Day 3 - Sydney (Day 2, Manly)

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Woke up at funny o’clock with some bizarre jet lag - first time I’ve seen 0400 for a while. Eventually got up at 6.30am and ordered some room service. A lovely continental breakfast for 1 actually served 2 of us.

Headed out for Manly ferry from Circular Quay. Arrived in Manly and headed up to beach for while and chilled out. Walked up and down the beach soaking in the sun and the views. Headed back through the main street in Manly - did not like that - a bit of naff tourist area. Went to Manly Wharf Bar for lunch. However, ordered too much food and ended up with the Monday special - fish and chips with a beer or wine for $15. 1 would have been enough between 2 - learning that aussie food comes in hearty portions.

After Manly, headed back about 3pm. From ferry walked into the Botanic Gardens for a few hours strolling around the point past Lady MacQuaries chair. From there into the gardens themselves and worked our way towards the city. On the way, I decided to stop at the wishing tree, in order to make the wish come true, I had to walk 3 times round forwards, and 3 times backwards. The former was easy, the latter was tougher without looking mental. Always one to rise to a challenge, a mix of casual, sloping and quick step backward steps sealed the deal. The wish was made!

Headed back to hotel around 5pm after a fantastic walk in the gardens - for some reason we decided to lie down in hotel room - the worst mistake ever. We woke up about 7.30pm. Oh dear, the jet lag had got the better of us. Monday night in Sydney we eventually headed out for food without a clear direction. Headed for the Flinders Inn on Flinders Road, just outside of Darlinghurst. However, the rude taxi driver was unable to find this. We eventually got dropped off after $20 at Paddington where we found the Paddington Inn. Time now 2135, on arrival the pub told us that they stopped serving at 9.30. To make matters worse, the bar maid had just started and was unable to recommend anywhere locally. (See next days for irony of this).

We therefore hi-tailed it back to the hotel where there mildly overpriced restaurant hosted a dinner for us. We simply had a single course - Claire a fish platter with scallops, prawns and flat head, myself a rack of lamb. The service this time was uncharacteristically average in a relatively large empty restaurant. Eventually completed our meal and headed to room to have our bottle of sparkling wine given as a courtesy gift by hotel (GB advised it was our honeymoon during reservations - well done Westin Sydney for remembering!)

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Photos

Manly Beach Babes
Claire sitting at Manly Beach