Saturday, January 23, 2010

Sydney, Part 1


I'm sitting here at home, wondering if I have been dreaming. Did Charlotte & I just spend two whirlwind days in Sydney? Was I really swimming at Bondi Beach is a pair of bizarre, last minute bathers, this morning??



I think we did, and I think I was, but although we were awake it really was a dream come true.

Ever since Charlotte was little I have been saying I would take her to Sydney one day. And every year something seemed to happen to get in the way. Four babies in quick succession might have had something to do with that. Well the day finally came and boy was it worth the wait. We just had the best time ever. It was so much fun!



After settling in at our hotel on Friday we took off past Kings Cross where we spotted this funny sign above. I wonder if he was?



We wandered through the beautiful winding streets, looking at houses, feeling the tropical air and loving the frangipani flowers.


We came to the Gallery of New South Wales and spent time looking at the amazing Dobel Prize for 2009 Drawings & lots of other fantastic works. The gallery is in such a gorgeous old building, I'd love to go back for a longer look.

Then it was on to Circular Quay where we boarded a ferry to Manly. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and it was just the best way to see this brilliant harbour.

We both wished we had bought bathers because this little beach at Manly was so inviting. We did cool our hot feet in the clear water and watched little fishes darting about. What a beautiful spot.

After coffee & icecream it was back on the ferry for the return trip. This time we saw Kirribilli House, lots of boats & of course the famous bridge, itself.

We both really enjoyed the ferry ride. I love the way this is public transport. Imagine commuting every day by ferry!

Sydney was such a contrast to our life in country Victoria. I loved being somewhere else and experiencing all the different smells, people, buildings, history and most of all the water!

After the ferry ride we did some shopping, the Queen Victoria Building was amazing. I also bought an ace pair of sunnies (left mine at home) at the $2 shop and Char & I both went crazy in Kikki Ki. Then we hopped on the mono rail before heading back to our hotel. It was six o'clock by this time so we had a rest before having dinner in Surry Hills. A crazy, loud Italian restaurant with amazing pizza. Lots of window shopping afterwards and then home to bed.

What a big day. I wish I could say I slept well but it was a restless night. Someone tried to get into our room sometime in the early hours by banging and crashing at our door, pretty scary! Probably someone who had mistaken our room for theirs. Who knows? We woke up feeling a bit weary but soon got ready for another action packed day.

I hope this post isn't turning into Auntie Beck's Slide Show, are you yawning? Guess what.... Part Two is coming soon! Sleep tight sweeties xo

8 comments:

moose and bird said...

It sounds like you had a lovely time. Spontaneous mother and daughter trips are just the best. I don't know what I would do without my 'girls days out' with my Mum. Hope you are having a great weekend. Melinda xo

GardenOfDaisies said...

We loved your slide show Auntie Dandelion! :-)
OK, seriously, I don't know if I will ever have a chance to visit Sydney myself, so I really enjoyed "traveling" with you through the photos. Love frangipani! Beaches, ferry rides, places Tiger Woods frequented... LOL!! I'm glad you had such a great girls weekend with your daughter!

bec said...

Wow, you saw all the best bits of my home town!! I used to live in Darlinghurst, just over from Kings Cross, can you believe it? And worked in the Cross at age 19. Bizarro old life. Grogeous pics and they turned the weather on for you. Can't wait to see more.

Manda said...

So so nice for you and Charlotte. She must have loved having you all to herself. I loved visiting Sydney...your sunny photos make me want to plan another visit..(that's my unsettled gypsy spirit).

Sue said...

What a lovely getaway for you and Charlotte. I would love to see Sydney one day as my mum was born there. It seems you had great weather too. I cant wait for Part 2.

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

Loved it all, that's my home city!! I learnt to swim at Balmoral beach (tiny ripples, my mum was too scared of our pool at home as she couldn't swim, clearly a harbour beach was safer??) which is near Manly. I will do that with my eldest soon, my 4 were born in Darwin, so Sydney is a treat, even though we have lived there twice. Great city to visit, Canberra country is a bit more my pace now. Bring on part 2!! Love Posie

mel @ loved handmade said...

Looks like you've had a great time, and it would be so nice to have had that one on one time, good for you!

crzylady said...

yea for mommy daughter day in the big city! so much fun.. the sun and water look lovely and we can't wait to see party deux