The Martin's Blog

2/23 – Bob got us to the Auckland Airport about 6:15am for our 8am flight to Sydney on Virgin Australia Airlines.  It was terrible, they had only two agents and by the time we got to the counter we had only 30 minutes to get on the plan.  But, they had finished accepting luggage and we had to take ours to a different location.  The first location they told us to go to was incorrect.  By the time we got to the right one and then went through security, we had five minutes to run to the gate.  You can picture Helen with her knee brace, backpack and picture (about 18″ x 24″) and me with my backpack, boarding papers and hiking stick running for the plane!  We were the last ones on before they closed the gate!

Our problems persisted when we landed.   Had difficulty finding the location of our pre-paid Airport Shuttle and when we did we had to wait an hour!  Long story short, it took us two hours to get to our hotel.

We stayed at the Sydney Harbor YHA.  It’s a “youth” hostel in a super location called “The Rocks.”  We had a basic but nice room ensuite (meaning with toilet/sink/shower). It was built on steel pylons to preserve excavation sites underneath – it is called the “Big Dig.”

View down from 3^rd floor

Artifacts

 

Dropped off our bags and headed for Circular Quay to catch our Captain Cook Ferry to Fort Denison.  We had to hustle to catch the 2:15 boat. City views from the ferry –

 

 

Fort Denison is a small island in Sydney Harbor that has an interesting history. It was formerly called Pinch Island and was used to house convicts. The Martello Tower was completed in 1857.

The island is part of the Sydney Harbor National Park

 

Tour boat passing Fort Denison

Had a fast-food fish dinner at the Quay and then took a lovely walk through the large and well maintained Royal Botanical Gardens.

 

 

 

Some of the park birds

 

 

 

Continued our walk south through the Domain Precinct to Saint Mary’s Cathedral

 

Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park

 

We were impressed to see dozens of running groups of all ages and fitness levels running through the streets and parks.

 

 

2/24 – Youth Hostel is orange – had breakfast at the gym across the street

I had considered doing the Bridge Climb of the Harbor Bridge – see photos

 

But it cost about $260 per person, I’d rather climb a mountain – and it’s free!

We chose to walk across the bridge

It was the world’s widest long-span bridge when it was finished in 1932 and is still one of the longest in the world

Though it was cloudy, there were many good views going and returning

This is the sailing ship we saw yesterday from Denison Island. It may be the “James Craig” that does a 6 hr Harbor tour twice a month

After walking the bridge, we went through the Argyle Cut (cut through the rock by convicts 1830-1850) to tour the Sydney Observatory.

 

It was built in the 1850’s and overlooks Miller Point.  It has an interesting collection of old star gazing and time determination apparatus.  It also includes Aboriginal sky story videos. This is a model of the HMS Endeavor that was the Royal Navy research vessel captained by James Cook on his first voyage of discovery to Australia and New Zealand, 1769-1771.

The Garrison Church (Anglican 1848), Sydney’s oldest, is lower right

Bird of Paradise flowers

 

Walked through The Rocks District including The Rocks Discovery Museum – which has four chronological rooms: Warrane (pre-1788 with native Gadigal people), Colony (1788-1820), Port (1820-1900) and Transformation (1900 to present).  Picture of “The Rocks” from Campbells Cove –

Yes it does!

Dawes Point Park under the south end of the Harbor Bridge.

Had a salad and Kaibab lunch, took a rest and headed over to the Opera House at 4pm. This was our only “dress-up” day during our six week trip.

Toured the Opera House from 5 to 6.  There are five auditoriums where dance, concerts, opera and theatre are staged.

 

This is the largest auditorium – the Concert Hall

The Opera House is on Bennelong Point

View of Circular Quay and Ferry Terminal from Opera House

Had pre-ordered a Tasting Table at the Opera Kitchen and ate that overlooking the Harbor from 6 to 6:45. Two of everything – small hamburger and chicken sandwich, French fries and potato chips, oysters, salmon, shrimp, three dumplings, sushi, pickles, – had to constantly shoo the sea gulls away!

