These boots were made for walking.....

Thursday 19th October

Today, we hopped on a bus into the city of Sydney. Bright blue sky and temperature of 28 degrees. Starting at Martin Place, we made our way to Circular Quay from where the ferries take commuters across the harbour or go to Manly. 

The city was vibrant and bustling with tourists and workers alike. The iconic Opera House was on our route, where we partook of an ice cool beer, then we walked around the huge harbour by the Botanic Gardens, accompanied by the lunchtime rush of office joggers! 

At a bend in the bay is MacQuarie's seat where the wife of Governor MacQuarie would sit and contemplate life in the Harbour. From here, you could see across to Woolamaloo, where in the past, many new immigrants came ashore to start life in a new country -the £10 POMS. Now it is a naval base.

Completing our circuit, we returned to the city centre through the Botanic Gardens which were very well laid out and we saw many free roaming  ibis birds and rosellas chirruping in the trees. We visited a special exhibition at the Calyx Centre all about pollination. Did you know that bees see 'red' as ' black' and therefore do not pollinate red flowers? Instead, they prefer blue or lilac flowers.

Late afternoon, we caught the doubledecker train back to Rockdale.

Highlight of the day: having a beer at the Opera House whilst looking at the famous Harbour bridge.

Wednesday 18th October

On Wednesday, we followed the Princes Highway north along the coast through Nowra and stopped at Kiama for lunch by the lighthouse.

 Kiama is famous for its Blowhole but the wind must have been driving in the wrong direction for the sea to force up out of the hole. However, excitement was in store as we were able to spot quite a few baleen whales 'spouting' and frolicking in the bay. They are now making their way back to Antarctica. This has to be today's highlight.

We then continued towards Sydney taking the Tourist Drive which meant going along the seacliff bridge which is an engineering feat.

Our campsite for the next four nights is at Rockdale, a residential suburb south of the City.