My 2023 Sydney Vacation

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This is our first vacation since the end of the COVID lockdown, and I loved every moment. Following is what I got up to each day during the two week holiday.

And we’re off - Our flight out:

I woke up at 8:15am to finish packing, and had lunch in time to meet my sister by 12:15pm who drove us to the airport for our flight out to Sydney. We arrived at Melbourne airport with plenty of time to board our flight at 2:30pm and we landed safely in Sydney at 4pm for our vacation and to catch up with our Sydney family for the first time in five years.

Although I was in Sydney; my luggage didn’t arrive so we had go to the ‘Virgin Baggage Claim,’ to find out what happened. Apparently my lounge went (MIA) missing in action during the boarding. There was a glitch at at Melbourne Domestic Airport. It was scanned on in Melbourne; but it never boarded. Thank goodness I was able to borrow my aunties pajamas for the first night in back Sydney.

Day One - Our first day back in Sydney.

The good news is it boarded the 7pm flight, arrived at Sydney airport at 8pm, and was delivered to the house the next morning by the Airport courier at 7:20am after a wake call. Now as you can imagine; the first thing I did when I got my luggage inside the was unpack. I then had breakfast, and then had a brief reunion with my cousin at her place where I was FINALLY able to meet her two kids (my two nephews) for the first time.

Mum, my uncle Lindsay and I then went out for lunch in Bondi Junction. When we finished eating we went for a walk. I didn’t realise we were going to go for a walk after because I was wearing the wrong shoes… ouch! We then went back to the house. After a rest, and a pat of a neighbours cat (who I recon had the spirit of ‘Leo;’ my late cat because of its personality) my Sydney went back over to my cousins place for a family reunion before returning home for the rest of the night.

Day two - Walking from Clovelly to Bronte Beach, Sydney

I woke up at 8:30pm and got dressed for the second day of my Sydney holiday. While watching channel nine’s ‘the today show,’ I found out the ‘Queen Mary Cruise ship’ has sailed into Sydney Harbour for the last days of ‘World Pride Month.’ After breakfast, I got ready for a walk around Clovelly, Sydney.

I left the house at 10am to do some filming, to take photos, and to walk from Clovelly to Bronti Beach before catching the bus to the top of the street, returning back to the house for lunch. When we finished eating, my uncle Lindsay, mum and I went to Bronti beach for a swim via the scenic route; which was through a mini rainforest. The swim was amazing, and the water was so beautiful to be in. The time soon came for me to get out of the pool, dry off, and return back to the car for the trip home for the evening.

Day three - Centennial Park, Sydney

I woke up at 8am for breakfast and to catch up with the others; who were already awake for the day. It was a cooler day in Sydney so I had my morning coffee, enjoyed some games with the family, had lunch, and got ready to go op shopping in three of the local Charity Stores. This was followed by a walk around the Centennial Park in Randwick, a food court dinner at Westfield Bondi Junction, and the drive home for the rest of the night.

Day four - La Perouse, Sydney

There was a lot of work happening on one of the neighbours homes so I woke up at 8am for a wet Sydney day. Although it was a wet Sydney day; after lunch, we went for a walk around La Perouse, and returned home for a reunion dinner with the rest of my Sydney family.

Shortly after dinner, my cousin went home with the kids and the rest of the family enjoyed a relaxing night in before going to bed. At 8:30 pm, I had a movie night. I watched ‘Mamma here we go again’ (the sequel of the original movie) and then I went to bed for the night.

Day five - Doing the touristy thing in Sydney

It’s the second last day of my stay in Clovelly, and I woke up at 8am for a shower, and breakfast. The morning was spent at the house, and after lunch, my Uncle Lindsay took mum, my auntie Sue, and I out for a drive around Sydney.

We stopped at three destinations including an extraordinary view of Sydney Harbour; where I took some amazing photos of the City of Sydney. We then left, and head to the next stop. The other destinations we stopped at were:
The Diamond Bay Reserve (but the walkway was closed), andVaucluse House - A historic landmark in Sydney.


The last tour took up most of the afternoon because there was a lot to look at in that massive house. We were originally meant to visit the house that was used in the hit movie ‘Australia’ but everyone was exhausted, it was after four pm, and it was a big afternoon so we returned to the house, and got stuck in Sydney’s traffic a long the way.

We drove past Bondi Beach on our way to the first to the second destination. I lived in Sydney from birth up until 2018 and my family used to go to Bondi Beach all the time for Christmas parties and birthday parties all the way through my childhood. however a lot has changed since then including this: ‘ February is Pride month, and this year festival was finishing, up for the year. During the drive past Bondi Beach, all I saw was ‘ Rainbow flags, and gay people on the beach celebrating the event.” My reaction to this was “ Wow Bondi you really out gayed yourself, and that was Bondi Beach; it’s now almost to gay to function!”

