My sister and I rented a cabin at Standing Stone State Park in Tennessee for our annual birthday trip.  We left my house on Sunday, October 15th, and drove to O’Fallon, MO where we spent the night with my niece, Vicki, and her husband, Mark.  During the visit, we went shopping and ate out at a Mexican restaurant called El Maguey.  Because we had to drive all the way through St. Louis on I70, we got up and on the road before 6:30 AM to avoid the rush hour traffic.  We drove through without any problem and was in Illinois before 7:00 AM.  The only stops we made along the way was for a late breakfast and gas so we arrived at the park shortly before 3:00 after wandering through small towns on two way roads which was interesting.  After registering, we got keys to our cabin, drove to it, and started to unload.  However, upon inspection of the cabin, we discovered it did not have a fireplace which I thought it was suppose to.  So we went back to the ranger’s office and asked to be moved to a cabin that had one.   And cabin #15 was available, cleaned, and ready for our presence.  It was a perfect cabin for us; three bedrooms, one bath, well equipped kitchen, comfortable furniture, gas fireplace, and balcony looking at the woods below.

We unloaded our vehicle and settled in for our next three nights stay.  Edith’s granddaughter, Casey from South Carolina, arrived around 5:00; she was going to stay with us until Wednesday along with our niece, Tammy from Tennessee, who would arrive the next afternoon.

Our first evening was spent at the cabin where we fixed a turkey pot pie brought from home and salad for our dinner.   The next morning, after coffee and breakfast, we went for a walk on the trail directly behind our cabin.  The trail took us down to the lake where we made a brief exploration and returned to the cabin.  We then explored the area via car; drove to the dam, found an old house, and went to Celina that is a town about 10 miles to the north of the park.

After going through the shops of Celina, we stopped at a DQ where I got my blizzard “fix”.  And drove back to the cabin where my niece, Tammy, arrived around 2:30.  After she settled in, we drove to Livingston, TN which is located about 10 miles to the south of the park.  After going into the shops around the city square, we had dinner at Casa Mexican.  After eating and picking up some supplies for our lunch on Wednesday, we hurried back to the park so we could watch the sunset from the Outlook Lodge located close to our cabin.  It was a beautiful sight!

Back at the cabin, we sat by the fire and talked until it was time to head to our respective rooms.  Wednesday morning we walked up to the ranger’s office so we could connect to WiFi.  After checking emails, we headed out to Dale Hollow Dam and Resort; we walked across the dam, drove to the resort where we shopped their gift shop along with gathering information about their rentals of cabins and boats.  We returned to our cabin; Casey left to return to her home and we ate lunch on our balcony.  Then we took a ride around Standing Stone; found a hiking trail which we walked and showed Tammy the dam/Moses house.  Returned to the cabin;  Tammy and I took a walk on the lake trail and, upon return, the three of us sat talking on the balcony; Tammy left around 3:00 for her home.  Edith and I read for awhile, took another walk, and spent the evening by the fire opening our birthday presents to each other and talking about our overall adventure.

On Thursday, we checked out at the ranger’s office and headed to East Peoria, IL where we had reservations at a Best Western for the night.  Drove through some pretty countryside before getting onto the interstate.  Arrived in East Peoria, checked in, and went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  After eating, we did some shopping because I wanted to get some food supplies for when we got home.  We were up good time on Friday morning and arrived at my home before 10:30; since Edith had to work that evening, it was good to be back late morning for her to have ample time at her home before heading into work.

Another good time of bonding with my sister; it was great to have Casey and Tammy stay with us.  I think it amazes both Edith and I that they want to spend time with us two old folks!

September 26th was our final morning in Cairns; it was hard to believe that we only had two more evenings in Australia. I had decided to take Mortimer to the beach with me where we buried the radio antenna belonging to Tom and got some sand from the spot. Since Tom wanted to see Australia so badly but never did, I wanted to leave something of his that said “I was here”. After the sunrise, the burial, and a walk along the beach with Knapps we went to the Blue Moon for breakfast.

Back at the apartment, we loaded our luggage into the rental car and waited for the rental agent to arrive. He came and took us to the airport where we were too early to check our bags so we killed time at an outside cafe with drinking water. Bags got checked, beer purchased, shops explored, and plane boarded right on time. Arrived in Brisbane shortly before 5:00, retrieved our luggage, and grabbed a taxi for delivery to the Royal Albert Hotel. After settling in, we went to an Irish Pub across the street where we had dinner and discussed the next day’s activity. Back at the hotel, we talked more about the next day but did not come to any conclusions on what we would do. We had wanted to take a morning tour of the city but could not reach the folks operating it. Back in my room, I prepared for and read in bed.

