NSW, AUS - Too Soon

It's time to head home, and we're not ready to go yet..

The days have flown by down here in Sydney. It's been the perfect combination of busy sight-seeing and relaxing scenic walks. But, there's so much we haven't done, so many places we have yet to explore. We knew it was going to be a short trip, but didn't anticipate this amount of reluctance to leave. We'll happily return someday - until then, one last dip in the ocean.

NSW, AUS - Pylon Tower

Since we didn't make any decision while shopping on Saturday, we ventured back out on Monday to find children's books and artwork.

It was harder than it should have been to find a bookstore. We found the right mall, but kept walking circles without finding any books. The lady working the information center was helpful once we found her, and she directed us to Dymocks.

Dymocks had just the section we were seeking: Australian Children's Books. There were three full shelves of popular and classic kid's book. We spent at least 40 minutes pouring through books with the simple goal of finding a couple "good ones" to bring home. As we searched, we defined "good ones" as books that felt Australian and had a well-written plot.

After much deliberation, we settled on three:

Satisfied with our purchase, we headed back to The Rocks with high hopes the art we liked hadn't been sold. Fortunately, it was buried right where we left it!

As previously decided, we chose a traditional Aboriginal dot painting. It has vibrant colored dots of red, orange and white, along with black symbols that look like arrows pointed at a black circle.

The map actually shows a watering hole with emu tracks leading to it. As the story goes, the members of the tribe would lure the emus to the watering hole using an Emu Caller. (It looks similar to a mini didgeridoo, but is played differently.) Then, while the emus were distracted and drinking water, others would steal the emu eggs from the nest. These eggs were an essential food source for the tribe.

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Our last stop was the Pylon Tower; it's a lookout point attached to the Harbor Bridge. We expected a pretty simple climb: a tower with a bunch of stairs and a look out on the top. It turned out to be pleasantly informative! Many of the tidbits our climb guide shared were explained in the Tower. There was a complete history displayed along with general facts about the bridge.

And, I was excited to find the name of Vincent Kelly - I remembered the story, but forgot the name.

A bloke called Kelly fell 150 feet (nearly 50 meteres) off the deck of the bridge into the water and survived with two broken ribs. When they got him out his boots were split right open and were up around his thighs. They gave him a gold watch. 

According to our guide's further detail on the event - Vincent was a decent diver. The day he fell it was because tripped over his toolbox. The toolbox hit the water first, breaking the surface tension. And, Kelly followed it down, falling into the water straight as a pencil due to his diving experience. 

Not only was he given a gold watch, he was also granted 11 days off work to recover. Then, it was right back to continue construction! 

NSW, AUS - Rugby

We started the day by hiking up the equivalent of 33 flights of stairs to attend mass at St. Cecelia's. This seemingly usual activity turned out to be one of the most unusual of the trip, being a Catholic mass..that's not exactly a good thing. 

When we first walked in, it had the feel of a first communion mass. The seating chart was posted on the doors, and there were young girls in fancy white dresses. My thought was, "Oh, how exciting!"; I don't know if that was a shared feeling. 

We were greeted by a warm and welcoming woman. But, as mass progressed, it became less and less like the environment we know back home. It seemed that any time a song played, it was general talking time. It was very irreverent and distracting. It was quite the experience. Ryan said he was glad he joined because he wouldn't have believed the behavior if he hadn't seen it himself. 

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And, for the big event: an NRL game! 

When setting up this one, we basically figured "When in Rome..." So, we grabbed tickets to a rugby game; it seemed to be popular around here. Little did we know, we would love it! 

We traveled down to Olympic Park which was very impressive. The whole area has been very well maintained since they hosted the Olympics back in 2000. We arrived relatively early and were able to admire the sight a bit before heading into the ANZ stadium. 

The match up was Parramatta Eels vs. St George Dragons. Before arrival, we hadn't really looked at the team colors or mascots on either side; but when we first entered the stadium, the Eels mascots were hanging about for photos. Of course, we had to grab one! 

