Erin and I slept in a little bit today..although she was up before me because she was going up the pylon of the bridge. Since I had already done the climb (yes I am way cooler then her, ha!) I decided I would stay in and pack (since I had to worry about liquids, weight, etc.)
I think this was the first time in my life that I was packed AND ready to go before we had “scheduled” ourselves to leave..it was amazing! We had signed up for the Oz Jet boat in Sydney Harbor, so we left our bags at the hotel and made our way down to the water. I had done some research and found that with this company if you printed off a card online it was buy one get one free (not a bad deal) so that worked out well now that Mamma Wilson left and we are on our own (DEFINITELY not as much fun without her!)
The boat was fun, although I don’t think I would recommend it if you had to pay full price. It goes really fast and does some spins and it’s definitely a different way to see Sydney from the water, but I wasn’t crazy about it. They had these big ugly red jackets for us so while our clothes didn’t get soaked our heads did. It was a bit cooler and cloudy/windy so maybe if it was a warm sunny day it would have been more refreshing!
Since we wanted to do some shopping, we snuck into a hotel to use their nice bathrooms to wash up! We then took the free shuttle bus to the market (which is closed on Mondays) so we headed to their upstairs mall. The place was WEIRD..there’s no other way to describe it. It was a mall, but there would be a Chinese store (since we were in China town) next to an upscale store, next to a food vendor. It just seemed like nothing fit together. We ended up doing the 30 minute walk back and stopped in some stores along the way. It was getting a bit cold and we wanted to have a lunch/dinner meal (we were both going to be on planes during dinner) so we headed back to get some warmer clothes and then found a pub place for lunch where we had some sandwiches.
The whole day was just so relaxed because we had ALL this time..we were early for everything..it was amazing! We stopped in the art museum since we had some time before the airport shuttle was to pick us up at 5pm and then around 430pm we headed back to the hotel to get our bags etc. We got there around 440pm and they couldn’t find our bags (great) but it was because the shuttle was already there and the bellboy had already put our bags in the van! We picked up a few more people and were off to the airport!
I will have you know I weighed in at 21kg (I have 23kg) and since Erin and I were both domestic flights we were able to go through security together!
So a couple things about Australia. Their airport security sucks. Well I mean, I guess it’s kind of nice..until someone gets killed and then not so much. Erin and I went through with our shoes and sweatshirts on. I DID take my laptop out, but water (in my massive bottle) was allowed. I kept waiting for them to pull my bag and tell me I had a 3.1 ounce bottle (which has happened to me in the States before) but there hasn’t been any problems!
The other thing is the signs for traveling are great! In both the Gold Coast and Port Douglas we didn’t have a GPS..just maps and signs! I actually think it worked better as we didn’t have the GPS telling us to continue for a mile (as we pass our destination) and then tell us “recalculating route”.
Anyway Erin and I were able to hang out together for a bit, but then our flights were in different wings so we had to go. Erin I know you read this and I am not just saying this to say it..but I really had SUCH a fun time with her..BOTH weekends! I realize a lot of the time I say, “Oh I am here visiting my brothers girlfriend” but I really think of her as MY friend now (sorry Scott!) so it was really awesome to travel with a friend! Ok enough of the sappy stuff!
As I got to my gate, I saw 4 airport policemen talking to a man about his bag. Never a good sign! So obviously I took a seat close enough to be a part of the situation, but far enough away that I didn’t look like I purposely sat there to get in on the action. I am not sure how it all started, but they said they needed to go through the man’s bag. He was PISSED (yelling all sorts of bad things) and I could tell this guy was DRUNK. Two of the cops stood to the side and it seemed like they were taking an inventory of his bag while the other two stood around him (and took a verbal beating). One cop did most the talking and was actually very nice and kept telling the guy he could get his flight tomorrow after he sobered up and they were just trying to help him and keep him safe, etc. It sounded like they were going to take him back to his house (he was flying to visit his Dad). I was ready for a fight, but the guy seemed to chill out a little bit. Again, I don’t know the whole story, but as much as I joke it was actually kind of sad.
My flight was delayed (every Virgin Blue flight I have had has been delayed) but it was only about 45 minutes before I was on the flight. I obviously fell asleep (and quickly) because when I woke up I thought, “Ugh I can’t believe we haven’t left yet..” as the captain came on and said, “We are now beginning our decent into Melbourne”.
I actually had to RUN to get my bag off the carousel (I guess I could have waited for it to go around again but where’s the fun in that!) and then hopped on the shuttle bus to the main station in Melbourne. I knew I was racing against time because this shuttle also provides free transport to your hotel before 1030pm. It was about 1025pm when I arrived and luckily I was the only one heading off to the hotel..so off I went!
Fortunately I had emailed the hotel saying I was checking in late so they gave me directions on how to get in since they door is locked in the evening. It is NOTHING to write home about (reminds me of something you would find in Hampton Beach?) but the location MORE than makes up for it! It also doesn’t have wifi, which is a little bit tricky as I am STILL planning and researching Melbourne. So, even though it was about 1130pm, I decided to go find some internet AND figure out where my 745am tour was going to be leaving from!
Ahhh Melbourne (pronounced Melbin). For some reason it seemed like EVERYONE was drunk! People on the streets were SO weird (granted it was late) but they were yelling and screaming..some girls were running barefoot with huge stuffed animals and the place seemed dirty and it is MUCH colder than the rest of Australia! After finding internet (and 24 hour McD’s, 7-11’s and internet shops) I also managed to find where my bus is leaving from in the morning!
Hugs and kisses from Melbourne (or Melbin)!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Bondi Beach!
I woke up sad. My mommy is leaving me today! How dare she! We slept in today (till 10am!) which was SO NICE! We decided to go to Pancakes on the Rocks again and it seemed like a great sendoff for mom! There was a little wait (it was Sunday morning) but they do a great job of moving the line along AND we knew just what we wanted! It was delicious and afterwards we checked out the weekend market (where there are lots of crafts, etc).
