Off to Sydney.

Tuesday

We set off on time and had an uneventful journey to Auckland. After parking the car we went to check in and as Jon is a member of the Air New Zealand Korus Club we get priority check in which speeds things up.

Jon has passes and we are allowed to go into the Air New Zealand lounge and enjoy the very comfortable facilities, food, drink, Internet and most of all comfy chairs and we really enjoyed it all!

The plane was quite new and as we were sitting near the front we had more leg room that the rear seats plus individual TV. I watched The Reader which was very good and of course I cried as I do in most films. The flight was very good and the food was good, too. We arrived in Sydney and it was 29 degrees, we got a taxi to the apartments and were there in about 20 minutes.

Our apartment wasn't ready so we had to wait for 10 minutes and we were then told there was a 'damp' patch behind the door but the housekeeper was looking into it but we could go up. It was on the 3rd floor and when we got there the 'damp' patch was a flood! They sent a man up to mop it with towels but that was a waste of time and then the AC engineer came up and found the waste pipe to be blocked but by then the water had spread to our bedroom and was coming up through the carpet. They sent a carpet cleaner into dry it up but it was still very wet. By this time Jon had spoken to the manager who came up to have a look and agreed with us that it was bad and we would need to move. As it was Australia Day this was a problem as they had nowhere to put us so it was decided we would move the next day and as compensation we got free breakfast for the next four days at the Novotel next door and a promise to move to the 12 floor which would be much nicer.

on had a meeting in the apartment with two colleagues and so Jane and I had a walk around the harbour and a look at the concert that was going on with the stage set up in the middle of the harbour. It was really hot and we managed to find a seat in one of the bars and sat and had a drink before going back to the apartment where Jon's meeting was still going on.

When we got back to the apartment the manager had sent up some nice fruit and a pot of chocolate sauce and a bottle of wine as compensation so all in all a pretty good result but the floor was very, very wet! Jane and I showered and watched all the activities that were going on in the harbour and Jon's meeting eventually finished but by the time he had had a shower and we were ready to go out it was so busy and too late to get a table and finish dinner in time to watch the fireworks so we just went for a drink and would have to have dinner after the display.

We had been given wristbands to allow us onto the roof of our apartment to watch the display and it was a really good view and the most amazing display I have ever seen with fireworks going off from little pontoons in the middle of the harbour and also from jet skies and at the grand finale from the tops of the skyscrapers across the harbour, AMAZING.

After that we went and had a really good meal in a little place just down the road from the apartments. I had veal, Jane had duck and Jon had baramundi and we had profiteroles and chocolate mousse to share for pudding. We then went back to the apartment for coffee.

Wednesday

Went to Novotel for breakfast, very good. Packed our bags and left them down in reception and went off to get the ferry to the zoo. Lovely morning but Jane didn't like the ferry. Nice ride round the harbour looking at the sights and then we arrived at the zoo. It was very warm waking around and with so many hills it is a very hard zoo to see. There is a lovely baby elephant there and it was so sweet when it was playing. Had lunch in a cafe with lots of wild birds landing on the rails around the terrace.

Back on the ferry and very tired. Our cases had been put in our new apartment which was much better and on 12 floor so the view was better, too. After a cup of tea, rest and shower we were ready to go out but as Jane had left the adaptor for her straighteners in the other apartment we waited for them to bring us another but it took so long she went out with her hair in a ponytail. hey did have one for us when we got back from dinner. We had a good dinner, I had chicken, Jon had lamb and Jane had a burger and for pudding we had cream brule, almond and orange cake and chocolate brownie. As we were so full we all went fora walk around the harbour and then off to bed.

Thursday

We were in Novotel for breakfast at 6.30 as the bus was picking us up at 7.15 but it didn't actually get there till 7.25. There were already 4 Canadians on when we got on and we went on to pick up 2 Dutch and then he had a late booking of 8 Indians who seem to have no sense of time and think the world will wait for them. They kept us all waiting ten minutes to go and as the day wore on at every stop they were late getting back to the bus. We set off on the long drive to the mountains and our first stop was at a ridge looking out across a gorge. Our guide told us the best way to look down, as there were no rails along the edge, was on your tummy. Jon managed to get to the edge and I nearly got there but it was very scary. Beautiful views even though the weather was not good.

