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Published: September 27th 2007
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One For Gary.
Not sure what it is, but they turned the engines over, so it might well be flight worthy. After having to postpone it I don't know how many times because of one thing or another, we finally had our flight over Sydney on Sunday and it didn't disappoint. We left Camden airport about 11:30am in perfect weather, heading east towards the Royal National Park. It was a bit like the opening titles to Kath and Kim for a bit as we flew over the suburbs - all these perfectly neat Aussie houses with their swimming pools and big back yards. Then the park started and it was mile after mile of bush, with the odd quarry thrown in now and again.
Then the coast started to appear, slowly from behind the hills and the quite high cliffs. That was a really great sight - bay after bay of white sand stretching southwards towards Wollongong being lapped by the most beautiful blue sea. Fantastic. The view north was much different - step, rocky cliffs that in places reminded me of the west of Ireland or Cornwall. Paragliders were making the most of the conditions and must have had nearly as good a view as we were getting, although if they got things wrong there didn't seem like many places
Another For Gary.
This one definately could fly and did. you could land without breaking your neck.
The coast changed again just after that, with steep cliffs giving way to a lower lying area containing some of the most perfect bays and beaches you could ever wish to see. Most of them were deserted, which took some believing when you consider how close they are to 4 million people. But then it was only 19 degrees, which apparently counts as freezing. Going to have to get down to a few of them and check them out, because they really were something else.
Botany Bay came up next, followed with the first signs of the city - Cronulla and then the airport. Then it was time for a string of beaches that ended with Bondi - another high point - before we banked west and entered the harbour proper. Seeing the bridge loom up with huge yachts racing up and down was the best part of the trip for me and something everyone should try and see if they come to Sydney. They let you get so close to things it's incredible and something Steve reckons won't be possible for too many more years. Being able to look down
A Monkey Learns To Fly.
A very happy monkey at that. on the Harbour Bridge, then the Opera House and then Rushcutter's Bay one after the other must make a flight in the harbour just about the greatest trip in the world. If I ever see anything finer I’ll be a very lucky man.
The other great thing about the harbour is that it isn't just a pretty backdrop for the city, Sydneysiders really make the most of it, so it's always packed with people doing one thing or another. As you fly over you can see just how many boats and yachts there are about the place and on Sunday, everyone seemed to be out in them. As Steve said, when you're in a plane you want to be in a boat and when you're in a boat you wish you were in a plane.
After three laps of the sights we had to tear ourselves away and head north, up towards Manly and it’s pine lined beach. The northern beaches followed, which were packed with sea kayaks and looked wonderful, before we made the turn at Barrenjoey Head and entered Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park, an area made up of hundreds of wooded hills spilt by the various
Me And My Girl.
Yes, Crum, I should have shaved before I went out. arms of the Hawkesbury River. Yet again there were hidden-away coves where you can camp and escape the city - lots of fancy houses with their own jetties and butlers.
Moving south again took us into the badlands of Parramatta and west Sydney. Did manage to see the Olympic stadium and the Eels RL ground though. Then it was a short and gentle ride back to Camden airport and a smooth landing - a really shame to have it come to an end. Steve was a really fantastic pilot, pointing out all the places of interest for us and generally being great company. Can't thank him enough for having gone out of his way to make it the trip of a lifetime. If you're ever lucky enough to find yourself in Sydney, you need to do something similar. Be a disaster to miss out seeing from the air what has to be the most beautiful city in the world.
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