We went back to the hotel to help mom finish up her packing and got her on the airport shuttle and she was off! I am very sad she is leaving because I feel SO lucky she has been able to join me. I was SO excited to share Vietnam with her and it was amazing to see her with the kids. I knew she would be great with them but it was better than expected! We have had a BLAST in Australia and she has been SUCH a fun travel buddy! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful mother! I am glad I am not staying more than a week because I honestly don’t think I would want to travel alone anymore…it’s just not as fun!
On a happier note, Erin and I wanted to check out Bondi beach and since tomorrow is suppose to be a bit rainy we figured this afternoon would be the best time to go! We had to take a bus to get there and we were so happy because since we were one of the first stops we actually got a seat (yay). The bus was VERY crowded as we continued on the 45 minutes to the beach.
The place was happening (it was a beautiful day and a Sunday) but we found a good spot! There were a lot of people and a lot of sun, which made it lots of fun! I love people watching and there were all different types. While looking around, I noticed, BOOBS (excuse my language). I am not sure why it took me so long to notice but I felt like all of a sudden everyone was topless! It was like once I saw one boob I saw them all! I had read that “parts” of the beach were “European” but honestly it was a pretty small beach so I think by parts it just meant “do whatever you want!”
Erin and I were laying there reading our magazines when some guy came up and asked if he could put his stuff down while he took a swim. He was on Erin’s side so I wasn’t really a part of the situation. However, when he came back he plopped himself down and started talking to Erin. At this point I was on my stomach resting, but once he kept talking I realized I needed to help a sista out! He was kinda weird (this is on top of the fact he was in a Speedo, never ok!) so I asked Erin if she wanted to come with me to the water! Who came with? Max..Erin’s new boyfriend (sorry Scott!) I told her I thought by asking her to go for a walk he would get the hint and maybe he was just trying to be friendly but we were freaked out. We ended up walking the beach and when we came back he was still there! I couldn’t believe I couldn’t fully enjoy the beach because of this creeper! Anyway we decided we still wanted to do the costal walk and I definitely didn’t need any more sun, so we picked up our things, said goodbye to Erin’s boyfriend and were on our way!
We stopped to get a snack before taking on the Bondi Costal walk. It was beautiful (on the cliffs overlooking the water). We didn’t do the whole thing (which said it takes 1.5 hours each way) as it was getting dark and we still needed to take the bus back. We decided we would head back into Sydney to shower and get some dinner. As we were waiting at the bus stop, bus after bus passed us filled with people (from the lower stop) so we made our way down there and crammed ourselves on the bus and then WE were the ones on the bus passing the people at the next stop (we actually got a seat again!)
The bus ride back was long as we were both SO tired we just wanted to crash! After washing off the sand, salt water, and anything Max related we headed out to dinner. There was a pizza place we saw that always had a huge line outside, so we decided to try it! The wait wasn’t that bad and the pizza was good, but the service was..different. We heard the guy tell the table next to us that since they were finished they needed to leave since there was a wait outside (very different then at home!) It was definitely good and worth the little wait we did have.
We then walked down by the harbor to a whole area we hadn’t seen yet (sorry mom that you missed it!) It was really pretty as all the restaurants were on the water overlooking the bridge and opera house. After treating ourselves to some ice cream, we finished the night off with a movie and packing!
Hugs and kisses from Bondi Beach!
We went back to the hotel to help mom finish up her packing and got her on the airport shuttle and she was off! I am very sad she is leaving because I feel SO lucky she has been able to join me. I was SO excited to share Vietnam with her and it was amazing to see her with the kids. I knew she would be great with them but it was better than expected! We have had a BLAST in Australia and she has been SUCH a fun travel buddy! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful mother! I am glad I am not staying more than a week because I honestly don’t think I would want to travel alone anymore…it’s just not as fun!
On a happier note, Erin and I wanted to check out Bondi beach and since tomorrow is suppose to be a bit rainy we figured this afternoon would be the best time to go! We had to take a bus to get there and we were so happy because since we were one of the first stops we actually got a seat (yay). The bus was VERY crowded as we continued on the 45 minutes to the beach.
The place was happening (it was a beautiful day and a Sunday) but we found a good spot! There were a lot of people and a lot of sun, which made it lots of fun! I love people watching and there were all different types. While looking around, I noticed, BOOBS (excuse my language). I am not sure why it took me so long to notice but I felt like all of a sudden everyone was topless! It was like once I saw one boob I saw them all! I had read that “parts” of the beach were “European” but honestly it was a pretty small beach so I think by parts it just meant “do whatever you want!”
Erin and I were laying there reading our magazines when some guy came up and asked if he could put his stuff down while he took a swim. He was on Erin’s side so I wasn’t really a part of the situation. However, when he came back he plopped himself down and started talking to Erin. At this point I was on my stomach resting, but once he kept talking I realized I needed to help a sista out! He was kinda weird (this is on top of the fact he was in a Speedo, never ok!) so I asked Erin if she wanted to come with me to the water! Who came with? Max..Erin’s new boyfriend (sorry Scott!) I told her I thought by asking her to go for a walk he would get the hint and maybe he was just trying to be friendly but we were freaked out. We ended up walking the beach and when we came back he was still there! I couldn’t believe I couldn’t fully enjoy the beach because of this creeper! Anyway we decided we still wanted to do the costal walk and I definitely didn’t need any more sun, so we picked up our things, said goodbye to Erin’s boyfriend and were on our way!
We stopped to get a snack before taking on the Bondi Costal walk. It was beautiful (on the cliffs overlooking the water). We didn’t do the whole thing (which said it takes 1.5 hours each way) as it was getting dark and we still needed to take the bus back. We decided we would head back into Sydney to shower and get some dinner. As we were waiting at the bus stop, bus after bus passed us filled with people (from the lower stop) so we made our way down there and crammed ourselves on the bus and then WE were the ones on the bus passing the people at the next stop (we actually got a seat again!)
The bus ride back was long as we were both SO tired we just wanted to crash! After washing off the sand, salt water, and anything Max related we headed out to dinner. There was a pizza place we saw that always had a huge line outside, so we decided to try it! The wait wasn’t that bad and the pizza was good, but the service was..different. We heard the guy tell the table next to us that since they were finished they needed to leave since there was a wait outside (very different then at home!) It was definitely good and worth the little wait we did have.
