OZ - Sydney

We arrived in Sydney on 10th June. First problem was that I had no voice so they went all crazy at the airport, made me wear a mask and took me to see a doctor. I didn't have swine flu. Next thing was they conviscated all our seed jewellery off us. Very upsetting. We then got a shuttle to Kings Cross and checked into a dire hostel. It was foul. We walked to the harbour that evening and got our first site of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour bridge which were all lit up for a light display. Stunning:

We then went and got free dinner in a pub near our hostel - bonus - and headed to bed.

The next morning we sorted out all our travel in Oz. Or rather the guy in Tribal travel did. We then headed to a food court in chinatown for lunch and wandered around Paddy's Market. We walked under and around the harbour bridge but we had been walking for so long in the wrong shoes and we were tired and hungry. We went out for a drink in Kings Cross but had another early night and watched a film.
Pictures from the day:

The equivalent of a pigeon:

The next morning we moved to Simon's flat in Glebe. What a change, it is sooo nice. It was lovely to see Simon as well. We hung around the flat and then met Simon for lunch, which he treated us to, in the QVB. We then spent the afternoon together walking around the Botanical Gardens, sitting outside the SOH and shopping in Broadway. In the evening, Simon cooked us risotto and we nattered over wine and then watched the Duchess.

Views from outside Simon's flat:

The next morning we got a day tripper ticket for Sydney. First we got the train to Bondi Junction and then the bus to Bondi Beach:

H-A-P-P-Y

Then we bused it to Watsons Bay and got the ferry across to Central Quay and then out to Manly:

We wandered around Manly and the market there and then bused it to a train station so that we could get the train across the harbour bridge which was cool. Simon cooked again which was exciting, it was called riclette I think and I've never had it before!

The next day was our last in Sydney. We went to the fish market:

Then the Maritime museum and then Chinatown again for lunch. After a spot of shopping we returned to Simon's for tea and cake (courgette muffins!) It was a really nice few days. Good to catch up with Simon and Sydney was a cool city. We caught the bus overnight to Byron Bay.