Left Hong Kong at 8 P:M and got to Sydney at 8 AM. Hong Kong has a wonderfully well organized airport; however, we arrived in Sydney to utter chaos. The worst lines I think I have ever seen at immigration, which got worse at customs. They had given us a priority pass for first class and it was worth the price of the ticket. We were able to breeze out in moderate time and then walked in the Taxi Q for 15 minutes. It was 80 degrees and bright sun. The first sun we have really enjoyed since we left home. We headed straight to Bondie beach for lunch and in 30 minutes figured out why people rave about this place. It is just a super place to live and be.
Real gamberetti. First time since Positano so we had a great lunch on beach.
View from hotel window. Got a nice little upgrade to a two room suite and we are in a perfect location.
See what two beers for lunch does. Jon is howling about the fat man in a hat on the roof. Can you see him?
Mandatory "been there" shots.
Two beer effect again. What is the humor in this? Jon thinks it is funniest sign contender.
Hard to take bad photo of the bridge with bridge climbers and the opera house.
Street life
Opera bar. Please note the action.
The streets are crowded and people are wearing everything. Lots and lots of see through since it is summer. Our favorite, we didn't dare sneak a picture, was a Cher look alike in stiletto heels, black tights with a sheer yellow floaty top that hid nothing. She was 8 months pregnant. Dramatic. Jon's comment was that it reminded him of a dream sequence in a Felinni movie.
Captain Hook helped us fly the flag in Sydney Harbor.
Jon prepares for the cruise around the harbor. Bonine is his friend.
We have excellent zoom on our camera as the picture of the bridge walkers shows. We cruised past the nude beach and they stayed a safe distance away but Jon was able to overcome. We shant be sharing those photos.
Jet boat on harbor. However Jon is not sure how his motion sickness will react as it is very windy.
Madame Butterfly at the opera house.
Pre opera dinner on Quay of champagne and oysters.
Opera lounge for ticket holders. Great view of the bridge. Wonderful performance, comfortable seats and very appreciate audience. We walked out of the opera to a sky filled with fireworks. It is almost Australia Day,the 26th, and every night is a party as a run up.
Australian animals
These are tiny little Kangaroos. They have ice cream cones filled with grass that we could feed them and they nibble it right out of the palm of your hand. Very dainty.
koala bear
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| Snoozer |
Eat and sleep seems to be their schedule.
Jon gets to feed the big ones.
Wombat
We saw trees full of fruit bats in Sri Lanka. They are 12-15 inches long and ugly cute.
The Rocks street market
Botanical Garden
Local color
Odds and ends and bits
As soon as we hit Australia we saw again the gross obesity we see in the states and that has continued in New Zealand. What underscores it is the statement on a menu in Hong Kong. Beware......We serve American portions... and a letter to the editor in a Chinese newspaper about the grossly fat Americans. Well we can add Aussies and Kiwis and more Europeans every year to that list. Can some one stop Mac and Don's please.
We find ourselves going to the airport an hour before we need because we get free meals and drinks in the lounges. Also the nightmare that is Sydney coming in is totally different on departure. Lovely departure for first and business class. Fast line thru emigration and great shopping and chairs in waiting area. Lounges are really fabulous. Great food and new and clean. Starting in March Quantas is flying to DFW direct according to the stewardess on our flight. What a joy as that would cut 6 hours off the trip. It will make Australia so easy to get to.
Things I could have left home. Tooth brush. Every hotel in this part of world has a really good one plus amenity kits on plane have them. Kindle. All the books I downloaded. No time to read. Local newspapers and magazines much more fun to read and informative.
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