The Purple Penguin

Slept in a bit (K: we are on holiday!), then up and breakfast before cycling to the little solar powered train to take us into town. The whole trip is about five minutes but real cool to see the old train redone with solar panels (K: and a nice view on the ride!). Walk through town, did a bit of shopping, then walked back along the coast a bit, and hopped on the train back to the bikes. We then cycled up to the beach for a quick look then back to the house.

Plan was to get to the lighthouse, so cycling part way then walking up the steep bits (where we discovered bikes weren’t allowed anyway!). So we cycled into town getting used to the borrowed bikes. We reached the Byron Bay weekend market and pushed the bikes though the market looking at the stalls. Stopped to buy a new wallet as well! Then once we passed the marked we cycled to the bottom of the lighthouse walk and locked the bikes up at the bike rack. The walk up was quite tiring and steep with stairs, but we made it! (K: The path goes up making you believe you’re on your way to the lighthouse, then it goes down! To the next bay and beach and you just have to climb up again! And keep climbing. Mark kept saying ‘last bit up’ but he was lying. We got the most easterly point of Australia and stopped for photos, then pushed up – up- to the lighthouse). On the way down from the lighthouse, Mark spotted turtle in the sea, way below us as we were up on the cliffs. Then back to bikes via a bush walk where more birds were seen (K: We went up along the coast, then went back via the inland route. Saw birds, but not many. Very sandy walk but very few people. And still up and down! But also got to see the hang gliding launch pad). Then back to the house a serious pool floating and relaxing before going out to the Treehouse for pizza (though we ended up not really getting pizza – Joe had Nachos and I had curry).

Got up washed and out to the terminal. Arrived too early, as usual, but as we were already checked in we just got the bag checked onto the flight and walked around the airport, had breakfast and then on our way to Brisbane. The fight was short with a free coffee half way through. Arrived and got picked up by Mark (after a little confusion of where everyone was – top tip – Brisbane airport gives different collection point directions to car divers and arriving passengers!) who drove us down the Gold Coast, and through Surfer Paradise. We stopped for lunch at a beach life saving club overlooking the beach, nice food and a view of the lifeguard huts which have christmas decorations and tinsel on them. Arrive at Mark’s place and had a drink and a chat before heading out to a friend’s house for a small get together.

Went to work, tried to make it a short day, but as usual on a last day everyone wants you before you go.

Meat up with Kathlenn at the library (I think she has done Sydney). I wanted a last look at Darling Harbour and suggested an early lunch overlooking the harbour. We found a restaurant with a balcony and had a good slow meal, before making our way back to the hotel room, packing up and getting the train to the airport. Plan was to drop of the bag in left luggage and work out where the hotel is. As per usual we ended up taking the long route round. Finally get to the hotel and it’s definitely a budget hotel as the lift is held together with gaffer tape, the lift button didn’t work (had to use the other panel), and the door handle/lock took a bit of wiggling. So settled in the room, I went down to the machines to get beer and ginger beer. The drinks machines, once I could make it work, was nifty). Drink then sleep!

J: My day, I had an egg and bacon sandwich and went to work.

K: I found a library! A Darling Library even! But first I saw where Joe has been working (nice offices), walked down to the fish market (but didn’t really go in), walked back to Darling Harbour and had a poke about, and went to the aquarium. It looks quite small but is actually larger inside. Still feel sorry for the fish though. But they do a lot of conservation work.

Then I went to the library where Joe was working last week (his meetings were held at the Darling Square Library). It was a blustery chilly day and suppose to rain so I decided to say inside. I grabbed a book and found a seat and read until Joe left the office. He’d found the building I’d wanted to see, Dr Chau Chak Wing Building part of the University of Technology Sydney, so we went past it on the way back to the hotel.

We headed back to Crown Street for dinner and found an interesting little Balkan restaurant with very good food! Tomorrow is our last full day in Sydney!

Joe had to work. And he was in meetings last night, so I didn’t get to update the blog. But then I didn’t do much.

We woke up yesterday to smoke. Lots of smoke. Looking out the window it was hazy with smoke. So we got up and got dressed and headed out. The hotel was silent and smoky. So started wondering if it was on fire and there just wasn’t a fire alarm, but nope, all good, as more people got on the lift. The street was even worse and it was hard to breathe.

But still, out for breakfast, drop Joe off at the office, and I headed for Powerhouse, The Museum of Applied Art and Science as I thought it would be a good day to be inside. Was in the museum for about an hour and half when there was a loud klaxon and voice saying ’emergency, please exit the building’. I had worked my way back to the front door and sure enough staff were motioning for us to leave and gather in the forecourt. While outside I could hear other fire alarms going off as well.

Several people decided to head for the cafe, which while it is off to the side is in the same building we had just evacuated! Not to mention if there had been a fire, that’s probably where it would have started. So they were shocked when they couldn’t go back in ‘just for a drink’. Then there were the people who weaved through all of us standing on the forecourt, past the man in the bright yellow vest saying ‘Fire Marshall’ and tried to get past the people in bright red vests with ‘Marshall’ on the back to get into the building where there was a klaxon blaring (it was very loud, uncomfortably loud). Some of them even argued about why they couldn’t go in! 

The fire engine pulled up quickly, three firefighters jumped out, and the engine carried on down the road – I assume to check the other alarms. Two firefighters headed for the cafe (of course), while the other headed into the main museum building. They gave the all-clear, in all I think we were outside for about half an hour, not long at all! It was probably the smoke setting off the alarm (and it had done in several other buildings I saw on the news later). So definitely a good day to stay inside.

