Whats Happening with Wendy: Where in the World has Wendy been?????????????????

SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA

Check out this link to Flickr to see all of my photos from the Vivid Lights Festival

Michelle and I flew to Sydney from Auckland to see the Vivid Light Festival, to check out the sights and spend a few days in the Blue Mountains, and have a bit of mother/daughter time together.

Monday 26th May 2014
We flew out of Auckland at 1.00pm on a cool but fine day, and arrived in Sydney at 2.30pm on a very hot afternoon, 26°C in fact.
We were to meet our ride at a meeting point, which we assumed was where all the shuttles were out the front. Who would have thought that in the Airport itself there is a place called 'The Meeting Point' DUH!!

We finally made it to our Hotel, the City Hotel, and I know when you look at the picture it looks like we really stayed at Oporto!!!

Anyway we dumped our bags and headed out, going our separate ways. First off to the shopping centre (EXPENSIVE) the Westfield in Sydney is nothing like the Westfield in NZ. The Sydney Westfield is full of luxury high end shops: Gucci, Prada etc.
I left Michelle to it and headed up to Hyde Park, I then went to church at St. Marys Cathedral and then headed down to the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Australian Ibis - Hyde Park

Chess anyone - Hyde Park

Hyde Park

St Marys Cathedral

Royal Botanical Gardens

When we finally met up again it was dark, so we headed off down to Darling Harbour to check out the lights, which was only a 10 minute walk away.

Darling Harbour

By now its getting late and we haven't eaten for hours and considering we have only been here a few hours we have managed to cram a lot in already.
We head off in search of food, Mexican for (Michelle) and Grill'd for me. (Field of Dreams Burger)

We are exhausted by now so head back to the Hotel for sleep.
We decide we will get up early tomorrow and go to Taronga Zoo.

Tuesday 27th May 2014
Check out this link for more photos of: Taronga Zoo

The morning is beautiful, clear skies and warm already.
We head off to Circular Quay to find some breakfast. We found a really nice place called City Extra right on the Waterfront.

City Extra

Menu

We then purchased our tickets for the Ferry and the Zoo.

On the Ferry on our way to Taronga Zoo

Arrived at Taronga Zoo at 9.30am.
Took the cable car from the boat up to the Zoo.
What a breathtaking view. We wandered around the Zoo until about 3.30pm and still did not manage to see everything, but we are now over the walking and the climbing. Fancy building a Zoo on the side of a hill!

So we headed back to the City and because we are buggers for punishment, continued to walk for another couple of hours around The Rocks and Circular Quay before wandering back to our Hotel, to rest our weary feet.
Its 6.30pm now so what do we do.....more walking, back down to Circular Quay and the Opera House to check out more of the Vivid Lights. (Check out the link at the top to see more...a lot more....of the lights). Hmmm can't remember if we even had dinner...but I remember we had icecream!

Because we really have had enough of walking and its now nearly 11.00pm we get a cab back to the Hotel. Phew. Exhaustion has now set in.

Tomorrow we pick up a rental car and head to the Blue Mountains.

Wednesday 28th May 2014
Check out this link for more photos of the Blue Mountains

Wow what a stunning morning, it was 18°C at 7.00am and at 11.00am 27°C. We are now heading to the cooler climates of the Blue Mountains.

We picked up our zippy red car, and headed out through the city and then into Sydney's Harbour Tunnel, and then on to the motorway, where in parts I could legally do 110kph. Woohoo.
A couple of hours later and we are in the Blue Mountains with a 15°C temperature, but what a stunning day.

Zippy

Firstly we stopped off at Wentworth Falls to check out the walk we might do in a couple of days time.
We then headed off to the Three Sisters in the Jamison Valley. We then went and checked into our Hotel which was the Waldorf in Leura.

Map of Wentworth Falls Area

Three Sisters

The Mountains really are blue

Headed off to the Leura shops and happened to park outside the home of Chocolate 'Josophans' (mmmmm Chocolate) had a few liqueur chocolate samples, bought some Orange Spiced Drinking Chocolate and proper Chai Tea.

Wandered around the other shops and bought nothing, so headed over to Katoomba a few kilometres down the road.

Checked out the shops and a few liquor outlets, thought I spotted a couple of Banksy's (but probably not...LOL) then headed back to the Hotel as it is starting to get bitterly cold now.