We then walked down by the harbor to a whole area we hadn’t seen yet (sorry mom that you missed it!) It was really pretty as all the restaurants were on the water overlooking the bridge and opera house. After treating ourselves to some ice cream, we finished the night off with a movie and packing!
Hugs and kisses from Bondi Beach!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Manly Beach: We’re like the locals!
I was very sleepy when I woke up this morning! After some cereal (and a skype date with Scott where he got to see his three favorite women!) we headed off to catch the free bus that would take us to Paddy’s market! I was actually very surprised there was such a thing as a “free” bus and I got talking to the bus driver who said they tried it a few years ago and it was very popular so they stuck with it! Erin and Mom were commenting on how I just went up and started talking to the driver (it started off as..”where do we get off?”) but honestly I just find it so amazing I am in a country where I can speak to people. It is SO awesome to get on a bus and say, “hey do you stop here?” or to go in a convenient store and say, “hey do you know where this is?” I just feel like talking to everyone because I can!
We arrived at the market which was HUGE (lots and lots of stalls) but it was nice because they weren’t very pushy (unlike many other markets). We spent the time doing some souvenir shopping before heading back. I think our original plan was to get the bus, but there was a TON of traffic so we ended up passing buses on foot. When we finally asked a bus driver she said there was a demonstration or rally or something so she was going to be stuck there forever. We decided we could just walk back (since it seemed quicker) but then we saw a few buses pass us so I don’t think they were stuck for a while!
It was about a 30 minute walk and we were all STARVING! We ended back at the hotel (well the area) and ate at a café. Mom and Erin had good sandwiches and I had pizza which was just ok.
We then walked back to the hotel to change into our bathing suits so we could head out to Manly beach! We pooled our sources to come to the conclusion that Manly beach is the “locals” beach and that taking the Ferry there is one of the best (and cheapest) ways to see Sydney from the water! The ferry was PACKED (I was really surprised how large the ferry was) so we ended up having to sit inside. It was about a 30 minute ride to Manly and then about a 7 minute walk down the corso to the beach. The beach was pretty and shaped like a half moon. We plopped ourselves down (ready for a good nap in the sun) only to be greeted by clouds! We couldn’t believe it! It was beautiful when we left the harbor, but we saw the massive cloud and realized the sun was NOT coming back! I was FREEZING (I don’t know how I grew up in NE because I have been cold since I got to Australia!)
Since it was obvious the sun was not coming back we decided to go and walk the corso area AND buy me a sweatshirt! Luckily we found a souvenir shop that was closing so we were able to buy some cheap things (including a $10 sweatshirt since I am a little baby). I was MUCH happier after (and probably more fun to be around!)
We decided to leave the beach so after a well needed ice cream (guess I wasn’t too cold for that) we took the ferry back to Sydney Harbor. We weren’t able to get a great seat this time, but Erin and I snuck up when we got close to try and get some pictures!
After showering, we decided to head over to Darling Harbor again (it is probably a 15 minute walk). Dinner was MUCH faster tonight (woohoo!) but I was sad it was my mom’s last night! On our walk around the harbor we did find a cookie place (that looked promising) but their cookies were dry (NOBODY can bake like Mamma Wilson). This time we splurged and got a cab home (our first cab of the trip) and it was well needed after a day of walking. We ended the night with Father of the Bride: Part Two which Erin had never seen and I started doing some research for Melbourne!
Hugs and kisses from Manly beach!
We arrived at the market which was HUGE (lots and lots of stalls) but it was nice because they weren’t very pushy (unlike many other markets). We spent the time doing some souvenir shopping before heading back. I think our original plan was to get the bus, but there was a TON of traffic so we ended up passing buses on foot. When we finally asked a bus driver she said there was a demonstration or rally or something so she was going to be stuck there forever. We decided we could just walk back (since it seemed quicker) but then we saw a few buses pass us so I don’t think they were stuck for a while!
It was about a 30 minute walk and we were all STARVING! We ended back at the hotel (well the area) and ate at a café. Mom and Erin had good sandwiches and I had pizza which was just ok.
We then walked back to the hotel to change into our bathing suits so we could head out to Manly beach! We pooled our sources to come to the conclusion that Manly beach is the “locals” beach and that taking the Ferry there is one of the best (and cheapest) ways to see Sydney from the water! The ferry was PACKED (I was really surprised how large the ferry was) so we ended up having to sit inside. It was about a 30 minute ride to Manly and then about a 7 minute walk down the corso to the beach. The beach was pretty and shaped like a half moon. We plopped ourselves down (ready for a good nap in the sun) only to be greeted by clouds! We couldn’t believe it! It was beautiful when we left the harbor, but we saw the massive cloud and realized the sun was NOT coming back! I was FREEZING (I don’t know how I grew up in NE because I have been cold since I got to Australia!)
Since it was obvious the sun was not coming back we decided to go and walk the corso area AND buy me a sweatshirt! Luckily we found a souvenir shop that was closing so we were able to buy some cheap things (including a $10 sweatshirt since I am a little baby). I was MUCH happier after (and probably more fun to be around!)
We decided to leave the beach so after a well needed ice cream (guess I wasn’t too cold for that) we took the ferry back to Sydney Harbor. We weren’t able to get a great seat this time, but Erin and I snuck up when we got close to try and get some pictures!
After showering, we decided to head over to Darling Harbor again (it is probably a 15 minute walk). Dinner was MUCH faster tonight (woohoo!) but I was sad it was my mom’s last night! On our walk around the harbor we did find a cookie place (that looked promising) but their cookies were dry (NOBODY can bake like Mamma Wilson). This time we splurged and got a cab home (our first cab of the trip) and it was well needed after a day of walking. We ended the night with Father of the Bride: Part Two which Erin had never seen and I started doing some research for Melbourne!
