floors when we visited as they were preparing up coming ones. On the top floor there is a cafe bar with a large seating area both inside & out with beautiful views of the Sydney Opera house.
The last couple of days have been warm & sunny and very exciting:
Kiama Blowhole – we took the train from Sydney Central for the 128 km journey south to Kiama, it took 2 hours 20 minutes and cost less than £4 return with our Opal card!! Kiama is located on the Pacific coast and is simply stunning! It’s about a 30 minute uphill walk to the blowhole but so worth the effort! It was amazing to watch! As the water gushed upwards towards the pure blue skies there were audible cries of delight from the gathered crowd. An experience not to be missed!
Whale Watching Cruise – we had pre booked this trip and were extremely lucky that the weather
was warm & sunny on the day! It took about 20 minutes to reach the ocean on this very fast moving boat! We came to a stop at an area where the crew had heard whales were active. Whale Watching requires patience and a keen eye, we saw one or two bobbing about in the distance but nothing too exciting. The crew moved onto another area further north and we were really rewarded for our patience as we saw a mother & calf quite close, the calf was in a playful mood and entertained us by popping out of the water & doing backflips! We saw three mother & calf pairs in all on our trip. Everyone on board expressed the same excitment when the calf performed! Whilst we could see the mothers bobbing about on the surface they were not in such a playful mood! It really is quite a challenge to take photos when you are trying to keep your balance on the ocean swell! but Rich managed to get a few worth looking at. What a life experience!
What next for the Silver Globetrotters? Getting ready for the next big adventure in Australia – 3 days in the Blue Mountains….
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Days 9 to 15
Time for a catch up! We have been so busy exploring since my last blog! Some of the places we have discovered will be covered in more detailed blogs once this adventure is over & we are back in the UK but in the meantime this is a taster of what we have been up to in the last week:
Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour – what a great day we had there! So much to do & see including having the opportunity to board & explore 2 tall ships, a naval destroyer & a submarine, well Rich explored the submarine, I wasn’t brave enough!
Cockatoo Island – a really fascinating place, some of the first convicts were brought to the island & were put to work there. Lots of industrial machinery left to see & touch! (much to Rich’s delight!), the remains of the convicts buildings are interesting to walk around. The 180 meter tunnel that runs right through the middle of the island makes for a spooky walk!! There is so much to see and the views from the island are stunnning. There is also a fabulous camp site with all the amenities needed.
Luna Park – hopped on a ferry to Milsons Point and wandered around this amusement park that dates back to the 1930’s. Much of it is still as it was with many attractions from the 1950’s still operational. It has been extended in recent years but still keeps its integrity. A piece of social history.
Rather than taking a ferry back across the harbour we opted to walk back across the Harbour Bridge with a short detour around Kirribilli. Walking across the bridge gives amazing views of the Opera House.
Taronga Zoo – The most unique & amazing way to arrive at Taronga Zoo is to take the ferry from Circular Quay and then transfer to the Sky Safari (Sydneys only cable car) which gives you a birdseye view of the animals as you ascend the hillside! We spotted the elephants, giraffes & koalas on our way to the top! For those that don’t like cable cars there is a bus that will take you from the ferry to the zoo entrance. What can I say, it was an amazing day! The animals seem quite unaware that they have some of the best views in Sydney!
Out & about around the city – Sydney has so many hidden gems, we just spent a day exploring the central area of the city to see what we could find. We were not disappointed; Hyde Park Barrracks, The Mint, Sydney Hospital with it’s bronze boar, NSW Parliament House, State Library & St Mary’s Cathedral are all in easy walking distance of each other.
Botanical Gardens – what an absolute delight! We came across Government House with its beautiful gardens, simply stunning! As it so happened the Australian Navy Band were giving a jazz concert on the morning we were there which was an unexpected treat!
Having already clocked up over 45 miles on foot (!) what are the Silver Globetrotters up to next? Well, if the weather is kind we are heading to Kiama tomorrow which is 2.5 hours south of Sydney, to see the blowhole and the following day we are going on a whale watching cruise! This coming weekend we are heading to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains and then onto the Bathurst 1000!!
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Days 7 & 8
Getting around in Sydney is so easy with its light railway system (trams), buses, ferries and trains; all run frequently and on time! We took the L3 tram from Circular Quay into the heart of the city which was just 3 stops down. Like all cities it was busy with a lot of hustle & bustle, but we spent an enjoyable morning visiting some of the most iconic buildings in the city.