As it turned out, Parramatta was awesome! They dominated the entire game. And, we loved it. 

Check out the game highlights! 

NSW, AUS - Shopping

We only had two recommended must-visits for shopping, so we started with the furthest out and made our way back to Manly. 

1st stop: Paddy's Market

This turned out to be more familiar than we expected. It was basically a flea market with a produce section. We did the obligatory walk through the aisles to view everything, but spent very little time truly shopping. There were a couple shops that we found unusual, i.e. costumes, European spices, but most of the spaces were spot on what you would picture. So, we hopped along to find some food and our next recommendation. 

2nd stop: The Rocks

This was the polar opposite of of first stop. First, it was outside, spread over almost two city-blocks. Scattered throughout the shops, there were various food carts. In one corner, you could sit, eat and watch a dance performance. There were kiosks to shop for art, jewelry, and souvenirs. It had an elegant feel to it.

Unexpected Shops: Aboriginal Art 

While in Sydney, we've been on the lookout for Aboriginal art. Anytime we saw an art gallery, we popped in to take a peak. One store in Manly had a lovely lady working, and she offered us some history on the work. 

The oldest, most traditional form of paintings are created with dots and a few basic shapes. Each piece is actually an arial map of an important location to the Aboriginal people. Additionally, many paintings told tribal stories through the use of basic symbols. 

The more modern pieces are significantly more abstract. There are a variety of forms. I was continually drawn to the style of Bush Medicine Leaf and another style that looked like feathers. Although truly beautiful, these contemporary pieces don't have a piece of tribal history attached to them. 

Knowing more history on the paintings, we were more excited to stop inside anywhere that we might find Aboriginal artwork. So, when we found a store/gallery in the same area as The Rocks, we couldn't resist browsing. We spent a long time looking at all the pieces and stories. The man working was very friendly and helpful. There was one piece we really liked, but decided to keep looking. (I still want to go back for it!) 

NSW, AUS - Birds!

We were startled this morning by crazy birds flying into the window! Fortunately for us, we had the windows closed or they would have flown right onto the kitchen table. At one point, we had three of them hanging around and pecking at the windows.

After a bit of research, we learned these cockatoos are "common pests" around here. They can be relatively destructive, too. That seemed about right considering the amount they were pecking and clawing at the windows.

This certainly was a moment that reminded us just how far from home we truly are.

 

NSW, AUS - Costal Walk

Today we walked from Coogee up to Bondi.

This has easily taken the #1 spot of all the activities we've done. 

Basically, we bussed down to Coogee, and walked (mostly) along the coast up to The Icebergs. The views were breathtaking, and we had a great time climbing around on the sandstone. We really took our time walking and admiring. Start to finish, it was about a 3 hour tour. 

At one point, the path was closed due to the storms in early June 2016. We were disappointed to leave our costal path, but the detour turned out fascinating. It took us through the center of a cemetery. It was like none I had ever seen. Each resting place actually looked like a bed; the photo doesn't do it justice. 

 
It was a quick and interesting detour.

Then, we were back to more of the same- walking, climbing and admiring. And, we loved every bit of it! We spent a good bit of time watching the surfers trying to catch a wave, too. 

Our costal walk ended at Bondi Beach when we reached The Icebergs. 

It's a 50 meter, ocean-fed pool. There was no way I could pass on hopping in this one, even if it was 17C! The plunge in was freezing, enough to make Ryan reconsider his choice. But, he made it through 100m before calling it good. I swam another 300m through the waves crashing over the side. It was a great way to complete the costal walk. 

We finished our journey with a meal upstairs at The Icebergs. The food was okay, but the view was incredible! 

NSW, AUS - Taronga

Taronga was awesome!

It feels like it's own island. The path begins at the top of a very tall "hill", and gently loops down through all the animals. We loved the organization - African Safari loop, Australiam creatures, the Reptile exhibit, and a few more. 