Hugs and kisses from Manly beach!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Bridge Climb
I was actually a little nervous when I woke up this morning. Not scuba diving nervous, but “can I climb a bridge” nervous. I had signed up for the first climb of the morning so needed to be at the Bridge Climb @ 815am for my 835am climb. It was about a 15 minute walk so at 8am I was out the door! At 835am on the dot our group was taken inside a room where we filled out some paperwork and took a breathalyzer test. I’m not sure if they’ve had problems with drunken people wanting to climb (or people who feel the need to get drunk in order to have the guts to climb) but I thought it was interesting how I didn’t get tested or anything before skydiving!
Before we entered the room I had some time to hang out in the gift shop where they had pictures of famous people who had completed the climb (including Oprah) and I thought, if Oprah can do this..I can do this! I was also sizing up my competition in our group and I felt pretty comfortable as well!
Anyway I passed the breathalyzer test (wahooo!) and we were then brought into another room where we introduced ourselves. I met a couple who are on their honeymoon from Quincy MA (got married on the cape) so I became their third wheel! There was also a couple from Florida and business partners from LA here for work. The other three couples were from Australia! We then got our suits and were brought into yet another room to change, put things in our lockers, etc. I got a special strap for my sunglasses. After a metal detector we headed again into another room for the rest of our gear.
We put on harnesses, but they really just went around your waste so if you really DID fall off I can’t imagine they would help THAT much! We also got rain gear (which THANKFULLY we didn’t need) and our headsets. This whole process took about an hour (it was around 930am the last time I saw a clock) and we were ready to roll! The whole building was very industrial and at this point we walked on a bridge over the people who were waiting for their bridge climb. It was a little teaser..us saying that they TOO can wear these awesome jumpsuits!
Our guide was Ash (short for Ashely and she was awesome!) She studied outdoor recreation at university and said she didn’t really want to leave Sydney. The Blue Mountains are where someone with her degree would work but it’s about 2.5 hours away so she said the bridge climb was perfect for her! She’s been there for 3 years and has done 435 climbs! I asked her if she had brought any celebrities up and she replied, “Brittney” and I looked at her and said, “As in Spears?” to which she replied, “Uhhh is there any other?” I was DEFINITELY impressed with that! She also did a climb with Pink and said she seemed to be matched with “pop” people, which was perfect for her personality.
I was third in line (behind my new friends Jordon and Emily) and we were off! The first thing (that really got a lot of people) was the catwalk. Honestly heights don’t scare me at all, but you could definitely tell some people were really holding on for dear life when they realized they could see below us! Ash said they bring up about 1,000 people a day and only about 5 REALLY freak out (they might have to be cut off and brought down on stretchers). I thought about making up a story about how one of them was in my group, but I’m pressed for time so I shall continue!
I asked when their busiest day is and she said on January 1st and 2nd they do about 3,000 people. The fireworks in Sydney on New Year’s Eve are set off from the bridge so they have to close earlier on the 31st. So the people who plan on going that day realized it’s closed and then sign up for the next day! She also said it takes 3-4 months before and after New Years to set up and dismantle the fireworks (we saw a few machines taking them down!)
After the catwalk (yes, our group made it through) we had about 5 flights of VERY step ladder’s. I am not afraid of heights but this was the only time I was like, “ehhh I don’t know about this” mostly because we were going straight up over the cars.
We stopped enough so Ash could tell us about what we were seeing and so she could answer questions. We also had pictures taken of us (they will come soon!) and for obvious reasons we could not bring a digital camera with us.
We were talking about the whole idea of a “Bridge Climb” and Ash was saying how the department of motor vehicles said it was ok but people needed to be in gray suits to blend in. On the other side of the bridge is the train and they said it was ok but people had to be wearing florescent shirts. I guess after 8 years the train finally gave in..because our suits were grey! We also saw a Zakim Bridge in the distance so my new friends and I are going to start a Tobin Bridge climb. All of you are welcome! Near the top of the bridge we learned more about the Sydney Opera house and how it was only suppose to cost 7 million but ended up costing 1.2 billion (whoops!) and we also saw John Travolta’s house (where Oprah supposedly stayed).
1,439 steps later we were back..probably around 1130am! I was exhausted but so happy I did it! It was definitely an adventure! I made the walk back to the hotel where it was starting to rain. I was ALSO very happy I didn’t have to climb in the rain (they climb no matter what as long as there is no lighting) but it definitely wouldn’t have been as fun!
Erin flew in from the Gold Coast (yay!) and while her flight was a little delayed she arrived at the hotel in the early afternoon. We were all VERY hungry for lunch and had heard great things about this pancake place, so that’s where we headed. It was AMAZING!
Erin was definitely the most excited about it. They had regular pancakes, but then they had more like dessert pancakes (including chocolate pancakes which I have never had). We decided to start off with something more lunch-ish since we were going to be pigging out, and decided on nachos. While devouring the nachos we realized we were making this our “healthy” lunch choice, so you can tell how healthy we actually are. Our pancakes were delicious (although I do have to blog that Erin was the only one who finished). I got a chocolate pancake with ice cream, chocolate sauce and strawberries (I TRIED being healthy!)
After our tummies were STUFFED (and we realized how late in the day it was) we decided we wanted to get a tour of the Opera House. The weather was kinda blah so we figured it would be a good inside activity. We were actually impressed with the tour (it started off a bit slow) but it was really good to see the whole place. It really so beautiful inside! Our tour guide was telling us how Kanye West played in the main Concert Hall (not the kind of venue you would picture Kanye) and it was really nice because we were able to snap a few shots (if there’s a play set in the room you can’t).
As we left the tour we took a walk through the Botanical gardens which were very pretty (and much needed in a city) and we saw 2 brides! We were tired and hungry so we came back to the room to take needed showers!
We decided to head to Darling Harbor for dinner. We had heard that Darling Harbor was the “happening” place to be at night!..and it definitely was! It had a bit of a “Disney” feel to it and it was really cool. There was restaurant after restaurant after restaurant! It was all along both sides of the harbor which has LOTS of lights so it was beautiful reflecting off the water!