Wednesday, the 27th, was our only day in Brisbane and our final one in Australia so we took advantage of it. First, breakfast at a cafe near the hotel. And then a walk to Eagle Street Pier where we boarded the city catamaran for a journey on the Brisbane River; because of equipment problems, the cat ride was free. It gave us an opportunity to see the city from a different perspectives than walking. We exited at South Bank 1 and walked to the Wheel of Brisbane, which is an enclosed gondola taking people up into the air for a 360 degree view of the city. An audio commentary talked about the old Treasury Building which is now a casino, the Goodwill Bridge which took its name from the Goodwill Games that were held in Brisbane in 2001, the Gabba which is one of the city’s major sporting venues, and other points of interest. After our ride, we walked around the area and came upon the Green Cabs; these were people peddling bikes with a carriage that took visitors around the city. A gal from Germany was my biker and she took me around the harbour and across the bridge to the other side; saw the beach area, botanical gardens, the university, lovely parks, and lots of traffic. It was a warm day and my driver did work up quite a sweat. When we got back to where we started, we walked across Victoria Bridge and found a restaurant for lunch in Queen Street Mall; it was located on the second level and above the mall so we had an open view of folks shopping or bustling along the busy area.

Bill decided, after lunch, to return to the hotel while Barb and I stayed and shopped. Around 4:00 we were tired of shopping and returned to the hotel where we went to our respective rooms and rested up before dinner. We ate at a Mediterranean Restaurant where I had chicken kebabs that were very good. Earlier in the day, we had arranged a night tour of the city so Mark, our guide, picked us at around 7:30 for the couple hour tour. What a great way to see the city with all its lights aglow! We went to Mt. Coot-Tha Lookout which gave us a panoramic view. We had dessert and coffee on the terrace. Next adventure was the city cat ride to the South Bank where Mark walked us to the city beach right in the center of town. We drove by China Town and Fortitude Valley which are two very active areas for nightlife and restaurants.

Back to the hotel where we said good night and went to our respective rooms. After making sure all packing was complete for morning departure, I went to bed.

Our flight was to leave at 10:50 AM on the 28th; we checked out of the hotel, took a taxi to the airport, checked in, and had breakfast at Virgin Australia lounge.  After eating, Barb and I shopped at some of the stores and it was suddenly time to board our plane.  We were skyward for our 12.5 hour flight to LAX ahead of the scheduled departure time.  Arrived in LAX, retrieved my luggage, went through Customs, gave luggage back to airline personnel, said my good byes to the Knapps who were excellent traveling companions, and headed to the Delta lounge for my 6-hour layover.  My plane heading east from LAX departed on time, arrived in Minneapolis at 6:50 PM, departed Minneapolis at 8:35 PM and arrived in Cedar Rapids at 9:20.  The airport shuttle service was available so, after retrieving my luggage, loaded it into the shuttle and was driven home where I received a great greeting from my cats.

Overall:  Australia was a place I had wanted to see for many years and am thankful I was able to satisfy my desire.  It is a fantastic country with varying landscapes, diversity of cultures, friendly people, and beautiful countrysides.  A very interesting aspect of the trip was crossing the international dateline and spending all three weeks in the southern hemisphere where springtime had just arrived, star grazing definitely different in the southern sky as opposed to our northern sky, and being sixteen hours ahead of  back home.  The variety of flowers and plants, birds and animals assisted in making the adventure quite interesting and fun.  But, like every journey, since it must end it is always good to get home!

ULURU:  We checked out of our hotel about 7:00 on the 19th and grabbed a taxi to the airport where we had a 9:30 departure to Uluru or, for those who have trouble pronouncing the name, it is called Ayers Rock.  Here’s the link for more information Uluru.  After checking our bags, we found a place for a sit down breakfast. Time passed quickly and, before we knew it, time had arrived for us to get to our gate. Boarding went smoothly which has been the case for every domestic Australian flight we have had; we figure that is because they use both doors so the front of the plane loads at the front and the back of the plane loads in the back. Another interesting contrast is checked bags are not by the number of bags but overall weight so, if you had 2 checked bags, as long as the total combined weight was under 50 lbs. there was no charge. Had a very smooth flight and was greeted by a bus from our resort which shuttled us to our home for the next two nights Desert Gardens Hotel. Our room was not available so we walked to the resort town square and found the Kulata Academy Cafe for a late lunch.

