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Published: January 28th 2009
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24th November 2008
Pete headed off to work at approx 7:30 am. With our last full day in Australia upon us we didn’t want to waste anytime, we showered and went in search of coffee and food.
After breakfast and feeding of the birds we headed to the ferry terminal. We came across three Aborigines busking by the terminal, all painted up and making the most of the tourists which were flocking around. Pili suggested we give a donation and get some photos. Of course I will always pay a good busker as I’ve been there myself, secondly this was probably the closest we were going to get to the indigenous people - silly photo and we moved on.
The initial plan was to ride out to Manly just up the coast. Unfortunately our ferry passes didn’t cover this so we decided to head for the Botanical Gardens and the walk around Sydney Harbour.
The first thing that struck us about the Gardens is the almost immediate relief from the cities roaring traffic also the improved air quality, all get big points in my book. The Gardens are vast and very well maintained. Pili spotted a family
of Frogmouths sitting in a tree all pretending to be old stumps of wood covered in lichen, you just wouldn’t see them unless they occasionally moved. The trees and bushes were full of various species of parrot, all squabbling among themselves. One of the more unusual sights are the 100’s of Flying Foxes (Fruit Bats) hanging from the trees. I read that these large but very cute looking bats have increased in such numbers that they have started to break large limbs off the trees from the shear weight of the hanging colonies. I’m not sure how this problem will be resolved as the public seem to be fascinated with them, maybe a few well trains falcons will humanely disperse a few.
We made our way around the Harbour shore and headed towards the hill overlooking the Maritime Museum. Jogging is very big here, 100’s of people of all shapes and sizes pounding the pathways sweating in the strong midday sun. Bugger that, I was struggling just carrying my camera bag. The sun was very hot today, the only exertion we intended on doing was to climb the hill to the hotdog and ice cream stand overlooking the Opera
House.
I really enjoyed my hotdog, Pili wasn’t that impressed. It reminded me of the Westlers hotdog stand in Birmingham New Street, ummmm pig offal, arseholes and noses in a bun with ketchup. In retrospect maybe I shouldn’t have described the contents to Pili in such detail. The local population of Myna bird and a solitary Ibis feed well from us, all warily taking food from my hand.
It was now mid afternoon so we decided to casually stroll back along a different route. We came across a group of English teenagers being mobbed by a group of Yellow Crested Cockatoos, such beautiful birds and you can see the intelligence in their eyes. I found some bread and was instantly perched on by a big male bird. We had a chat, broke bread and he left me with several pin pricks of blood on my arm from his claws. It was my pleasure, though I did tell him he needed a pedicure. Pili also got mauled by the same bird, she gave him a Pili stare and he flew off. It’s amazing to see these birds free and wild, even if they have their diet somewhat supplemented with
sandwiches and crisps. To think you’d have to pay £1,000.00 in England to put one of these magnificent creatures in a cage, thankfully this cruelty is coming to an end.
Back at the hotel, we started to pack our backpacks and killed some time booking our final flight tomorrow, the hop from Mumbai to Dabolin (Goa). Pili was off to see the 21st Century Ballet at the Opera House, I’d have gone except Pili had the last ticket which is not a bad thing really, I didn’t really want to spend two hours watching men in sweaty tights leap around a stage even if it was the Opera House.
Pete was back at the hotel at just gone five, he chilled for half an hour and then the force became too strong so we headed for a bar and dinner of Chicken Tikka Burgers and Guinness. The strangest thing happened while eating, the whole pub seemed to tremble for about three minutes, nobody but Pete and I seemed to notice but it was definitely there. It couldn’t have been an earth tremor; it went on for too long, very strange!
Pete then took me to his favourite
Micro Brewery to sample a couple of unique beers. I can’t remember the names of the ales we tried, all I know the first was excellent with a lemon aftertaste; the second was rank and made me piss like a horse. Just as well it’s unlikely that I will run into these particular brews again.
It was time to meet Pili from the Opera House, Pete headed back to the hotel for his coat, and I said we’d meet him in the bar.
Sitting in the glow of the city skyscrapers outside to Opera House overlooking the harbour, with the voice of Ray Charles & one of my favourite songs Georgia On My Mind being carried on the wind from one of the many bars gave me time to reflect over the last three months, WOW!!! It was all very surreal; here I was waiting for Pili to appear from the Sydney Opera House, we’ve just toured the whole of New Zealand and tomorrow we head to Goa, India. A whole new adventure awaits us.
My daydream was abruptly brought to an end with the sight of Pili weaving through the exiting crowds performing her version of
the ballet, beautiful she is, graceful she is not, I’ll leave it there!
After meeting Pete in the hotel bar we decided to have one last trip around the harbour on a ferry. It’s a shame we couldn’t have more time here, I’d have liked to have seen a lot more of the country, but hey we have India to come.
Pete and I had what might be our last Gin and Tonic together in the hotel room and then we crashed, big day tomorrow and a mother of a long flight (three, in fact!).
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