The hands-down best was the Australian loop, specifically the koalas and kangaroos. This area was seemingly disappointing at first because I was heart-set on holding a koala. Apparently, they no longer allow that in NSW. However, it is possible in Queensland and Victoria (which has been noted for next time). The kangaroos were the redeeming part! They were basically free roaming along with wallabies and emus. If we had taken one single step off the path, we could have pet them. 

Aside from the obvious animal attractions, Taronga was hosting art for Vivid Lights. There was beautiful animal art all over the place! We weren't terribly impressed by our Vivid experience in the gardens, but I truly would love to see these animals lit up at night. 

 

The zoo was elaborate. It took us a solid four hours to make our was through. We were happy to have set aside the day to go. It was well worth the time (and money) spent. 

P.S. The nicest lady took our photo. Of course, there's a deck that over looks the city. They do plan well around here. 

NSW, AUS - The Bridge

Highlights:

The Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

This was amazing! Over the course of 3 hours, we climbed 134 meters up the south arch onto the peak. We walked right across the top and came down the south arch. Our climb guide served as a wonderful tour guide of the city. We paused briefly for many informational points about the bridge construction itself to general life in Sydney. 

We learned the bridge was constructed over the course of 9 years. The plans were drawn up so construction could begin on both shores, and eventually, the arches would meet in the middle. The south arch would always be slightly ahead of the north so any corrections that were needed would be solved by the time they reached the same point on the north side. There are 6 million bolts holding the bridge together. In order to get hot bolts to the right spot on the bridge, a "cooker" would warm up the bolt on the ground, and literally toss it through the air to the "catcher" standing with a bucket onto of the bridge. These workers were on top of the bridge completely unharnessed! Even crazier, over the nine years of construction, only 16 people died. Further, only two of those people actually died for, working the construction of the bridge itself. 

Olivia pointed out various landmarks like the surrounding bay, the Blue Mountains in the distance and the nearby Navy bases.  Other random places were pointed out as well: the Prime Minester's house on the bay, the hotel celebrities frequent and the oldest residential building. 

We stopped for a few photos on the way up, the most picturesque shot is overlooking the heart of Sydney. It was an absolutely stunning view! 

After the climb, we grabbed some dinner and hung around Sydney to see Vivid Lights. Many of the big buildings were lit up- the Opera House and bridge had lights, too. 

We walked through the Botanical Gardens, which came highly recommended. In my opinion, the installment below was the best of that walk. In general, we weren't very impressed with the show.

NSW, AUS - Opera House

Highlights:

As we were seeking an adapter that actually worked, we stumbled in this very old and fancy mall. We explored, but didn't purchase anything.

After finding the adapter, we went in search of food and found the an adorable little art gallery. 

Our favorite pieces were those that looked like peacock feathers and dot art. 

After breakfast, we headed to the Sydney Opera House. 

The inside was beautiful, and the construction process was very interesting. Turns out it was the American on the judging panel that chose this design from the discard pile. The tour was a bit underwhelming, but it was very cool to get inside and look around this iconic structure. 

Last bit, unfortunately unpictured, was dinner at Daniel San. It was delicious! I give it the true #1 experience of the day. We shared two dishes: Korean Fried Chicken and Tokyo Fried Rice. Both were excellent, and we managed to eat with chopsticks only. 

NSW, AUS - We made it!

After 28 hours of travel, we arrived.

Our journey began out of Detroit, stopped in Dallas briefly, and hopped over to LAX. Then the long flight was upon us. It was scheduled to be about 14 hours in the air, but with a couple delays turned out to be closer to 17 before we landed in Sydney, Australia! 

Finally, we made it to the big city! 

A couple more quick rides - train to Circular Quay, and a ferry over to Manly - our journey finished. 

Oceanside. 

We stopped for delicious drinks (smoothie for me!) at Ground Zero. Then dropped our bags at the apartment before finding some actual food. 

Success! 

Ready. Set..