Also tried some Adriano Zumbo Tim Tams, different but nice.

A Rhino in Katoomba

Is this a Banksy????

Maybe this one is...or not

Adriano Zumbo Tim Tams (yummy)

Not that we would stay at the Hotel long, decided to order Pizza for dinner so had to do a drive back to Katoomba again.

Tomorrow we are heading to Jenolan Caves.

Thursday 29th May 2014
Check out this link for more photos of Jenolan Caves

Today I have a head cold (BOO!!!)
We are not due to start our cave tour until the afternoon, I have decided not to do the most difficult one as I am having trouble breathing with this stupid cold.
Michelle is doing the difficult one and I am doing a more easier one (yea right)
On the way to the caves we stopped off at Govetts Leap, but didn't stay long (very cold)

We headed out to Jenolan Caves and enjoyed a quiet wander around before going on our respective Tours.
I was doing the Orient Cave and Michelle the Lucas Cave

So the caves were amazing, but it is getting late now and we have a bit of a drive to get back to Leura.
Dinner hmm, a stop at the supermarket and something quick and warm. Soup.

Tomorrow we head off to Scenic World and Wentworth Falls

Friday 30th May 2014
Up bright and early (this seems to be the norm for us) thought we would head out to Scenic World before the bus loads of tourists arrived. Which really was a good idea.
Caught a train at the 'Steepest Passenger Railway' in the world down into Jamieson Valley, and then walked to the forest floor, we caught the Scenic Cableway back up to the top and then caught the Skyway across the Jamieson Valley which took in the Katoomba Falls and amazing views across the valley.

Katoomba Falls

Scenic World

By now there are so many tourists so decided to head over to Wentworth Falls. We decided to only do the short walk (Head Cold is getting worst) there had not been much rain so the waterfalls were nothing spectacular and it was a 3 hour round trip!! We walked to the lookout, those 200 steps down were easy but coming back up.
Oh my Lord...........
Time to head back for a well deserved rest.

Wentworth Falls

Tomorrow we head back to Sydney

Saturday 31st May 2014
Back to Sydney and the warmth again today, and boy is it warm.
We checked into the Travelodge in Phillip Street which is part of the NSW League Club.

Check out the mural above on the wall at the Travelodge. A relaxing day today mooched around the shops wandered down past the Sydney Museum, past the Ben Chifley sculpture. (Prime Minister from 1945 - 1949), past the Channel 7 building and back down to Circular Quay.

Sydney Museum

Ben Chifley

Channel 7

Sunday 1st June 2014
Today we decided to walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as Michelle wanted to do the Pylon Climb, I was lazy and could not be bothered with another 200 steps to the top!.
But the view was just as spectacular from the bridge, we walked from one side to the other.

From here we went and checked out the Rocks Markets it was a huge market but selling lots of touristy knick knacks and food. Lots of Rainbow Lorikeets also flying around.

Rocks Market

Rainbow Lorikeet

We headed down to the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium this evening as I wanted to see the Dugong but they weren't there...SAD... apparently they had gone on 'holiday' while building work was being done, because they don't like noise.

Dugong

Monday 2nd June 2014
Check out this link for more photos of: Bondi Beach

Woohoo off to the beach today...BONDI BEACH

We bought return tickets to Bondi Junction and went on the double decker train, now how cool is that!!

From here we jumped on the bus to Bondi Beach...surfs up.
What a glorious day, after walking around to the lookout and paddling our feet and spending a few hours in the sun, we headed back to Bondi Junction, to check out the shops.

After arriving back in the City, we headed back to the Hotel, and how could we have missed this!!! A Lindt Café, AMAZING, so much chocolate, so we bought a few and I bought this Raspberry and White Chocolate Macaron. Delicious!!!

Tonight we decided to go to Lord of the Fries for dinner, and as you guessed, they do Fries, in fact I had yummy Kumara Fries. (Orange Kumara or Sweet Potato, not real Kumara (red) like back home)

To get there we wandered down Martin Place and checked out some more lights.

Tuesday 3rd June 2014
We fly out back home later on tonight so we decide to do what!!
WALK. We walked down to the Market City and Chinatown, but really did not find anything we wanted. Wandered back uptown and sat and had lunch in Hyde Park and sat in the sun for the afternoon. Finally we had a relaxing few hours.