Sydney - January 28 to February 8, 2012
Sydney was the longest segment in our itinerary. We figured there would be a lot to see and do, considering how large the city is, but of course we didn't plan on the rainy summer or the broken ankle. The ankle problem ruled out taking public transportation because walking was difficult, and the unusually wet weather limited the number of activities we could enjoy. Fortunately we were staying in a place that was only a few blocks from the Westfield Hornsby Shopping Centre and they ran a lot of recent movies.
Soon after arriving in Sydney we were met by Harvey and Annette Fuller, our old friends from the GUIDE era. Many years previously, on our first trip to Australia, Harvey drove us around and showed us Sydney. It was a real treat to travel some of the same ground, but of course the quaint little beach we remembered was now a popular destination and was completely built up. Too bad we didn't capture that original scene years ago. After the tour we went back to their place for a tea and a rest.
Other activities included driving into the Blue Mountains and visiting the town of Katoomba, which was very scenic. We also played at Cromer Golf Club which offers a reciprocal arrangement to Whitevale golfers. Their course was struggling a little due to the weather but we managed to get one game in with Sharon driving and checking out the local wildlife.
Next stop: Brisbane or return to the trip summary