Australia & New Zealand 7

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Day 36 - Friday 19th

It’s sometime since we’ve wakened to a cold to and miserable morning. We put the heating on to have a shower and some breakfast. We were going to have a day at the beach before heading to the airport for our plane to Sydney, the last stage of our Australasian sojourn.

We notice that the under-cover Antarctic Centre is near the airport so we head off there to get out the rain. It seems quite expensive at $NZ48 each plus car parking costs but we bite the bullet and go in. We’ve timed things well because they have a group of little blue New Zealand penguins that we’ve tried unsuccessfully to see on the coast a few times. They are due for feeding. The wardens are really friendly and informative about their group and the survival of the species around the country. The penguins are really funny while waiting for their feed.

It was a good move because the little blighters perform well. They enjoy a large well set out and protected pool with nesting holes set out around the perimeter. While it’s artificial, the penguins seem very happy with their lot. The centre was only established a couple of years ago but breading has already been successful, which is remarkable because most of the penguins have been saved from life threatening situations and most are relatively old. You can watch them from above in the open air, from below through a large glass screen and behind the nesting boxes where some penguins are relaxing at home.

In addition to the well presented documentaries of penguins in general and the blue species particularly, there are also realistic displays of Antarctic explorations, the kit used and the dangers faced.

Some families enjoy sampling an artic storm in one of the rooms that stays below -3 deg Celsius, all kit provided if you need it.

After lunch we decide to ride a Hagglund articulated Arctic exploration vehicle, the driver taking us around a demonstration course. There’s not much pre-information provided, which is good because Doreen would not try it out if she knew. Wow! It’s both hectic and hilarious as the driver hurtles around up and down hills, on angles and through a deep water lagoon. They float you see! You have to hang on for your life much of the time. At one point we climb a 37 deg hill and sit on the top for a while before cascading down. Great fun though. Because she was hanging on for dear life, Doreen’s wrists are aching at the end of the day, and still sore the following morning.

We decide to take the hire car back early, rather than cut our timing too fine to catch our flight. We find a cosy nook in Christchurch Airport to people watch, read and do crosswords. David checked us in online last night so we let the normal check-in queue build up, then casually go to the online baggage check-in line, second in the queue. Unfortunately, the machine is not working and we stand watching everyone else being processed while we twiddle our fingers. Then, because David’s first name doesn’t match the electronic records has to prove who he is, despite providing his passport. They ask for our Australian visa, which we have but were never asked for when we went to Melbourne, having paid £30 through trailfinders for the privilege. It’s strange how these things can catch you on the hop. Then they won’t let us through to our departure because the authorities Demand $NZ25 each to depart New Zealand. What! We’ve spent a fortune in this country over the past few weeks and then we get stung again. This is all wrong. Thank you for the rip off New Zealand.

The flight is comfortable and service excellent. Even our circumnavigation of Australian immigration is relatively easy. Our friendly and helpful Fiji taxi driver is a hoot, helping us unload all the bags at our Wynyard Travelodge. Sydney is awash with boisterous young people flooding out of bars and office blocks to continue revelling on the last Friday before Christmas.

David presents our Trailfinders voucher for the hotel only to see amazement on reception staff’s faces. “Have you not been told by your travel agent that we are having to close the hotel due to electrical faults on two floors and the authorities have told us to shut over the weekend while things are sorted.” “We’ll have to put you up in our Wentworth Street hotel.” David says “How can Trailfinders inform us when we’ve been travelling for five weeks and not contactable?” Actually they could have, they have our email address.

We smell a rat and David remonstrates, asking how a huge hotel chain can have allowed unsafe electrics to develop. He also questions where the other hotel is and how we are going to get there having just spent $AU50 for a taxi to this one. We are so tired and disappointed. It is actually after 23.30, having gained two hours with the flight. We were looking forward to this hotel, which is highly rated and very close to the Opera House and Bridge area. This other one looks miles away, in terms of walking to the sights. David demands a taxi to the other hotel and staff have a big powwow. They agree and flag down a taxi. As we head through town, revellers and police are everywhere.

We arrive to a large queue and much chaos. David’s patience is tested to the limit when the receptionist asks for a $AU50 spend agreement on his credit card. David states that we’ve never been asked for this anywhere in the world ever, including the Melbourne Travelodge just five weeks ago. So the receptionist mentions that without it, we can’t stay. What a great welcome to Travelodge Sydney!

