Sydney day 5 -The Royal Botanic Gardens and The Opera House

After our long day yesterday up in The Blue Mountains we decided to take things easy today, so after a late breakfast we took a stroll through The Royal Botanic Gardens, a large area right in the heart of the city centre. After a rest this afternoon we are now off to The Opera House for a guided tour, dinner in The Opera Kitchen and then a classical concert; Poulenc and Mahler.

Sydney day 4 - The Blue Mountains

Today we had an early start at 6am to do a full day tour to The Blue Mountains, so named due to the blue haze through which it is frequently seen. Fabulous views across Jamison Valley and the Three Sisters rock formations. We were later treated to a celebration of Aboriginal culture and dance at the Waradah Centre.

We also visited Featherdale Wildlife Park where we saw many native Australian wildlife. the day finished with a harbour cruise back to central Sydney.

Sydney day 3 -Harbour Bridge Climb

This morning we visited the Hyde Park Barracks museum. Really interesting history of the first Australian colonies and the convicts used to construct the early settlements. We stopped off to rub the nose of the hog outside the Sydney Hospital, it's said if you should make a wish whilst rubbing it's nose. The nose is the only shiny part of the bronze statue!

After lunch we went to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb. The whole experience takes three hours; really well organised with safety first. But a fantastic thing to do and superb sights of Sydney Harbour the city skyline and the Opera House. It was realy windy 80-90Km winds at times, hence the interesting hairstyles.

Here are the group photos; more to follow when able to upload!

Sydney day 2 -Bondi Beach

Another glorious day in Sydney so we took the bus to Bondi Beach. Very very busy as it's Sunday, not so different to Brighton Beach on a hot summer weekend, but with sand. Lindsay described it as her "hell on earth". So while she sheltered from the sun to read her book, Roger went for a swim amongst the surf and surfers. After lunch and a bus ride back to the city we visited The Australian Museum to shelter from the sun, and then a walk back to the hotel through Hyde Park.

Sydney day 1

We have taken a quick hop over the pond for a few days in Sydney. It feels really hot after New Zealand, 25 degrees and sunny. Sydney has a much older feeling than New Zealand with many period buildings with obvious British/ English influences.

The views this morning from our 26th floor room show the early morning mist clearing quickly. After breakfast we took a city bus tour seeing all the major sights including the famous Harbour Bridge and The Sydney Opera House. After a lunch of oysters and other seafood in a bar underneath the opera house we went to The Sydney Aquarium, a fantastic display of many multicoloured tropical fish and sharks, seeing them up close whilst we walking through the underground tanks.

Ashburton to Christchurch

We woke to a warm sunny spring morning to see fantastic views towards Mount Somers and Mount Hutt. We were taken up to the top of the hill farm where there were 360 degree views of the Mountains and across the Canterbury Plain. Michael was hoping to use an aeroplane crop sprayer but it proved too gusty for safe landing on the hilltop sloping airstrip.

We are now back in Christchurch with Avrael and family. Tomorrow we are off to Sydney to sample a bit of the Aussie experience.