Travelling back to Roma! 18/1/2011

The first leg of our journey home is finished. 

It took 8 hours to get to Hong Kong from Sydney, we are now in the Airport Travellers Lounge waiting for our connection flight to Roma.  It is really nice here, for a small payment we have had a nice hot shower and we were able to change our clothes.  There is a  buffet, and we will be having a 15 minute complimentary massage.  After all this our 11 hour flight to come will pass with a nice sleep!

Good Bye everyone!
We hope all of you that followed our adventures enjoyed them as much as we did writing them!

Last day in Australia. 17/1/2011

We managed to see the Blue Mountains!

It was a 2 hour train journey but the ride was worth it when we saw the view!

We did the walk that went from the top of the mountain, along the Three Sisters peaks, down to the Federal Pass.  It was a hard descent of 900 steps just carved out of the rocks, but we made it.  At the bottom we entered the rain forest and it was a 1½ hour hard walk but well worth the effort as the views were always magnificent.

To go back up we took the Scenic Railway which is the steepest railway in the world.  It was once used to carry the coal loads up to the top of the mountain.  A very interesting ride and very fast.

Then a trolley ride back to the Three Sisters for the last pictures. 

Back to the train station and home to Sues for a nice spaghettata!!!!!

A wonderful last day and the weather was perfect.

Our bags are packed and ready to go but we are not L

Sunday 16/1/2011

It was hot, too hot in fact to go to the beach.

When Sue came home from work we took the train into Town Hall and walked around the Queen Victoria Building.  This building dates back to 1898 it was the original Sydney Market with shops, showrooms and warehouses.  In 1930 it became the Sydney City Council.  It faced near demolition but in 1982 it was given the green light for a full restoration to the original Art Decò style. 

 

A beautiful place to visit and shop.

Then we walked down George Street to the Harbour where we ate at the Sydney Cove Oyster Bar, we had a wonderful fish meal al fresco looking at the Harbour Bridge, ferries and a cruise ship which was just departing. 

A nice big ice cream for desert and back on the train to Suzie’s house.

Yes my tummy is better!!

Back on track! 15/1/2011

Today we made up for the lost day of yesterday.

First we took the train into Town Hall and walked to Darling Harbour where there are major attractions and the national maritime museum. 

We took the monorail which did a circle trip around the centre of the city, we were quite disappointed in that as we thought we would have nice views instead it was just going in between buildings and stopping at different attraction sites.  We got off from where we had started.

We then walked to the Chinese gardens which was built for celebrating the friendship between Australia and China.  It was a lovely garden so peaceful.

Next it was a walk to China Town where Pino had his lunch, I was on lemon tea!

Onto Paddy’s Market, which is an in door market but it was so crowded we didn’t stay long.

After we decided to visit once again The Rocks which was quite a long walk away so we took a bus as the weather was quite hot and humid.  The market was there once again and being an open market was much more enjoyable. 

We actually got to do what we had been hoping and that was to walk over the Harbour Bridge, wonderful views. 

So lets not forget the ferry ride.  On the other side of the bridge there was the Luna Park and a ferry quay where we could get back to Circular Quay.

A quick walk around the shops and then the train back home.

A nice steak for our evening meal and Buona Notte!

Wasted Day! 14/1/2011

Nothing to write for today as I have been in bed with an upset tummy.

Tonight Pino is cooking “Spaghetti allo Scoglio” for Suzie and her sister-in-law, guess who will be having boiled rice.

I hope by tomorrow I will feel better as we have very few days left and we still want to see the Blue Mountains.

1st day back in Sydney 13/1/2011

Today we took the ferry over to Parramatta it was quite a long trip but we like being on ferries, as you will have already guessed,  very enjoyable. 

Parramatta is Sydney’s river city, it is the first farming settlement, a very important trading post thanks to the river.

We didn’t get to see to much as when we entered the old government house for a guided tour I became quite sick.  

I really don’t know how I managed to get back to Sue’s home, lucky enough when we got off the bus a  lady offered us a ride, that’s how bad I looked.   We even had to miss an invitation to Suzie’s friends house that evening.

What a way to spend the last part of a wonderful holiday.

Bye Bye Auckland. 12/1/2011

Here we are sitting in the hotel lounge waiting for the shuttle bus to take us to the airport.

New Zealand has been a wonderful experience, such a wonderful country, and the people so friendly and helpful.  We are sad to leave but as we said we can always come back.

The weather has been just wonderful we were expecting to wear our jeans but they stayed in the wardrobe.

We enjoyed the New Zealand wine and the fish, now it’s to enjoy the fish and wine in Sydney.

Bye Bye Auckland!