We ended up at an Italian place that took FOREVER (we legit waited 45 minutes and this is AFTER we starting timing) but the food was good. We walked around afterwards (even though it was 10pm the place was happening) and ended up at a Lindt chocolate place for dessert (courtesy of the best mom in the world)! There, we saw ANOTHER bride with MY dress on (ok, ok, just a dress I loved!) There were also fireworks going off which was cool but it was sort of hard to see them from where we were sitting.
After stuffing ourselves ONCE again I was the one who suggested we head back as I was exhausted (the bridge climb kicked my butt)!
Hugs and kisses from the Sydney Harbor Bridge!
Before we entered the room I had some time to hang out in the gift shop where they had pictures of famous people who had completed the climb (including Oprah) and I thought, if Oprah can do this..I can do this! I was also sizing up my competition in our group and I felt pretty comfortable as well!
Anyway I passed the breathalyzer test (wahooo!) and we were then brought into another room where we introduced ourselves. I met a couple who are on their honeymoon from Quincy MA (got married on the cape) so I became their third wheel! There was also a couple from Florida and business partners from LA here for work. The other three couples were from Australia! We then got our suits and were brought into yet another room to change, put things in our lockers, etc. I got a special strap for my sunglasses. After a metal detector we headed again into another room for the rest of our gear.
We put on harnesses, but they really just went around your waste so if you really DID fall off I can’t imagine they would help THAT much! We also got rain gear (which THANKFULLY we didn’t need) and our headsets. This whole process took about an hour (it was around 930am the last time I saw a clock) and we were ready to roll! The whole building was very industrial and at this point we walked on a bridge over the people who were waiting for their bridge climb. It was a little teaser..us saying that they TOO can wear these awesome jumpsuits!
Our guide was Ash (short for Ashely and she was awesome!) She studied outdoor recreation at university and said she didn’t really want to leave Sydney. The Blue Mountains are where someone with her degree would work but it’s about 2.5 hours away so she said the bridge climb was perfect for her! She’s been there for 3 years and has done 435 climbs! I asked her if she had brought any celebrities up and she replied, “Brittney” and I looked at her and said, “As in Spears?” to which she replied, “Uhhh is there any other?” I was DEFINITELY impressed with that! She also did a climb with Pink and said she seemed to be matched with “pop” people, which was perfect for her personality.
I was third in line (behind my new friends Jordon and Emily) and we were off! The first thing (that really got a lot of people) was the catwalk. Honestly heights don’t scare me at all, but you could definitely tell some people were really holding on for dear life when they realized they could see below us! Ash said they bring up about 1,000 people a day and only about 5 REALLY freak out (they might have to be cut off and brought down on stretchers). I thought about making up a story about how one of them was in my group, but I’m pressed for time so I shall continue!
I asked when their busiest day is and she said on January 1st and 2nd they do about 3,000 people. The fireworks in Sydney on New Year’s Eve are set off from the bridge so they have to close earlier on the 31st. So the people who plan on going that day realized it’s closed and then sign up for the next day! She also said it takes 3-4 months before and after New Years to set up and dismantle the fireworks (we saw a few machines taking them down!)
After the catwalk (yes, our group made it through) we had about 5 flights of VERY step ladder’s. I am not afraid of heights but this was the only time I was like, “ehhh I don’t know about this” mostly because we were going straight up over the cars.
We stopped enough so Ash could tell us about what we were seeing and so she could answer questions. We also had pictures taken of us (they will come soon!) and for obvious reasons we could not bring a digital camera with us.
We were talking about the whole idea of a “Bridge Climb” and Ash was saying how the department of motor vehicles said it was ok but people needed to be in gray suits to blend in. On the other side of the bridge is the train and they said it was ok but people had to be wearing florescent shirts. I guess after 8 years the train finally gave in..because our suits were grey! We also saw a Zakim Bridge in the distance so my new friends and I are going to start a Tobin Bridge climb. All of you are welcome! Near the top of the bridge we learned more about the Sydney Opera house and how it was only suppose to cost 7 million but ended up costing 1.2 billion (whoops!) and we also saw John Travolta’s house (where Oprah supposedly stayed).
1,439 steps later we were back..probably around 1130am! I was exhausted but so happy I did it! It was definitely an adventure! I made the walk back to the hotel where it was starting to rain. I was ALSO very happy I didn’t have to climb in the rain (they climb no matter what as long as there is no lighting) but it definitely wouldn’t have been as fun!
Erin flew in from the Gold Coast (yay!) and while her flight was a little delayed she arrived at the hotel in the early afternoon. We were all VERY hungry for lunch and had heard great things about this pancake place, so that’s where we headed. It was AMAZING!
Erin was definitely the most excited about it. They had regular pancakes, but then they had more like dessert pancakes (including chocolate pancakes which I have never had). We decided to start off with something more lunch-ish since we were going to be pigging out, and decided on nachos. While devouring the nachos we realized we were making this our “healthy” lunch choice, so you can tell how healthy we actually are. Our pancakes were delicious (although I do have to blog that Erin was the only one who finished). I got a chocolate pancake with ice cream, chocolate sauce and strawberries (I TRIED being healthy!)
After our tummies were STUFFED (and we realized how late in the day it was) we decided we wanted to get a tour of the Opera House. The weather was kinda blah so we figured it would be a good inside activity. We were actually impressed with the tour (it started off a bit slow) but it was really good to see the whole place. It really so beautiful inside! Our tour guide was telling us how Kanye West played in the main Concert Hall (not the kind of venue you would picture Kanye) and it was really nice because we were able to snap a few shots (if there’s a play set in the room you can’t).
As we left the tour we took a walk through the Botanical gardens which were very pretty (and much needed in a city) and we saw 2 brides! We were tired and hungry so we came back to the room to take needed showers!
We decided to head to Darling Harbor for dinner. We had heard that Darling Harbor was the “happening” place to be at night!..and it definitely was! It had a bit of a “Disney” feel to it and it was really cool. There was restaurant after restaurant after restaurant! It was all along both sides of the harbor which has LOTS of lights so it was beautiful reflecting off the water!
