Other trip days
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Sydney Sightseeing - Group Photo Shoot
Wake-up call at 6:45 AM. Breakfast at the hotel was from 7-11AM and we got to breakfast at 7:30 AM. Breakfast on the 5th floor of the hotel. Saw Ken and BJ and ate breakfast with them (had fresh passionfruit). Yacked for a long time, then realized it was 8:15 AM and we had to get ready to leave at 8:30 AM. Sightseeing, drove around downtown first, then Mrs. Macquerie’s Point (Macquerie was one of the original governors of Australia) for the tour group photo with the Harbour Bridge and Opera House as the background (say cheese, say Sydney, say money).Was so rushed that we did not have time to take pictures or walk down to Mrs Macquerie’s chair (a sandstone formation)—Jann was in a hurry to make the appointment for the Opera House tour.
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Sydney Sightseeing - Opera House Tour
Got off the bus near the Opera House and the group split up. The “mobility impaired” went with guide Sally to use the elevators. The rest of us followed guide Rhonda. Saw the Concert Hall where the symphony was rehearsing War and Peace. Then we walked over to the other side, the Opera Theatre where they were building sets for Carmen. Then to the Utzon room with its tapestries.
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Sydney Sightseeing - Bondi Beach
Got back on bus and continued on southward through the snob neighborhoods of Paddington, Double Bay and Point Piper (most snob). Tried to cross Chinatown, but the roads were blocked due to a Chinese New Year’s celebration. Had to take an alternate route to get to Bondi Beach (pronounced bond-eye). Had a 40 minute stop there to get morning tea, souvenirs and try the beach and the Tasman Sea.
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Sydney Sightseeing - Taronga Zoo
Picked up lunch to go and got back on the bus, travelling north across the Harbour Bridge through the northern suburbs of Neutral Bay, Cremona, Balmoral, and on to the Taronga Zoo. We were divided into three separately guided groups (the Koalas, the Kangaroos, and the Wombats). We were in the Kangaroos and our guide was Sue. Sue was a volunteer at the zoo for 15 years. We saw black swans, platypus and Tasmanian Devil. Took pictures with a live Koala. We went to the reptile display—unlike New Zealand, Australia has snakes and a lot of them are poisonous including the deadliest Fierce Snake. Saw some birds and after the zoo tour was over we ate the take out lunch from Bondi Beach and bought a T-shirt at the zoo store.
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Sydney Captain Cook Harbour Cruise
Got back on the Globus coach and went south back across the Harbour Bridge to The Rocks for an hour and a half to look around prior to the 3:15 harbor cruise. Walked around, got some bottled water and a diving magazine from the newsstand. Got on the Captain Cook Cruise boat, Jann passed out the tickets and went with us. Had tea and some sweets sitting inside. We went around the harbor and past some NCG homes facing the harbor. Saw some Aussie warships (FFG’s) and Leander frigates.
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Sydney Group Dinner at Waterfront Restaurant
After the cruise, had to walk back to the hotel (with other tourist Rick, I guess the bus driver skipped). Walked past the hotel to the convenience store to get drinks and batteries. Went back to hotel to rest until 6:15 PM to go to catch bus for the group dinner. The Barrys were late because they thought the departure was 6:30 PM. We had a new driver (Alan) to go to dinner. Drove through The Rocks area until we got to the Waterfront Restaurant. Sat at dinner with Jann, John, the Lunds and the Smiths (yong couple). The Flathead (fish) was replaced with Whiting, so I got the filet. Got back on bus and Alan took us back to the hotel.
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