One week until we're in the air! 

Bags have been tested twice. 

Money is exchanged. 

Visas purchased. 

Everything on our checklist is done! 

Only 5 more days until school is out for summer, and we're on our way to Australia! 

Floyd Friends

Dinner with the Floyds was a great success! They shared their food, home and stories with us (mom and dad, too). I'm significantly more excited than I was prior to meeting with them. 

Ryan kept an ongoing list of the many recommendations that came from their story telling. The highlights being mostly food and attractions. Austin was generous to give us the contact information of a couple of their friends down under. Now, if the need arises with have either a driver or an emergency contact. Pretty cool!

Next move: make an actual itinerary, on a real calendar. 🤗 

34 Days!

We're getting closer! School's wrapping up; we're into testing seasons - which means Australia is just around the corner.

This afternoon we're having an early dinner with Austin in hopes to solidify an itinerary. This has been a long awaited gathering. We had to postpone the initial dinner because of a stomach bug, so the day has finally arrived!

Ryan and I have talked about a few "must-do" or "must-see" attractions, but I'm excited to hear a local's perspective. By the end of the day, we should have more than two activities on the agenda.

The excitement of meeting with Austin motivated me to attempt a trial pack. It was a good call. We want to travel with backpacks only, not that we plan to do much actual backpacking. It just seems the easiest way to travel. However, this is definitely not an art form perfected in a day. I'm saving Attempt #2 until Ryan arrives.

Now, to make cupcakes while I await his return!

Thank you, HomeAway!

Finding a place to stay has been challenging.

Initially, we wanted to stay at a hotel since we're most familiar with that process. The perks of hotels being room service, kitchen option, and having a relatively good idea of what to expect. However, after staying at a hotel for the first time in a while, I was reminded of all the downsides, too. Hotels are loud and busy. These aren't the worst, but I don't want to deal with kids running and screaming down the hallway at 10pm. So, we started exploring other options.

Fortunately, we were "introduced" to Austin! He's long been friends with my dad, and happened to live in Sydney for a few years. He recommended HomeAway to us, along with a few of his favorite locations to check out first. Grateful for the guidance, we began a more directed search.

HomeAway has an abundance of rental properties listed. Our limited hotel search expanded to endless great options. It was refreshing!

Because of the variety of suitable options, it took us nearly 2 weeks to find the perfect place. But, today we finally booked out HomeAway from home!

We'll be enjoying a view of  Sydney harbour from our top floor apartment in Fairlight. It's a 2 minute walk to the beach, and only 10 minutes to the center of Manly. The photos are beautiful, and the contact was incredibly helpful answering our questions. The peace and quiet of the area is unmistakable.

Of course, this place was Austin approved, and he was the first to celebrate with us. It feels significantly more real now that we have somewhere to sleep in Sydney.

Now that flights and lodging are booked, we can start planning our days!
Australia, we're getting closer.

Australia Bound!

We're going to Australia! 


Months ago, Ryan and I decided that we wanted an adventure. So, we set out searching for cheap flights to anywhere, literally anywhere. Destination undetermined, we started saving money. Given the fact we're both on teacher salaries, we knew this portion would take a while. Again, being teachers, we aren't able to fly away until school's out for the year. 

While out at a WMU Hockey Game, Ryan received word of a flight deal that sounded too good to be true. Mid second period, we walked out and made a few necessary phone calls - checking to see if it was actually a deal worth looking into. Turns out, it was! 

We left the game immediately! We did some serious researching about the airlines, flight times, layovers and date guidelines. Of course, all this with the help of Ryan's parents (international travel veterans). After a couple frantic conversations, we decided to go for it! 

We leave June 10th, which does happen to be the day after school is out for the summer. The only downside, since the flight deal was very specific on redeemable dates, we will return to the U.S. a short 10 days later. Regardless, great deal on airfare! 


>> Thanks, Scott's Cheap Flights! <<


We're going to Australia! 
Let the planning commence.