When we arrived back at the house, I had an afternoon coffee, and a rest before having dinner with the family. I then went back to my room, and watched the 80’s movie ‘back to the future (part two)’ while the others either ‘retired for the night, or watch television in the main lounge room before going to bed.’

Day six - On the move to our next destination

I woke up before everyone else for our final day in Clovelly. After breakfast, we all got ready and went to the 9:15am service at (my Uncle Lindsays) ‘St Lukes church.’ After morning tea at the campus, we did some shopping before returning back to the house for lunch, and to pack for the move to the second (and final) destination for our Sydney holiday.

The time soon left for us to leave for our next destination for the second week of our Sydney holiday. We left the house in Clovelly at 2pm, and went to our neighbours house; which was right next door to the house we mum and I used to live in before moving to Melbourne, and it was really interesting seeing all the changes along the way.

We finally arrived at my ex neighbours house at 3pm, and it was like déjàvu when drove up the street in Five Dock because the last time we were here was ‘five years ago before the move to Melbourne.

Day Seven - Taking shelter from the heat Escaping the Sydney heat

I woke up at 8am and had a late breakfast. It was a hot 38 degree day in Sydney, so we spent the day shopping, and socialising much to escape the heat. We left the house at 11am, and as soon as I walked out of the house I said, “Whoo.. wholly crap” because it was so hot, and I wasn’t used to it because I’m now use to the Melbourne weather. During the trip, we went to several shops, and up big before returning to the house at 4pm for the evening. So much has changed in Sydney shopping wise; thank goodness I had the friendly staff there to help me… ‘they were my interpreters because they spoke Victorian!’ 😂😂😂😂

Day Eight - The Majestic Princess visits Sydney:

I woke up at 8am with excitement for the day because I finally saw the Majestic Princess cruise ship for the first time. This was the day I was waiting for since my original Queensland cruise with the Majestic Princess was cancelled due to COVID in 2020. In the lead up to my original cruise being cancelled, I promised myself ‘that I would at least go to the Wharf to take photos and film the ships departure.’ This is that day.

The morning was spent relaxing at the holiday house in the house I was staying in;?before leaving at 1:20pm to be down at Circular Quay by 3pm for my first cruise ship chasing adventure in over three years. I traveled in by train, and arrived a lot earlier than what I had planned. After taking photos, and filming a TIKTOK video from Circular Quay Station; I left the Train Station and spent the next few hours ‘taking photos, and filming.‘

It was so hot in Sydney that day, and I had to rest for a while in doors before getting ready to film the ships departure in front of the Sydney Opera House. The Majestic Princess departed from the Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal on time (at 6:45pm), and it great to see so many people turn out to watch the departure. I filmed the ship reversing out onto the Harbour, and thought, "wow.. spectacular!"

That ships 'sail away party' was so loud we could all hear it from outside the Sydney Opera house; which was great. Although the ships Cruise Director told those on board, “the ship is going to blast the famous ‘love boat them’ to mark the start of the voyage;” sadly she didn’t. 😢 Instead, the ship just sailed off, disappeared through Sydney heads, and headed out to Sea and it started with just a single horn blast at the wharf. Although I was a bit disappointed; four out of five goals isn’t bad.

It was a huge day, and I was so exhausted after so when the ship disappeared, left my cruise ship departure spot, and started the journey home. I purchased a coffee with dinner and traveled to Abbotsford via Sydney River Cat to meet up with mum and Jan (the neighbour we’re staying with) at the Club, and we went back to the house together for the rest of the night. To watch the video go to:

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Day Nine - Reuniting with my Sydney Dance School, and some work friends.

It’s been five years since I last studied at the DC Academy of Dance, and since I last saw Loata, and Maxine (two friends I worked with) but the reunion was worth it.o

The day started with a class at the Dorothy Cowie Academy of Dance in Croydon. I left home at 10 am, caught the bus halfway, and walked remainder of the distance to the dance school for the 10:30 am class. Although my dance teacher, and all my friends has moved onto other things; it was still great reuniting with the school itself. Best of all, i’m now on their list as a ‘casual dance student’ so I can now do a dance class with the school whenever I’m next in Sydney. How cool is that?

When the dance class ended, I waited for a while outside to meet up with my two friends from work for a little bit of a reunion lunch. Although I was driven home after, I had to wait for a little bit for Jan to come home because I didn’t have the keys to get into the house; which was okay because he gave me the chance to walk around the block.