We are on the fifteenth floor but the windows are not double glazed, has an opening sash and the traffic and reveller noise prevents a restful sleep. Yes, this hotel is going to get a roasting in Tripadvisor. We are definitely going to let the world know about Travelodge Australia. Evidently, according to a sign in the hotel, this chain is owned by the Peoples Republic of the Philippines. Now that is strange?

Day 37 - Saturday 20th

It’s a slightly cloudy but warm morning. We have some difficulty orienting ourselves from this hotel having done all our planning for the one we can’t stay in. A receptionist provides a map and explains that there’s a train station nearby that will enable us to get down to the main sites at the harbour. We’re starving and having decided we’ll not spend any money in this hotel, we walk towards downtown and have a terrific breakfast and drinks for £11.28 at an open-air café by the Museum Station. We’re just finishing off when down comes the rain and we dive for cover. The locals reckon that Sydney’s weather has been very variable for weeks now, with temperatures well below and rain well above normal.

We dodge the showers and take in some very interesting sights as we head downhill. At one spot we think that drowning is more likely before we get back but out comes the sun as we tour around the Opera House. Around the harbour there is some great electro aboriginal music being played by very professional natives, dressed traditionally. David buys a CD from one of the groups. Let’s hope it sounds as good as the live performance.

We pass under the Harbour Bridge, built by those great craftsmen from Dorman Long in Middlesbrough that also built the Tyne Bridge back home. That’s when British engineering was world class but a long time ago. The whole place is buzzing with tourists and we’re enjoying ourselves after a poor start last night. David gets asked many times to photograph tourists and he delights in helping out.

We don’t relish the long walk back up hill and we’re wondering what to do when along comes the City Sightseeing bus. Doreen’s only got $AU30 in her purse but that’s the concessionary price for two and we jump on for the 1.5 hour trip. We notice the bus passes our hotel as it goes around.

There are some tremendous old buildings in Sydney, some squashed between huge skyscrapers so it’s nice to get them pointed out as we go around. The upper deck on an open topped bus is not the best place to be when the rains starts and the wind gets quite cold but we manage to survive, eventually moving downstairs on the latter part of the trip when the rain gets heavy.

We had noticed on our bus trip that there’s a Thai Restaurant opposite the hotel so David goes to check it out. All he finds is a pub and he asks a local drinking outside if he knows where the Thai Restaurant is. No problem. He leads David into the pub and points out that the Alice’s Thai Restaurant is upstairs. David thanks him and manages to order a takeaway. It’ll be 10 minutes or so before ready so David goes down to the pub and has a glass of ice cold Victoria Bitter which he likes. It’s an amazing place. It has a traditional pub and the locals are having a whale of a time and others are betting on the multi screens spread over the walls. It’s all loud and boisterous. Fortunately, David manages to drink up and collect the takeaway. We have a fantastic Thai meal in our room. The seafood platter is gorgeous as is the duck meal. We quickly decide what we’ll be eating for the next three nights!

Day 38 - Sunday 21st

The day is sunny and warm and we saunter the few yards to our corner of Hyde Park for another open-air breakfast, which is excellent. We decide to use the remainder of our 24 hour hop-on, hop-off City Sightseeing ticket to visit Bondi Beach. Our navigational skills are tested because the bus only stops at two points reasonably near us so off we go across the park, paying our due respects to the ANZACs at the Memorial. They did a great job while suffering horrendous conditions, injuries and death in support of the then British Empire. We haven’t forgotten them and neither has the bus company as the recorded messages en route always reminds passengers of the memorial and its meaning. Terrific!

At 100 Williams Street we eventually find, according to the leaflet, the correct bus stop opposite the luxury car showroom where you only get in by special arrangement. A few cars must have been driven out never to return again! While we wait for the bus, we check the leaflet but it doesn’t tell us how often the buses run. Along comes the inner city bus and our driver states it will be better to go to the Central Station where we will connect with the Bondi Beach bus. Once we are upstairs, we notice the Bondi bus timetable, which states they only run every 1.5 and 2 hours, alternately. We didn’t notice that on the bus yesterday.