Attended the opera Faust from 7 to 10:30 in the Joan Sutherland Theatre – it was excellent. This picture of the Harbor Bridge was taken during intermission.

Had a big cappuccino ice cream cone walking the mile back around the Quay to our room – our second ice cream of the evening!

 

2/25 – Same breakfast as yesterday, then Helen packed, did cross-stitch, sent messages and worked on re-packing the “Ship” painting that she bought in New Zealand. She is taking it as a carry-on, in addition to her suitcase, backpack and stitching bag – all the way back to the U.S. – 7 more flights!

Meanwhile, I did a fast walk through the city and the Royal Botanical Gardens to Mrs. Macquarie’s Point where I took this picture. The Danish architect modeled the Opera House on the “billowing white sails of a sea going yacht.” The locals think it looks more like the mating of two turtles.

Mrs. Macquaries Chair

 

Nothing like having a little help with your stretching

Nice map of the area

Australian Navy troop transport (largest in the world) in Wooloomooloo Bay

Navy yard

Additional pictures from Royal Botanical Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

Sydney’s Finest –

We were picked up by Air Bus Shuttle at 11:30, flew on Virgin Australia, landed in Cairns at 4:15pm and checked into the Bay Village Tropical Retreat

Then walked the Esplanade along the ocean into downtown – watch out for crocodiles!

Pelicans

Our only kangaroo sighting

We ate at the Splash Restaurant, then shared an ice cream and checked-out the sailboat we would be taking the next day in the Harbor.

 

2/26 – Shuttle picked us up at 7:20am and we boarded the “Ocean Free” (our sailboat) for our day cruise to The Great Barrier Reef

Had pastries and coffee as the crew prepared the boat

They were sold-out, meaning they had their maximum of 25 clients on board Leaving Cairns Harbor – the crew of four young men were very friendly and professional

Helen was supposed to do two SCUBA dives but that was quickly reduced to one because we were taking a red eye to Guam that evening and you need at least twelve hours after a dive before you can safely fly. She then filled out her pre-dive form, listing among other things her meds.  They were not familiar with her cancer drug, so they called their standing physician to make sure there would be no dangerous interaction between her med and the compression of diving.  It took 4 hours before there was a response and unfortunately the decision was negative.  No one there was familiar with her cancer drug.  So, they said safety first, sorry no dive.

It took 2 hours to motor out to the Great Barrier Reef off Green Island. The Ocean Free was a sailboat, however, due to time constraints and wind conditions, we did not sail – I was disappointed.

After mooring at their company buoy, we were given snorkeling instruction and then set out for our first snorkeling adventure. OK, Wake-Up and Breath!

There were a number of big fish that just swam around our boat looking for any scraps that would be thrown overboard.

 

Big fish – up close (in water)!

 

 

 

It was a good spot for fish and coral; however the morning was cloudy so we did not have good light for our underwater observations. Returning to boat –

Had a nice lunch on board about noon

Then took the pontoon boat to the beach on Green Island.  Saw some turtles on the way there and back but I was not fast enough to get a picture

Green Island is about one-third National Park and two-thirds resort

 

I took a nature trail while Helen stayed at the beach

Bathing Beauties –

 

Hot/Humid – Perfect Day! – Hey, it’s February 26th!

Returning to anchored Ocean Free

After returning to the boat, we again snorkeled for about an hour. This time the sun was out and we had great conditions for swimming over the reef and spotting aquatic life.

 

 

 

 

Clean-Up time

They opened the jib sail on the way back to Cairns but it was not really sailing

Disembarked about 4:30, freshened-up in our room and again walked into town for dinner. Lots to see along the walk, skate parks, childrens parks and wading pools, exercise courts, monuments, picnic areas, etc. All were being used as well as many walkers/joggers/runners on the boardwalk.

 

This time we both selected the Sesame Crusted Tuna from the Splash restaurant luncheon menu.  You were able to order from that menu any time before 6:30pm and the price was half that of the same meal for dinner. Again walked the almost two mile boardwalk back to our room – it was dark when we got there.

We packed, were picked up by the airport shuttle at 10:45pm and took off at 1am for Guam