Blogs from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Oceania - page 8

“Traveling. It leaves you speechless, then turns in to a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta Due to a full programme yesterday, we decided to have a lazy sort of day today as we were out again tonight. The sun was shining so, after a leisurely breakfast, we decided to head up to Circular Quay, where most of the tourists seem to head for. We took the short train journey from Museum to Circular Quay and headed over to a small grassy area with a few trees scattered around. This was known as First Fleet Park. From Circular Quay we saw ferries come and go taking their customers to practically anywhere in the Sydney Metropolitan area; from Manley to Taronga Zoo; from Watson’s Bay to the Olympic Bay. This just sounds like I’m reeling off names and probably ... read more

- Travel is more than seeing the sights. It is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living - Miriam Beard When the Commonwealth Games came to Manchester in 2002, Roisin and I were lucky enough to attend the opening ceremony. Among the big guns of the likes of Canada, Australia and the UK paraded a small team of a dozen or so. It was their debut at the Commonwealth Games. Blink and they’d be swallowed up in the masses. This was the small Pacific Island nation of Niue. At the time, we had to dig out the reference books to identify that Niue is an overseas territory of New Zealand. This was very much a case of, ‘It’s not the winning that counts but the taking part..’This edict was very ... read more

It's been a hot summer... severe drought in Eastern Australia...record temperatures preventing us venturing West to support drought-torn economies...air-con humming constantly...violent hail and lightning storms flooding occasional relief. I venture into my Aussie backyard...Berowra Valley National Park...gotta be careful some hiker not report me 'cos I'm creeping through the bush with a camera...up to no good I'd warrant would be the report. I move like a cat...step by step...flash of movement...stop...head still...eyes darting...sniffing the molten air...smile...extending my telescopic monopod...adjusting my zoom lens...straining for focus...on macro. A hoverfly zips past then doubles back...hovering in front of my face...zooming away...resting on a twig...my lens up real tight... streaming sweat stinging my eyes...brain screaming for respite...mopping my brow...biting my lip.... read more

this is my fourth day in sydney and i am at customs house writing to you. it's starting to feel like home here. we had to tender in again, but we will be back beside the opera house tonight around 6 pm for the evening. it is saturday here and much quieter. no loud construction noise and most of the office buildings are closed. the weather is still overcast with showers and around 22 degrees. i was speaking to another passenger and they just heard from their daughter in yorkshire, england, and it is sunny and 18 degrees there! we had an update from the captain this morning. we are now heading out early tomorrow (sunday) morning, but unfortunately we will be heading east instead of north and not stopping in anymore ports in australia. so ... read more

Hello Sydney - we flew overnight and gained 3 hours in the process- we eventually found our Uber driver who was about to take off with the wrong passenger! Once in and after blaming everyone else but herself for the mixup we set off. 45 mins of mind numbing babble ( she wouldn’t shut up) we got to our Airbnb in Manly and collapsed. Great spot with great views and even better the son of the owner who was supposed to stay all week with us left after 2 days and we had the apartment to ourselves- result! That evening we met a friend of Jacks, Matt and his girlfriend Meg for dinner at a Mexican restaurant on the Wharf -sombrero alert! Great to see them both and they advised us on what to do and ... read more