We get off the bus at Central Station and wait for the Bondi one that arrives on time. As the bus disgorges its passengers, one big German male passenger gives the inspector hell about something or other. The inspector is a really nice man; we’ve had a long chat with him about how to get fto Botany Bay while we wait for the bus. The people queuing enter the bus, most climbing the stairs to the open top deck that fills quickly. Why are we not moving? Well the annoyed passenger is still giving the inspector gyp, with lots of finger wagging and posturing. We think he’s German but we won’t be racist. From the top deck David videos the one-man demonstration. It’s evident the man’s not happy! Anyway, we get going and enjoy a trip through the Sydney suburbs to Bondi Beach, a pleasant journey though interesting suburbs teaming with life; lots of sun, sand, surfing and fun. We stay a short while then return via Rose Bay, Double Bay and Rushcutters Bay.

The bus drops us off at Central Station. We decide to take a slow walk downtown to check out whether the ‘closed’ Travelodge is really closed but we get completely lost. While we study the map, a friendly local man asks where we want to go. He states we are walking in the opposite direction and recommends a bus trip back. However, he thinks we are going down to the harbour which we aren’t. We thank him profusely. He gives a quizzical look because he thinks we are idiots to walk so far. The station is not too far from our hotel and we walk back via Chinatown and some other interesting sites.

Once back at our hotel we fall asleep almost instantly. It’s been a long day. David wants extra early sleep because he intends watching Newcastle United play Tottenham Hotspur at 2.00. It’s broadcast live here.

Once recovered David goes to the pub and Thai restaurant again and this time there’s a superb jazz band playing where local builders were threatening a festive riot last night. It’s completely transformed. The pub part is nearly empty but there’s an appreciative audience in another lounge room. We wished we’d gone down for the meal and enjoyed the jazz - drat!

Day 39 - Monday 22nd

David manages to get up and watch the match without shouting down the hotel when Damien Duff scores the winner in the last few minutes. Well done Damien!

Once raised from the dead, we go for our usual breakfast which is excellent again then saunter down to the Royal Botanic Gardens via various attractions, including the old Royal Mint, the Lucky Pig and the NSW Library.

On our way through the fabulous Botanic Gardens, we came across huge roosts of giant bats. We are fascinated as some of them are flying around from roost to roost, causing all sorts of hassle among the dangling hordes. It’s quite surreal, just a short distance away is the towering skyline of downtown Sidney. There’s no mention of these bats in the guidebook.

We walk miles and thoroughly enjoy the views around Sidney and its Harbour. Many lunchtime runners are out keeping fit, some very competitively.

We decide on a full trip around the harbour, visiting numerous places and attractions. While sunny and warm, it’s very windy and we occasionally get salt water sprayed in our faces. A few people don’t seem to be enjoying the experience!

Day 40 - Tuesday 23rd

We will be flying home tonight so we decide to fill our day sampling the Sydney train service. We want to visit Botany Bay where Captain James Cook first went ashore and encountered native Australians in April 1770, leading to colonisation by Britain. It’s about 15 kilometres south of the Sydney city centre, which can be seen across the Bay.


The only problem, hardly anyone knows how we can get there. We eventually learn that we need to take the Central station train to Cronulla and get a bus outside the station for a 20 minute journey to Kurnell.

As we’ve just missed the bus and the next one is two hours away, we walk around Cronulla, a nice compact little place surrounded by beaches attracting many young surfers, stopping for lunch.

We arrive at Kurnell and fortuitously manage to choose the correct stop to visit the monument that indicates the site of Cook’s landing. Our initial impression is disappointing. This very historic part of Botany Bay is surrounded by urban sprawl, oil refineries, and long jetties with huge tankers.

Botany Bay National Park is relatively small and there’s much renovation work underway but it seems to be an afterthought.

There’s also a memorial to Forby Sutherland, a Scottish sailor on the Endeavour, Cook’s Bark who died of tuberculosis, the first Briton to be buried in Australia.

Banks Memorial was built in memory of Sir Joseph Banks, the botanist accompanying Cook on the Endeavour during this visit.

And so we head back to our hotel to collect our bags in a double deck train that has vandalised windows and lots of graffiti so reminiscent of London trains.

Despite some of the hiccups during our six weeks away, we’ve had a great time. The Aussies and New Zealanders are very hospitable hosts (except the Cromwell policeman, NZ South Island)!

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Photos

Botany Bay
Place Where Captain Cook Stepped Ashore

Memorial to Captain James Cook
Botany Bay National Park