Day Ten - Celebrity spotting in Five Dock, Sydney

It’s like this. I needed a day off to recover because ‘so much haas happened during our Sydney vacation.’ So I woke up a little after 8am, and got ready for the day. Shortly after breakfast, we met up with a friend of mums for a morning coffee at a local cafe in Five Dock. We were there for quite a while, and was just about to leave when Lynne McGranger’ (who plays ‘Irene Roberts’ on channel Sevens ‘Home & Away’) walked in. Apparently she’s well known in Five Dock, she’s really nice, and I was able to have a photo with her before leaving. How cool is that? When mum and I returned to the house, we spent the rest of the day resting, and recovering because of what we did on day eleven so enjoy the reading.

Day Eleven - Celebrity Eclipse visits Sydney:

Now, we were originally planning to travel to Kootoomba (in the Blue Mountains) for the day but there an issue. So we canceled the trip, and organized a ‘plan B.’ So after an early lunch, we traveled into Circular Quay by public transport together. It was a quick visit. And so, after doing the filming I got a thick shake plus an afternoon snack, and start the journey home via the Sydney River Cat at 2:19pm. After a rest, we got ready for dinner at a local Italian restaurant before putting the night away at club five Dock, and we didn’t get home until 11 pm. To watch the video go to:

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Day Twelve - The Art Gallery of NSW.

It’s Saturday so we had a little bit of a sleep in. After breakfast, we got ready and left the house by 10:30 am to catch the bus into the city for the day at the New South Wales art gallery. We walked through Hyde Park, and explored the NEW Art Gallery (not the old one there’s two). During the tour, I looked out of one of the windows at the back and saw ‘the CUNARD Queen Mary cruise ship’ docked at ATHOL Bay Wharf. It was, for a cruise ships docked in the Harbour on the day, and I was able to see the top of one of them from a distance. When we had finished the tour of the art gallery, we got a coffee, and ventured through the Domain which brought back a lot of memories of ‘carols in the domain;’ filmed live the Saturday before Christmas, and it is two days before on channel 7 Australia. We then visited what’s known as ‘the lucky pig,’ and caught the bus home. After a rest, we all got ready for dinner and local Thai restaurant and the party, the night away before returning back to the house for the rest of the night.

Day Thirteen - Catching up with friends

Mum and I woke up at 7:15am for an early breakfast, and got ready for the 10am service at Haberfield Baptist Church. Although I was really looking forward to the service it was just a pity that most of my friends I had (including the original pastors) has moved on to other things. When the service ended with said our goodbyes, and snuck out for a coffee at a local cafe and a return bus trip home; where we had a small rest and got ready to meet up with an old friend for lunch.

When lunch ended, we walked her to the car, said our goodbyes, and then watch her drive off. Mum and I then returned to the house to discover ‘no one was home.’ This was when I discovered to tick one of my goals off my ‘Sydney to do list.’ I went for a long walk around two areas (combined into one walk), and was glad to see the front door of the house opened when I returned home.

Day Fourteen - P&O’s NEW Pacific Adventurer visits Sydney

It’s our final day in Sydney so mum and I decided to do something together. We went to the local Cinemas in Leichhardt and saw the movie ‘What’s love got to do with it’ before going our separate way: ‘mum returned back to the house, and I continue on my way to Manly for lunch by public transport because it’s been years since I was there last, and I wanted to tick that off my ‘Sydney to do list’ before returning to Melbourne.

When I had finished eating, I said my goodbyes to Manly, purchased a Starbucks Coffee, and court the Ferry back to Circular Quay in time to take photos, do some filming, and to get into position to film the departure of P&O’s new ‘Pacific Adventure Cruise ship. It was a rush getting there, but I was able to do everything I had to do.

The ship left the Overseas Passenger Terminal on time at 4pm, and it was. Spectacular. The ship went out to sea, and I left for home to get ready for our final Sydney dinner at a Chinese Restaurant before packing, and going to bed early for our return trip to Melbourne the next day. To watch the video go to:

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Good bye Sydney - Our journey home:

And now, the end is near. I woke up at 5am, got dressed, packed the car, and headed off to the Morton Street Light Rail station to start our trip to Melbourne. From the tram, we court the train to the Airport.

Although we got off the train a stop early (at Mascot instead of the Domestic Airport); we still made it to the plane on time. We picked up our bags from Baggage Claim (this time my bag landed when I did… in other words ‘I didn’t have to wait for it to arrive with another flight), and court the airport bus to Southern Cross train station; where stopped at the local Hungry Jacks store for breakfast. From there, we continued on our journey. We court the train to our home town, and got there in time to meet our neighbour; who drove us back to our house.

All up, to be back in Sydney five years after the original move. I enjoyed my time with the family, seeing all the changes that’s taken place in Sydney over the years, and I was able to tick everything I wanted to do off my Sydney to do list.’

Bye Sydney, thanks for everything, and see you the next time I’m in town

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