We ended up at an Italian place that took FOREVER (we legit waited 45 minutes and this is AFTER we starting timing) but the food was good. We walked around afterwards (even though it was 10pm the place was happening) and ended up at a Lindt chocolate place for dessert (courtesy of the best mom in the world)! There, we saw ANOTHER bride with MY dress on (ok, ok, just a dress I loved!) There were also fireworks going off which was cool but it was sort of hard to see them from where we were sitting.
After stuffing ourselves ONCE again I was the one who suggested we head back as I was exhausted (the bridge climb kicked my butt)!
Hugs and kisses from the Sydney Harbor Bridge!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney!
I was the one who woke up late this morning as I had set my alarm for 7…pm! Since we napped last night it I had switched to pm and I never switched it back! I hate that feeling of being rushed! I was also worried about the weight of my bag. They are SO anal about your checked bag (which hey..I get) but also your carry-on! Last time I tricked the woman and she didn’t see my backpack (which would have been over) but I was trying to pack, weigh, unpack and reweigh to get my bags right. My checked bag was WAY over and I realized it was probably because of my shower tote. I am embarrassed to say I think I’ve made a rookie mistake and tried to save money by buying shampoo etc. at home in bigger bottles instead of bringing travel size and buying more when necessary. We stopped at the Coles grocery store on the way out to buy mini bottles of water that I could then dump and put my shampoo etc inside those.
The ride to the airport was beautiful and SO different from what we experienced the other night (near death!!!!) Part of the ride was along the ocean and even though it still wasn’t a great day it was very pretty.
Mom dropped me off so I could unpack my bag, reduce my liquids and get rid of the evidence. We are each allowed 23kg for our checked bags for a total of 46kg that can be used however. Mom’s bag was 20kg and mine 24kg so we did alright! And get this..we didn’t even to weight our carryon!!! Ugh so annoying. Well I guess not really because I probably would have had to unpack and repack again, but I couldn’t believe after all that work this morning (on top of waking up late) I didn’t have to weigh it!
Our flight was delayed about 30 minutes which really didn’t prove to be a problem. But, The flight itself was..awful!! Mom and I were both VERY tired so we figured we would just sleep the whole time but neither of us could get comfortable! We did choose the “cheaper” airline, but STILL! Ugh I couldn’t wait to get off!
Our bags came quickly and we took a cab to our hotel which is in a GREAT location! We have a one bedroom (that Erin and I will sleep in) and mom is being such a good travel buddy and is sleeping on the couch!
We went out and started walking around to “The Rocks” and “Circular Quay” both of which are near the bridge and the Opera House. It is definitely VERY cool to be someplace you only see in pictures!
We then walked half way across the bridge (I am doing the bridge climb in the morning) but we were STARVING (we hadn’t eaten a real meal all day) so stopped for some pizza and pasta before calling it a night!
Hugs and kisses from Sydney!
The ride to the airport was beautiful and SO different from what we experienced the other night (near death!!!!) Part of the ride was along the ocean and even though it still wasn’t a great day it was very pretty.
Mom dropped me off so I could unpack my bag, reduce my liquids and get rid of the evidence. We are each allowed 23kg for our checked bags for a total of 46kg that can be used however. Mom’s bag was 20kg and mine 24kg so we did alright! And get this..we didn’t even to weight our carryon!!! Ugh so annoying. Well I guess not really because I probably would have had to unpack and repack again, but I couldn’t believe after all that work this morning (on top of waking up late) I didn’t have to weigh it!
Our flight was delayed about 30 minutes which really didn’t prove to be a problem. But, The flight itself was..awful!! Mom and I were both VERY tired so we figured we would just sleep the whole time but neither of us could get comfortable! We did choose the “cheaper” airline, but STILL! Ugh I couldn’t wait to get off!
Our bags came quickly and we took a cab to our hotel which is in a GREAT location! We have a one bedroom (that Erin and I will sleep in) and mom is being such a good travel buddy and is sleeping on the couch!
We went out and started walking around to “The Rocks” and “Circular Quay” both of which are near the bridge and the Opera House. It is definitely VERY cool to be someplace you only see in pictures!
We then walked half way across the bridge (I am doing the bridge climb in the morning) but we were STARVING (we hadn’t eaten a real meal all day) so stopped for some pizza and pasta before calling it a night!
Hugs and kisses from Sydney!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Koalas
I could NOT fall asleep last night and after a day of diving I have no idea why! I hit snooze a couple of times this morning (and I am NOT a snooze girl) before dragging myself out of bed. Luckily mom was still sleeping too as she had set her alarm for the right time in Australia but still had east coast time on her itouch! After a slow start, we headed down the main street to the Wildlife Habitat.
Our plan was to have “breakfast with the birds” which received very good reviews. It was funny because I guess in their high season you have to get there right away or else all the tables are gone, but we got there 45 minutes into it and we were the second table! They have a buffet breakfast and birds are around you. At first I wasn’t that impressed but then two beautiful birds came over and started eating mom’s bread which was funny. After they were done with us they went to another table to drink their juice while they were up getting more food! The breakfast itself was decent but it was cool sitting amongst the birds. We then walked through the different parts of the park. They do a really good job of keeping the animals “natural” environments. We were able to hand feed kangaroos which was awesome. Again since it isn’t tourist seasons we were really the only ones with them for a while. It was VERY cool when we saw one with a baby in its pouch (although the baby didn’t eat). There were birds in the area too that got VERY aggressive and would try to eat the food so it was a workout trying to feed the kangaroos without the birds stealing the food. Mom found a kangaroo she LOVED (a cute little hungry fella!) and said it was her “Cho Con” of kangaroos!
We then made our way to the Koala presentation which was interesting, although let’s be honest we really just wanted our pictures with them! That was pretty cool, although they are not soft but rather bristly! Pictures to follow! After that we headed back to the room to cool down (it isn’t really rainy, just VERY muggy) and print out boarding passes for Sydney tomorrow!
We then decided we were going to take a drive north which is where the Daintree Rainforest is located. Not to be travel snobs (which we are) but we had already done zip lining etc. in the rainforest in Thailand so we really didn’t have any interest in doing that again and since we had a car we figured we would make the most of our time by driving ourselves.