Our next stop was for lunch at a revolving restaurant. All the tables were set on a big turntable and I have to say I felt quite unwell as it moved so fast. Lunch was very good and after that we were given tickets for the train and the cable car you could use either to go up or down so we went on the train down and the cable car up. While we were waiting for the train an incredible thunderstorm came over and the lightening and thunder were incredible and the rain was VERY, VERY heavy. They put covers on the train and after the power cut we made our decent. It is the steepest train in the world at 52 degrees, not long but great fun. However, when we got to the bottom it was so wet and such huge drops of water coming off the trees we could only do the short walk through the rain forest and would really have liked to do the longer one - maybe next time! The cable car ride back up was good but also hampered by poor visibility. The only good thing about the rain was all the waterfalls were full and very beautiful.

Back on the bus and off to Ferndale a small animal park where we were able to stroke koalas and have photos taken. Unfortunately, as with all bus tours, you don't get time to linger and it was all a bit rushed to fit everything in.

We got back on the bus and it took us to the ferry to get us back to Sydney and we went through another thunderstorm.

In Circular Quay where we got off a huge cruise ship had docked - 5000 passengers and 2000 crew and it looks very posh. We walked back to our apartment and were very tired.

We went out to an Italian place to eat but as it was raining we had to eat semi indoors. The food was not the best we have had but it was probably because we were all so tired so went back for coffee and bed.

Friday

When we woke another cruise ship had docked but it was in Darling Harbour so we could see it clearly, not as big as the one yesterday but still looks good.
After a late breakfast we set of on the monorail to the station to go to Bondi Beach. We arrived just in time to catch a train which had an upstairs and a downstairs but they are just as dirty as London trains. After five stops we arrived at Bondi Junction and then we had to get a bus down to the beach.

It was much more built up than I had imagined it would be. We sat and had a coffee and then went for a walk along the beach and had a sit in the sun. Lots of young people on the beach and surfers, very much a young persons place. Lovely clean sand, very pretty colour.

We had lunch at a little cafe on the beach and then went to look in the shops and buy a magnet and we also had to find a place to buy a ticket for the bus as they are all pre pay. The magnets there are double the price they are in Sydney and I just refused to pay that, I don't like to be ripped off.

We got the bust and the train and then the monorail back to the apartment and as it was very hot and we were tired we all had a rest. Jane slept for a few hours so Jon and I had a walk around the Maritime Museum. I would have liked to go in but we didn't have time. We bought a nice cuddly kangaroo for Jane which had a joey in the pouch and a koala on its back, very cute.

We decided to have a takeaway for dinner as we had our bottle of wine to use. We ordered pizza and Jane had a huge club sandwich and we sat on the terrace and had a lovely evening with the best view ever. The cruise ship went out at about 8.00 and as it turned out of Darling Harbour to go under the bridge they had a firework display from the bridge but we couldn't see it very well.

Did most of the packing and after a coffee went to bed.

SATURDAY
We went off for our last free breakfast and did our last bit of packing and were down in reception ready to go to the airport at 9.45. A minibus was setting off with only two passengers on it so the driver said he would take us for $10 each. After our experience last time in Sydney with a shuttle bus I made sure he was going straight to the airport as the last one took us all around Sydney and cost more than a taxi would have! The drive was Eastern European from the language he was speaking on the many phone calls he made and took on the trip, writing down information while he was on the phone and driving! He then poured himself a cup of coffee from a flask all while he was driving. We dropped the two ladies at the domestic departures and then went on to International. When we got out he said that would be $12 each. I said but you said $10. and he said yes but I didn't know you were going to International Departures! We paid him and he didn't get a tip. We are definitely taking a taxi next time!

We checked in through Business Class again and were through very quickly. Jon is only allowed one guest on his Korus Club card but he asked if he could have two and they said that was fine so we were able to go into the Air New Zealand lounge again and so enjoyed the free Internet, food and of course a glass of bubbly.

The flight home was very good and I would strongly recommend Air New Zealand. The only problem we had was from the people in front of us who had a little boy with them, he must have been at least three as he could work the TV on the back of his seat and could talk very well. Anyway he needed a nappy change as he had done a poo and they changed him on the seat making the plane smell very bad and we all had to cover our noses. The air stewardess was not impressed!

We landed and got the car and set off back to Tauranga and had an uneventful journey back. We did pass a car that looked like it had just gone into a ditch near Matamata and lots of police cars, ambulance and fire engines passed us going to it. I found out the next day the drive had died but it really didn't look that bad, very sad.

We stopped to get some food from the chip shop on our way but we were all very tired as it was nearly 10.00 when we got back.

Nice to be back and looking forward to our own bed.