Thursday:

I arrved back in Sydney exhausted, flying over/through an horrendous storm.

Sydney had a months worth of rain in two hours, thunder/lighting, etc, and Quantas gave us a rollarcoaster trip over it (all other airlines cancelled!). Felt as if I'd been on the big dipper continually for hours when landed!!

It felt very odd to be in a city again after the 'tiny' town of Hobart and deserted Tasmania, the people, noise and traffic seems enormous.

I walked for miles Thursday night to re-oriantate myself, and found autumn had arrived here too, despite the storm passing and heat descending by the minute...nearly got locked in the Botanical Gardens as everything has switched to autumn opening hours, very confusing.

Sydney Sights

Paul has had a whirlwind tour of Sydney!

Having arrived very early Friday, very disorientated, poor soul, having left the UK winter on Wed am and got here to 26 degrees at 7am Friday, I took him out to Manly beaches for sun/sea/surf and Oz culture!

Needless to say, he loved it (and the weather) and in the evening I took him on the ferry from Circular Quays around to Darling Harbour to see the city scape at night, under the Harbour Bridge and by the Opera House as the sun was setting.

he loved the bats in the Botanical Gardens, and the beautiful flowers all in bloom after the grey winter.

Sat we went to Watsons Gap and walked the South Heads, weather still gorgeous, and back around the city at sunset, using our ferry passes to the full!

Sun we went inland via the ferry to Parametta, which he adored, esp the wonderful view of the city coming back into the harbour from the river rather than the sea, and then, of course, he had to see Bondi  beach-which is tiny compared to Manly, obviously, but still kitsch and fun. Walked the Bondi to Coogee coastal path watching the surf crashing on the cliffs, and dodging the spiders.

(and other tourists/sunday locals-Sydney is busier now than when I was here, but also cruise ships here and weekend traffic, so hard to be sure)

Glorious sunset over the beach watching surfers!

So now tis Monday morning and I am sitting in the hotel lobby with our luggage (now doubled in size) waiting for Paul to collect the hire car, then off to the Blue Mountains etc...the only time we stay anywhere for any length of time is in Melbourne, so correspondance may be limited for a while road trip in progress...............fingers crossed will be fun though, looking forward to seeing more of Australia!!

We've got a day or two back here before returning to the Uk on March 31st, so saving city walks for then, as its beach weather without a doubt here at the minute!