Family Funday Sunday
Yes that’s what it’s called , the Family Funday Sunday Pass for unlimited travel on trains, buses and ferries in Sydney for the day. Guess how much for?………..$2.50 each! What a bargain! A big surprise in an expensive city like Sydney.
We spent the day exploring Sydney starting at the Rocks , wandering over to the Opera House and then catching the ferry over to Manly where we battled the crowds to check out the beach. It was good to have a day on foot using public transport and get the feel for being real tourists. I loved the hustle and bustle but Tim doesn’t like cities and was a bit……well……grumpy. He perked up later on when we got the bus to China Town and got the Asia feel at Paddy’s Market. The girls really enjoyed it too, and asked us, “Is this what Asia will be like?”
By the end of the day we were all exhausted and actually cold, yes cold! It had started raining at Manly and by the time we got to China Town it was pouring. We were all in shorts, t-shirts and jandals and were slipping and sliding all over the place. We were relieved to actually find the right bus and train to get us to our station where our car was parked. On Monday we decided to head to Bondi. The girls have been watching Bondi rescue here, (not sure if they have it in NZ??) so we thought we really need to get there and check it out. The shark attack a couple of weeks ago where a surfer got his hand munched , only added to the intrigue. Because it was a Monday, it was really quiet, no Paris Hilton sunning herself, but still quite a cool beach. It was a bit cool and only the girls swam, the male of the group felt a bit chilly and didn’t swim.
There was a bit of a drama involving road tolls in Sydney. What a nightmare! Off we went on our day out on Monday which involved driving over the Harbour Bridge. We knew it was a toll road and were all ready with cash to pay the toll. But no, from January 27th there is no cash toll booth, you have to get an e-pass. So as we drove through what once was a toll booth we read the sign YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO PAY, PLEASE PHONE 13500. We thought that would be fine, we’d phone and all would be good, but after phoning on our mobile and not getting through and spending $5 on cell phone charges we were not impressed. We asked at our caravan park who were also perplexed about the system but eventually got through on the phone to them and told us we had to register on-line to get an e-pass so that we could pay. What a hassle! We were quite relieved to head out of Sydney on Tuesday. I enjoyed Sydney but driving in any big city that you don’t know, especially with a caravan is definitely stressful! Tim couldn’t get out of Sydney fast enough.
So, here we are now in Katoomba, the heart of the Blue Mountains! Ahhhhh!(that is, deep sigh of relief) It is nice to be out of the city. photos coming soon.
Tags: Australia, Sydney, Travel
kim
Hi Wills family,
I bet you are sad you’re not at Kaurilands today – it’s the FUNFAIR!!! And with any amount of good luck it won’t rain until 7 pm tonight. All is well here. Sounds like you are having a real adventure. We have been to Manly Beach a few times – did you walk around the rocks to this seapool??? You migth get to go on the steepest railway in the world – isn’t that in the Blue Mountains?
Study is going well – very peaceful at home. So far I’ve handed in two things – another getting ready. Still time for coffee yesterday in Titirangi with Helen – I call it Fun Friday, and on Friday it’s all about ME!
love reading all about your adventures. Keep writing. Much love Claire
Great to hear from you, Claire. Sounds like your student life is great! No we didn’t walk around the rocks, it started pouring so we abandoned the beach. Yesterday we saw the steepest railway in the world while doing a big bushwalk. We’re really loving the Blue Mountains, lots of stuff to do.Take Carexx
Murray & I have been on that train too !!! Do you know why the Blue Mountains are called the Blue Mountains ? When the sun refracts on the leaves of the trees it makes them appear Blue ,Hence the name !!
If Sydney was too much for Tim ,he’ll hate London !!!!!!Perhaps I should meet you instead ,send Tim off to find a Hill !!!!!!!!!!!Take care xxx a
Yeah send Tim to Essex and me and Anne will come and do London with you…Anne is right – Tim really will hate it – and we would hate to do that to Tim!
Great plan!I’m sure he could be persuaded to take all the girls with him on an adventure while we do London! Seriously though, I do love the Blue Mountains. Right now I’m sitting in the warm, but not too warm sun, in my camping chair, with kookaburras laughing around me. It’s pretty nice! Tim and Michaella are off doing a multi-pitch climb which is basically a really long climb that is way too for me scary for me! I did have a climb the other day though-Tim’s really working us hard!
Isn’t it great that Tim has Michaella – just imagine if you had done your OE when you first got married – it would be you going off doing all these things with him!! Good idea to wait till now!
Offie has just come in to show me the ‘Ghost Clumps’ all over her arm (I asked if she meant goose bumps, and she replied – thats what I said ghost clumps…)
How much fun would we have in London….if I win lotto in the next few months I’ll see if I can bring us over..!!
Don’t worry, Tim did take me on many adventures,(some more positive than others). The difference is, I was a consenting adult, unlike the girls who know nothing different!
All sounds wonderful, makes us want to flag things here and come and join you. Maddie, how are those daily training runs with Dad going?!!
You sound like you are having lots of fun in the Blue Mountains. We enjoyed our time with Joanne and John there as well as another time but I don’t remember when that was exactly. Can you confirm that it is the 3rd April that you return late at night please? Not too long now. We are looking forward to seeing you all.
Love to all
Mum and Dad