Sydney

We have been fortunate to visit Sydney several times.  When I looked for things for us to do on web pages like '30 things to do in Sydney' I found that we had done almost all of them.  If you discount anything that involves getting wet or hanging off a rope then we've probably done all of them.  Or so I thought.

We took the bus from Sydney north to Palm Beach.   We had done this journey with Andy once before but then got on a boat.  This time we went to the end of the bus route and got off at this beautiful beach.

If you are in to Australian soaps, this is where the outdoor shots for Home and Away are shot.

We walked alongside the beach and started the steep walk up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse.  In fact we didn't choose to go up this way but did come down it.

We chose instead to take the sloping zigzag track.

I found it quite hard and we had to stop quite a few times so I could catch my breath and let my aching calf muscles calm down.  However the views were spectacular so it was worth it.  (I had to keep telling myself that!)

We took the bus back to Sydney and met up with the Hopper Juniors at Circular Quay.

The next day we visited Parliament House Sydney.

This is the library.

Then we went to the Hyde Park Barracks museum.  We hadn't visited it before because I thought it was going to be about soldiers and horses.  I really should read the guidebook.  It was an amazing building full of the story of the convicts sent out from England.  If ever you are in Sydney it is a must-see.  I can't believe that we have been going out there since 2008 and never visited it.

We took the train out to where Andy & Naomi live and had dinner with them.  In the evening we went back into Sydney.

We went to a concert by Postmodern Jukebox at the Sydney Opera House.

A final photo was taken of the band by the stage manager.  Can you spot us?  We're in the middle of the Circle!

On our final day in central Sydney we took the ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo.

We walked from the quay for the zoo to Chowder Bay.  We had walked before with Andy from Chowder Bay to Bradleys Head.

We saw quite a few of these guys sunning themselves.

The view back to the Sydney skyline

A kookaburra.  I wonder whether he was the same one we saw last time we took this walk?

We took the train again to Brighton-Le-Sands where the Hopper Juniors live and took a walk along the promenade before dinner.

Later that evening the five of us set out in the car for Goulburn where we had booked an Airbnb place for three nights.  More on that next time.

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

A return to the Book of Moments

Last week I told you about the Seth Apter workshops I went on.   So often I go to workshops and don't finish the project so this time I determined that I would finish the book.

Here are the pages I did after the last blog post.

The fronts of all the pages.

The backs of all the pages

A very short video of the book so far.

I think the pages may need some scribble and splatter but that can be done anytime.  Or maybe even add some more elements to some of the pages.  But for now I shall consider it done.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice

Big sand dunes, big trees and big boulders

Welcome back to our trip around the Northlands of North Island, New Zealand.

Our last three days in the area featured the largest sand dunes in the world, enormous boulders and the second largest trees in the world.

Sadly this photo doesn't really do justice to how tall these sand dunes actually are.

We drove along the tourist drive until we came to the Hokianga Ferry.

This took us to Rawene where we booked into a B&B.

This is is the pretty front door of the B&B The Postmaster's Lodgings.

We visited Clendon House arriving just as the guide was beginning a talk about the history of the place.

Then we took a drive to Wairere Boulders.

The path around the site is mostly well defined although there were some narrow places to get through

and sometimes the path seemed to disappear.

I earned my 'mountain goat certificate' scrambling over some of these large boulders.

The next day as we travelled we stopped off at different spots to view intersting landscapes, a waterfall and view the large Kauri trees.

These were still sand dunes but some of the sand seemed to have hardened into rocks.  I always though rocks eroded into sand but there you are!

The Waiotemarama Waterfall.

Then on to the Kauri trees.  This tree is thought to be at least 2000 years old.

And a walk through the forest.

We spent the last morning in New Zealand visiting the Kauri Museum.  It was a very comprehensive museum about the Kauri tree and the amber that is taken from it.  I spotted these in the room displays.  I was supposed to be looking at the amazing furniture!

Then we were off to the airport and our flight to Sydney.  Next time - In and around Sydney, Australia.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice