Sydney Aquarium

Thursday was a domestic day. The girls went for their lessons at the swimming pool.

In the afternoon we set off to pick up Ian's car from the service station. On route we went round 'Round Corner' (A typical Australian descriptive name) to the Dural shopping area. There is really little there, but Sally had heard that the 'Woolworth' food prices were better because they were next to an 'Aldi'. We picked up Ian's car from the service and headed home.

On Friday we took Emily to day care for her last time at that particular one. We then headed on up to Hornsby, which is the county town and a rail centre. Unfortunately, although the station was supposed to have car parking, it didn't. We off back down the line to the station at Beecroft. We found some parking. I found some Claratyne. ($33 for 30 tablets; a little exhorbitant.) After Zoe had a play in the park we boarded the train to the city. The carriages have three passenger levels, are clean and run on time. They are not operated by Virgin or British Rail.


In the city we transferred to the monorail and went around to Darling Harbour. After a drink and a wait we joined the crowds entering the aquarium. It is a large aquarium with two underwater tunnels and many other tanks. The dugongs were fascinating. The really don' look like mermaids. I found aquarium photography to be very challenging. Zoe enoys these visits and after a time we left. The aquarium is skilfully designed to take unsuspecting mums through the shop and then the cafe.

The cafe was quite an episode. Mummy bought Zoe a lemonade in a very tall glass with a spiral drinking tube. Guess what happened. Mummy went off to track down a change of clothes for Zoe. I recharged the glass (free refills). Mum held on to the glass. Mummy came back. Mum took her eye of the ball (hand off the glass for one second). Now Zoe really did need a change of clothes. We made the train journey back with Zoe draped in a large scarf.

We picked up the car. A nice man was doing the crossing patrol. I asked him if he helped old men as well as children across. I got a jovial 'most certainly'.

On the way back in the car the wind began to pick up, the sky darkened, twiggy bits fell on the ground. From indoors we could sea the sky went a golden yellow. There was even a whispery rainbow. But no rain.

Blue skies again today as a sit confined to quarantine, with a streaming nose.

Sydney Tower and Darling Harbour

Sunday was one of those clear blue sky, warm Australian winter days. We all headed off in the Zafira in the direction of the Sydney Aquarium.

We travelled through a very long motorway tunnel and came out across the harbour bridge. The car park was somewhat run down, but it led out on to the modern monorail system. Seeing that the train would take us passed the Sydney Tower it was decided that today would be a good day to go up. The views, as from all city towers, is awesome.

It was a short walk to the Aquaruim from here. However, the queue for the aquarium was one hour long. Instead we explored Darling Harbour. It was thronged with people enjoying the sun. It was real sun trap set out for leisure. The main bridge is a swing bridge and you can just make ou the central pillar in the picture.

Zoe enjoyed the roundabout and they both appreciated a run in the play area.

We ended the time in the food area and set back home, starting our journey on the monorail.