Our first stop was Massimo Gorge which reminded us of the Kangamangus highway in North Conway, NH. It was cool because it is the rainy season so the river was definitely worth checking out. They had a couple of nice walkways and paths and after some pictures we continued on.
Our next stop was a restaurant I had read about as a resort and spa. The resort and spa is VERY nice (way too expensive for us) but lunch was beautiful as it was on a deck overlooking the river. The whole place was very tranquil and zen-like and we felt VERY relaxed when we left.
We then decided to head up to Daintree Village which actually ended up being NOTHING (well..a convenient store and a tourist shop). In order to see what Daintree really had to offer you have to take a ferry, but the rental car doesn’t have insurance for that, so we ended up driving through the “town” (we didn’t blink) and then back to Port Douglas.
We were EXAUSTED when we got back. We have been getting up somewhat early here and going to bed late but it has been nice and this is really the first place we’ve been able to relax. I think the rain also makes us tired. So after well needed naps (that almost turned into sleeps!) we headed out for dinner at what turned out to be a place with great steaks! We were both pleasantly surprised!
Now it’s packing (again!) and off to Sydney in the morning!
Hugs and kisses from Koalas!
Our plan was to have “breakfast with the birds” which received very good reviews. It was funny because I guess in their high season you have to get there right away or else all the tables are gone, but we got there 45 minutes into it and we were the second table! They have a buffet breakfast and birds are around you. At first I wasn’t that impressed but then two beautiful birds came over and started eating mom’s bread which was funny. After they were done with us they went to another table to drink their juice while they were up getting more food! The breakfast itself was decent but it was cool sitting amongst the birds. We then walked through the different parts of the park. They do a really good job of keeping the animals “natural” environments. We were able to hand feed kangaroos which was awesome. Again since it isn’t tourist seasons we were really the only ones with them for a while. It was VERY cool when we saw one with a baby in its pouch (although the baby didn’t eat). There were birds in the area too that got VERY aggressive and would try to eat the food so it was a workout trying to feed the kangaroos without the birds stealing the food. Mom found a kangaroo she LOVED (a cute little hungry fella!) and said it was her “Cho Con” of kangaroos!
We then made our way to the Koala presentation which was interesting, although let’s be honest we really just wanted our pictures with them! That was pretty cool, although they are not soft but rather bristly! Pictures to follow! After that we headed back to the room to cool down (it isn’t really rainy, just VERY muggy) and print out boarding passes for Sydney tomorrow!
We then decided we were going to take a drive north which is where the Daintree Rainforest is located. Not to be travel snobs (which we are) but we had already done zip lining etc. in the rainforest in Thailand so we really didn’t have any interest in doing that again and since we had a car we figured we would make the most of our time by driving ourselves.
Our first stop was Massimo Gorge which reminded us of the Kangamangus highway in North Conway, NH. It was cool because it is the rainy season so the river was definitely worth checking out. They had a couple of nice walkways and paths and after some pictures we continued on.
Our next stop was a restaurant I had read about as a resort and spa. The resort and spa is VERY nice (way too expensive for us) but lunch was beautiful as it was on a deck overlooking the river. The whole place was very tranquil and zen-like and we felt VERY relaxed when we left.
We then decided to head up to Daintree Village which actually ended up being NOTHING (well..a convenient store and a tourist shop). In order to see what Daintree really had to offer you have to take a ferry, but the rental car doesn’t have insurance for that, so we ended up driving through the “town” (we didn’t blink) and then back to Port Douglas.
We were EXAUSTED when we got back. We have been getting up somewhat early here and going to bed late but it has been nice and this is really the first place we’ve been able to relax. I think the rain also makes us tired. So after well needed naps (that almost turned into sleeps!) we headed out for dinner at what turned out to be a place with great steaks! We were both pleasantly surprised!
Now it’s packing (again!) and off to Sydney in the morning!
Hugs and kisses from Koalas!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Finding Nemo
Woke up this morning, had breakfast and we were off to the Great Barrier Reef for the day. It wasn’t really rainy this morning and only about a 5 minute drive to the marina. The plan for the day was for me to scuba dive and mom to snorkel. Scott and I got PADI certified in 2007 and then I dove in Thailand in 2010. However, that’s not really a lot of diving, so when researching companies to dive with, I picked one that I could have a private dive master with me (I am a princess and all). While it is a little bit more expensive, (I did this in Thailand as well) I think it’s money well spent as I feel a LOT more comfortable. I also have a lot of trouble equalizing my ears, so with a private guide I can descend slowly and take my time if my ears are hurting.
On trip advisor this instructor Mark got great reviews and does a lot of intro courses (so he’s good with beginnings) so I was excited to dive with him! We joined up with a bigger company on their boat, Calypso, and got our briefing for the day. It was great review for me and I also felt comfortable knowing I was always going to have someone with me. Mark was great and made me feel very comfortable before my first dive.
For some reason, when taking my PADI class I felt like I was the only one who couldn’t breathe under water! I have been in the water since I was about 5 months old and very feel comfortable, but for all my life I have been told I can’t breathe under water and have had to plan according. However, when I had my regulator in, I couldn’t convince my mind it was ok to breathe!
After getting our gear situated we were ready for our first dive and I was very nervous. I made it into the water without falling apart but could already feel my breathing exaggerated as he began to lower me to check my weight. I will have you know he had to add MORE weight since I am oh so skinny!!!
I knew as I got more comfortable my breathing would get better, but we took the first descend and entire dive slow, which was nice! It was AWESOME! We did three dives throughout the day..all being around the Opal Reef. Our first site was called “Sno”, a reef dive on the North Opal Reef. It was great to get more comfortable in the water and diving again and it was so cool to see all the fish!
We had only about 5 minutes between the first and second dive to grab a quick bit to eat and a warm drink before we were suiting back up! It reminds me a lot of skiing as it is a lot of work to get prepared (and your exhausted by the time it’s time to go) but once you are in the water it’s all worth it! I felt more comfortable with this dive. I felt like I was able to get my breathing down and enjoy it a bit more. This dive site was called Split Boomie and was on the South Opal Reef. It is one large bommie split down the middle to form two circular chunks and can be categorized as a shallow wall dive. Here we saw a white tip shark. It was probably about 10 feet long! Ok ok, it wasn’t, but it was definitely cool to see. I saw a shark (I think the same type) in Thailand so I didn’t freak out or anything. We also saw some trigger fish (I remember this from Thailand as well and it was the same time of year) and they are nesting so you have to be careful. They nest in the sandy areas and if you get close they get aggressive so if Mark saw one he gave me the signal and we swam away!
