Happy New Year
Hello again, I hope you have had a very happy and relaxing Christmas and that Santa delivered all you desired. We've been playing happy families, visiting the sites of Sydney and beyond and having such a laugh. We've been here for 17 days and have got seriously itchy feet! Still today, in about 6 hours time, we're back in the car and blasting the 1000km from Sydney to a place called Surfers Paradise, about an hour Sydney side of Brisbane where Alex is meeting his group of travelling mates. He's going camping for a week and flying back to Sydney on the 12th. Liam, Jim and I are driving more leisurely along the Pacific Highway back to Sydney, hoping to snorkel with turtles, spot dolphins and whales and laze on the Gold Coast beaches.
Our exploring before Christmas took us to the Hyde Park Barracks, which is now a museum, where 50,000 convicts arrived, transported to the colony rather than face death at home. It was fascinating. Is there no-one in my family who can resist an opportunity to dress up!
From there we visited Darling Harbour, uber trendy with it's bars, restaurants, 20 inflatable Santas, etc.
The 23rd saw us stocking up at good old Woolworths, buying Christmas goodies for a bit of a feast. Alex, obviously, still had to do some present shopping, so he disappeared up to the parade. (He quite clearly couldn't find everything he wanted at the various airport duty frees.)
We left Liam working on his dissertation (the one he said he would finish before leaving Liverpool) on Christmas Eve and the three of us went to Middle Head, one of the many headlands around the harbour. There are fortifications, gun pits and 'tiger cages' where soldiers were trained to resist torture. Alex found them particularly interesting until discovering they are perfect hiding places for snakes, then for some reason, he didn't want to know! From there we made our way along the cliff to Obelisk Beach. Alex was in the lead down the cliff path, suddenly he began to beat a hasty retreat, passing us in his rush to disassociate himself from the nudes on the beach - all men!! Made me laugh, made Jim hysterical!
We eventually found ourselves on Balmoral beach, a picture perfect bay with beautiful turquoise waters and pristine sands. It was hot, hot, hot! In the evening we went to see a light show at St Mary's Cathedral, really spectacular.
Christmas Day dawned bright, beautiful and very hot.
We spent the afternoon back on Balmoral Beach. It was a great atmosphere, people sporting Santa hats, others setting up for a full dinner on the beach and in the parks, BBQs smoking, as unlike Christmas as imaginable.
Back to BBQ gorgeous prawns, asparagus and corn, followed by dinner with our Barossa wine. Bliss!
I did share it, although it doesn't look like it!
On Boxing Day we joined the many thousands of people on the heads and beaches watching 84 yachts set off on the 4 day Sydney to Hobart race. It was a pretty spectacular site, loads of other motor boats accompanied them out of the harbour, round the headlands and into open sea.
After that we headed to Botany Bay via the various sports stadiums.
The most memorable day has to be our trip to the Blue Mountains, spectacular scenery, challenging walks cut into the cliffs and great company. I think being outdoors, taking part in some serious exercise, has always seen our little family at it's best. Of course, everything's a race!! Because, quite clearly, no-one is competitive!!! I hope the photos do it justice.
As you can see, some things don't change.
Of course, we had to go and see some footy, or soccer as its known round these parts. We watched Sydney FC get soundly beaten by Melbourne Heart on Thursday night. Great atmosphere though, biggest crowd of the season, 16,000!
Liam and Alex enjoyed their Christmas present on the 30th, a 2 hour surfing lesson at Manly beach. (Let's not forget flights to Oz, accommodation, all meals, days out, beer, etc, as they conveniently have.)
I finally had my hair cut, it's been getting on my nerves - and probably everybody else's!
We've just got back from Cramorne Point, we've been with, what appears to be the whole of the population of Sydney, picnicking then counting down to the new year. The fireworks were just spectacular and quite moving, they are set off from five barges in the harbour and, of course, the harbour bridge.
We hope you enjoy your new year celebrations, health and happiness to everyone reading this.
- Posted by Annie & Jim using BlogPress from THE iPad
Location:Lindsay St,Neutral Bay,Australia