MAAS is well worth going to. The place is huge! When Joe left work I hadn’t finished a couple of exhibits and didn’t see a couple more. But met him outside and headed off for dinner.

Today I saw the Opera House. I got up very early, just past 5, to get to the Opera House by 6:45. I was actually there much earlier, but better early than late! And the air was clear! No smoke and it lasted that way all day.

I did the backstage tour, complete with yellow vest saying ‘Backstage’ and a pass. Got to see the Green Room and one of the major dressing rooms, as well as the backstage areas of the theatres. We managed to get into the Concert Hall before a school started their speech day. That was the only area that was closed off early, so the other tours didn’t get in. After the tour we got breakfast. So I didn’t see the stained glass window or foyer areas much. Still, definitely worth it and a lovely building and very enthusiastic guides.

Did a little more walking around the Rocks and saw the Observatory. Getting ready to meet people for dinner!

Joe is back to work, poor Joe. So back to up and out for breakfast. Found a new place toward the office which is really nice and may well become our breakfast place this week. Crisp hot toast, yay! After breakfast, waved Joe off to the office and headed out. Well, back to the hotel to sort some admin stuff before really heading out.

Got the train to Circular Quay, which is becoming a standard trip! Went to check the whale watching tours, but they really are just whale watching tours, not wildlife tours, so they stop at the beginning of November when the whales move on. The woman at the desk said the staff have tried to get the owners to do a wildlife tour outside of whale season as the coast is lovely and there are seals and dolphins and birds to be seen. Which is what we wanted to go out and see! Oh well, we have a marine tour booked off Kangaroo Island.

Then headed to the Opera House and the ticket office for tours. The place was packed solid! But managed to get to the desk and got a backstage tour for Wednesday morning. So have to get up at stupid o’clock on Wednesday to get there in time for the tour, but really looking forward to seeing it all.

Then headed up to the Justice museum which is only open on weekends, so carried on to the Sydney Museum. The museum is tiny. Very tiny with few permanent exhibits. But they have a really good film, Yura Nura, with contemporary Aboriginal views on the colonization of Sydney. The other interesting display was the model ships along with a computer description of the ship and information about the first fleet. And there was a visiting exhibition on John Gollings architecture photography which was very good. As small as the museum is, I managed to spend several hours there.

Going to Manly Beach – there be dragons!

So Sunday we went over to Manly via the ferry, to save walking we got the train up to Circular Quay, where the ferries leave from. So we’ll get a coffee while we wait for the train – no, there’s one in one minute; ok we’ll get a coffee while we wait for the ferry, oh one’s just about to leave; we’ll get one on board, nope the cafe was shut for refurbishment. So arrive in Manly minus breakfast and coffee. 

Followed the stream of people out of the Manly ferry terminal to the beach, saw a little market on the way and ducked into a side street to get coffee and breakfast before getting to the beach. Finally breakfast! (K: and more importantly, coffee.) 

We then walked along Manly Beach to Shelley Beach which would lead us up to the headland and then around back to town. The walk along the beaches was quite easy and we managed to see a few birds, and crabs and some water dragons (a type of lizard, protected). Then we started to climb up and into the trees and bushes, following a well kept path to the headland and lookouts. Took quite a while before we got to the signs pointing the way and though several types of terrain, from rocky coastline and cliff top to tree heathland and sandy scrub to ferns and sand. 

We found the sign and it led to us an old army barracks along a metal boardwalk. We couldn’t work out if it was old decommissioned barracks or still in use. It seemed quite empty, but then again could just be the time of day! We got several views of the coast and of Sydney. At the visitors centre we were informed that at the cafe a bus came about once an hour back down to Manly, so we decided to take that back to the ferry terminal. As the next bus was in about 30 minutes we decided we had time for a cold drink; however, it was very busy, so once again we did the ‘we will’ game, ending back at Circular Quay where we finally got our drink along with a crepe. 

As I hadn’t been around much of Sydney (just to work and back) we walked back up Macquarie Street along the Botanic Gardens, Parliament building, The Mint, and Hyde Park Barracks. Then went into Hyde Park and saw the fountains and Anzac Memorial. Also saw several other really nice buildings, including Mark Foy which looks like a huge old department store. Back to the hotel and a well earned rest!

Didn’t go to work! Looking for somewhere to have breakfast, so walked to Darling Harbour. Kathleen found the water park, a play area for kids of all ages. (K: it’s nifty – you get to direct the water with switches and dams and spin a water wheel. Connected to a really wonderful play area with a great slide and climbing frames.) Walked around the harbour and found a place to have breakfast. Had a largish breakfast. 

Then we walked around the tour operators and decided to do any of the tours or the aquarium. So we went across the bridge that crosses the harbour to the National Maritime Museum. Spent most of the day at the Maritime museum looking at the ships and two exhibitions (prehistoric sea monsters and Captain Bligh). 

We left the museum via the ferry to Circular Quay and then walked up to The Rocks. Had a wander through the Rocks before crossing Sydney Harbour Bridge. Walked across the bridge pausing to take photos. At the other end we stopped and had dinner at a fire oven place. Really good slow-cooked food. Then we got the train back to Central station and the short walk to the hotel where we soaked our feet.