After the second dive we had time to grab some lunch (I was SO hungry!) but after lunch we were suiting up again for our third (and final) dive. This was at Blue Bouy also on the South Opal Reef. This was my favorite dive, mostly because THIS is where I found NEMO! He was right there waiting for me..it was really cool because it was just like the movie! There was a massive (and I do mean massive) hunk of coral so that was cool because all the fish hung out there. We also saw a blue spotted stingray (far enough away that it was cool) and we played with string worms. They looked like spaghetti but Mark told me (afterwards) that we were touching its guts (which it sends out to get nutrients) and it thought we were its nutrients so it sucked itself back in. Jokes on the string worm I guess! We also saw a trigger fish but this time we actually watched it. It looked like it was digging in the sand (and made a lot of “smoke”) but Mark later told me it takes rocks and surrounds its nest so that’s what it was doing!
I was actually pretty tired after the third dive. My body was sore from hauling all the gear around (and I didn’t even DO a lot of the work) but it was WELL worth it! Mark was AWESOME and I am so glad I decided to have a private dive master again, it just really makes the experience that much more enjoyable for me.
Mom and I both fell asleep on the boat ride back and we arrived back to Port Douglas while it was down pouring (again!) After WELL needed showers and some resting, we headed out to dinner. It was kind of sad because the weather was warm and if it wasn’t down pouring we would have LOVED to walk to the restaurants, but this isn’t the “walking” kind of rain. We drove to a beautiful restaurant on the water and sat on their covered porch. The area reminds me a lot of Portsmouth because a lot of shops and restaurants are closed (for what would be our winter) and this restaurant is a happening place (where you have to wait for a table) when it’s nice out, but on a rainy night we had our pick! Dinner was actually very good and after a quick stop at the grocery store we were ready to call it a night!
Hugs and kisses from Nemo!
On trip advisor this instructor Mark got great reviews and does a lot of intro courses (so he’s good with beginnings) so I was excited to dive with him! We joined up with a bigger company on their boat, Calypso, and got our briefing for the day. It was great review for me and I also felt comfortable knowing I was always going to have someone with me. Mark was great and made me feel very comfortable before my first dive.
For some reason, when taking my PADI class I felt like I was the only one who couldn’t breathe under water! I have been in the water since I was about 5 months old and very feel comfortable, but for all my life I have been told I can’t breathe under water and have had to plan according. However, when I had my regulator in, I couldn’t convince my mind it was ok to breathe!
After getting our gear situated we were ready for our first dive and I was very nervous. I made it into the water without falling apart but could already feel my breathing exaggerated as he began to lower me to check my weight. I will have you know he had to add MORE weight since I am oh so skinny!!!
I knew as I got more comfortable my breathing would get better, but we took the first descend and entire dive slow, which was nice! It was AWESOME! We did three dives throughout the day..all being around the Opal Reef. Our first site was called “Sno”, a reef dive on the North Opal Reef. It was great to get more comfortable in the water and diving again and it was so cool to see all the fish!
We had only about 5 minutes between the first and second dive to grab a quick bit to eat and a warm drink before we were suiting back up! It reminds me a lot of skiing as it is a lot of work to get prepared (and your exhausted by the time it’s time to go) but once you are in the water it’s all worth it! I felt more comfortable with this dive. I felt like I was able to get my breathing down and enjoy it a bit more. This dive site was called Split Boomie and was on the South Opal Reef. It is one large bommie split down the middle to form two circular chunks and can be categorized as a shallow wall dive. Here we saw a white tip shark. It was probably about 10 feet long! Ok ok, it wasn’t, but it was definitely cool to see. I saw a shark (I think the same type) in Thailand so I didn’t freak out or anything. We also saw some trigger fish (I remember this from Thailand as well and it was the same time of year) and they are nesting so you have to be careful. They nest in the sandy areas and if you get close they get aggressive so if Mark saw one he gave me the signal and we swam away!
After the second dive we had time to grab some lunch (I was SO hungry!) but after lunch we were suiting up again for our third (and final) dive. This was at Blue Bouy also on the South Opal Reef. This was my favorite dive, mostly because THIS is where I found NEMO! He was right there waiting for me..it was really cool because it was just like the movie! There was a massive (and I do mean massive) hunk of coral so that was cool because all the fish hung out there. We also saw a blue spotted stingray (far enough away that it was cool) and we played with string worms. They looked like spaghetti but Mark told me (afterwards) that we were touching its guts (which it sends out to get nutrients) and it thought we were its nutrients so it sucked itself back in. Jokes on the string worm I guess! We also saw a trigger fish but this time we actually watched it. It looked like it was digging in the sand (and made a lot of “smoke”) but Mark later told me it takes rocks and surrounds its nest so that’s what it was doing!
I was actually pretty tired after the third dive. My body was sore from hauling all the gear around (and I didn’t even DO a lot of the work) but it was WELL worth it! Mark was AWESOME and I am so glad I decided to have a private dive master again, it just really makes the experience that much more enjoyable for me.
Mom and I both fell asleep on the boat ride back and we arrived back to Port Douglas while it was down pouring (again!) After WELL needed showers and some resting, we headed out to dinner. It was kind of sad because the weather was warm and if it wasn’t down pouring we would have LOVED to walk to the restaurants, but this isn’t the “walking” kind of rain. We drove to a beautiful restaurant on the water and sat on their covered porch. The area reminds me a lot of Portsmouth because a lot of shops and restaurants are closed (for what would be our winter) and this restaurant is a happening place (where you have to wait for a table) when it’s nice out, but on a rainy night we had our pick! Dinner was actually very good and after a quick stop at the grocery store we were ready to call it a night!
Hugs and kisses from Nemo!
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