The Queen Victoria Building (known as the QVB) – imposing and magnificent building on George Street dating back to 1898 and restored in the 1980’s into a mecca for all enthusiasts of high end retail therapy. The interior is simply stunning with elegant balconies, ornate clock towers and decadent tea rooms.
Further along George Street is the Strand Arcade dating back to 1891, as you enter the arcade
you are transported back in time with its ornate galleries of niche shops spanning three floors. It is the only time I have seen a wooden lift still in use, it’s all quite magnificent.
The GPO building just off George Street in Martins Place dates back to 1866, at the centre of this colossal building sits Queen Victoria made of white marble and surrounded by classical allegories, above that stands the clock tower. The building is now an elegant 5 star hotel but a Post Office Shop still operates in one small corner of the building.
Strolling along Market Street we came across the State Theatre, the doors were open so being the curious creatures that we are we couln’t resist the temptation to take a peek into the foyer where a few people were purchasing tickets, it was extremely elaborate, quite amazing!
If you enjoy reading about the history of towns, cities & buildings look out for my Blog on the historical side of Sydney coming next month.
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Days 5 / 6
I spotted Woolloomooloo on the map and just had to go and explore the place with such a cool name! Woolloomooloo Wharf was a working wool and cargo dock back in the day but faced demolition until it was saved in the 1980’s. It was given a facelift in the 1990’s and this Finger Wharf is now a delight with it’s amazing yachts and decadent restaurant culture. It’s a very exclusive wharf but a public space so you can wander around at will, you may even spot a famous face as one or two of the luxury aprtments are owned by the odd celebrity.
You simply can’t visit Woolloomooloo without looking up Harry Cafe de Wheels, essentially a snack
van but with a difference. Harry’s has been serving up pies & hot dogs here since the 1930’s when it served the naval yard. It was closed whilst Harry served in WW2 and reopened on his return in 1945. It can boast many a famous face stopping by to try the pies! It has become an Australian icon and a must do. It has a fascinating history and although Harry sold it in 1975 it remains an icon to this day.
A trip to Sydney would not be complete without a trip to the Pacific Ocean so we hopped onto a ferry for a 30 minute ride to Manly, a popular area for surfers and sun seekers. We walked all along the esplanade and the headland to Shelley beach avoiding the water dragons along the way, they have a tendency to jump out in front of you! Manly has lots of shops, restaurants, cafes & bars. It was simply stunning!!
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Day 3 / 4
The city has been very busy due a running festival taking place on Sunday with over 36,000 runners & walkers taking part!
Milsons Point – we walked across the imposing Sydney Harbour bridge, stopping half way across to take in the stunning harbour & opera house views. We walked on down to Milsons Point to be rewarded with more amazing views across the harbour. Luna Park is a 1950’s amusement park which is well worth a visit, it’s free to enter, you just pay for the attractions that you wish to go on.
We hopped on the ferry at Milsons Point which took us back to Circular Quay. Ferries are a great way to cross the harbour to several places / attractions. An Opal card is the way to go to pay for buses, trains, ferries & light railway (trams) in Sydney. You simply tap on & off at the start / end of your journey & your balance loaded onto the card is reduced, the fares are capped on a daily / weekly basis.
The Chinese Garden of Friendship near Darling Harbour is a lovely area to stroll around enjoying the flowers, gardens, waterfall, chinese teahouse & of course the water dragons that have a tendency to dart out in front of you testing your nerves!
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Day 2
Arrived in Sydney exactly on schedule! Warm & sunny here with an odd shower. We are staying at the Shangri La hotel in the Rocks which is the oldest area in Sydney, you can still see some of the character that has remained since the early colonial settlers called it home. It’s very close to Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. The views of Darling Harbour from our room are amazing! Yesterday was our first full day after leaving home some 34 hours before we eventually arrived here so feeling somewhat jaded, we spent a fairly quiet day wandering around Circular Quay taking in the stunning views of the Bridge & the Opera House and watching the constant stream of the distinctive green & cream ferries carrying their passengers to such intriguingly named places as Manly, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo island & Cockle Bay Wharf!
In the afternoon we had a stroll round Observatory Park which afforded us more beautiful views over the harbour.
I woke this morning to to see thousands, yes thousands of runners competing on the running festival – they started at 4.30am!
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