Trip to New Zealand, Australia, Asia - February thru April 2007

New Zealand to Japan
February through April 2007

Page 9 - Sydney, Australia (Part I)

We docked in Sydney the morning of February 28th.


There was a beautiful sunrise that morning.	By the time we actually docked. the sun was already up and we were treated to an excellent view of the harbor.	Our ship, docked and ready to switch passengers for its next journey. The Sydney Harbor bridge is partially visible behind the ship.


This is the walkway from the dock to the city, the visitor information center being in the building on the right.	We were too cheap to take a taxi to our B&B inn so, in spite of having luggage to tow, we took a bus from the Circular Quay (pronounced like the word "key").	A half hour ride on the bus, followed by 15 minutes of dragging our luggage on the sidewalk, we found our B&Bm the Arnoui Inn.


		Far left is the backyard of our B&B, and at left (as well as above) is the living room which also served as the breakfast dining room. All in all, we had a wonderful stay in the Arnoui Inn, which is located in Annandale, a suburb of Sydney. Once we learned the right bus to take, and the best spot to board it, the bus ride to and from Sydney center, including the walk to the B&B was accomplished in under 30 minutes.


Along Johnston Street, on which our B&B was located, we saw some very interesting residential architecture. Many, many houses in the suburbs of Sydney have all this wrought iron "gingerbread".	In Sydney we passed by some statues of interest.


After dropping off our luggage in the B&B, we returned to downtown Sydney with the intent of taking a ferry ride by the famous opera house. When we arrived in the Circular Quay, we saw some Aborigines performing their native music and even some dancing.


While waiting for our ferry, we saw a water taxi.	Then, after a few minutes our ferry arrived.	We opted to ride the ferry outdoors.	The Sapphire Princess was still docked and we could see it behind the opera house.

Views from our ferry ride:
Far left - a lighthouse. Left - Sydney's tower. Right - Very fast-moving boats.

Then we saw a really fast moving watercraft (left) which was out to give its riders a wild experience in doing a sudden 180 degree turn (right). The craft must have been moving 40 mph when the driver swung the rudder and caused the boat to slide sideways as he pitched it into the turn. Wild!!