After eating we explored a few shops and then visited the Wintjiri Arts and Museum. The art gallery is Indigenous and the museum provided insight into local and resort history, geology, floa, fauna, and Aboriginal culture. Upon our return to the hotel, we were able to get into our rooms. That evening we had reservations for the Field of Lights dinner. A bus picked us up and delivered us to the viewing platform overlooking Uluru and, while the sun sat, we ate canapés and drank sparkling wine. Once it became dark, we made our way to our dining table which we shared with 5 women from Australia. There was a buffet incorporating native ingredients such as crocodile, kangaroo, barramundi, and qua song. After dinner, an astronomer decoded the southern night sky for us. We then proceeded to walk among the field of lights by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro who has come ‘home’ to the place which inspired it…Uluru. The field was filled over 50,000 slender stems crowned with glass-frosted spheres. A magnificent sight! A bus brought us back to the hotel where we retired to our respective rooms around 11:00.

On Wednesday I got up around 4:30 a.m. in order to get on the bus for the Uluru Sunrise and Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds tour at 5:10. We traveled to the Kata Tjuta National Park where we walked to the viewing platform that afforded us great views of both Uluru and Kata Tjuta while the sun rose over them. Before leaving the bus, we were given coffee and a cold breakfast box so I drank and munched while enjoying the fascinating landscape/view in front of me. Another ride in the bus took us to Kata Tjuta where we enjoyed two walks by the Valley of the Winds. Because we did not bring any water, we were not permitted to take the more strenuous walk into the valley but did an alternative. Both walks were awesome with the first being to the Karu lookout and the second Walpa (windy) Gorge. Not only did we get a good view of the desert landscape but a close up view of the amazing formation of Kata.

Back at the hotel, we went to the hotel restaurant for lunch in the relaxing atmosphere of the outside patio. After lunch, Barb and I walked to another hotel where we had an appointment for facials plus foot/leg massage at the Red Ochre Spa. Total relaxation for close to 2 hours; it was heavenly! On our way back to our lodging, we went to the post office, bank, and supermarket. Went our separate ways until shortly after 7:00 where we gathered for a drink and dinner. All of us were very tired so went to our respective rooms about 8:30. I rearranged my luggage for the next day’s departure and was in bed by 9:30 with lights out.

This morning we got up for an early plane ride to watch the sunrise; Mortimer came along.  What a spectacular sight! Our female pilot was very knowledgeable and provided all of her 6 passengers with great photo opportunities. Very smooth landing and we took a bus back to our lodging.

Decided to take the luggage down to the lobby, check out, and leave it in holding until our bus arrived for the airport. Walked into the town square where we visited the few shops and had coffee/muffin at a cafe. Walked back to the hotel, stopping at the cultural museum on the way. We were…basically…killing time.

CAIRNS:  Arrived back at the hotel and waited for the bus to arrive. Once it did, luggage was loaded and we drove to the airport. Went thru check in and discovered Qantas charged luggage by number of bags and not total weight; after a re-shuffle, we managed to have one check in with two carry on for no extra charge. Our flight provided us with a meal of chicken pie plus drink for no extra charge. Arrived at Cairns, retrieved our luggage, and called the car rental agency where Bill had booked a car.  The representative was waiting for us, drove us out of the airport to a place where Bill got instructions on the car operation, signed off on the rental papers, and became our driver. It was now dark but we were able to find our way the Trinity Beach and the beachfront apartment we had rented. Very nice place! After settling in, we walked to Blue Moon for dinner. Good food and very interesting menu. Returned to our apartment and settled into our respective rooms for the night.

On Friday, we gathered in the kitchen for instant coffee; we decided to get some supplies later in the day.  Here is the link to Cairns for more information Cairns.   Left our lodging, after putting in a load of laundry, for Cairns Botanical Gardens where we parked and found a cafe for breakfast. After eating, we explored the gift shop and walked the gardens. Beautiful, beautiful displays which we thoroughly enjoyed.  Link for the Gardens Botanical Gardens.

Left the gardens and drove into Cairns where we located the pier we were going to depart from the next morning for an overnight in the Great Barrier Reefs. Had lunch at ThaFish which was by the harbour and very good food. Went into a few shops and walked to where our boat the next day was departing; talked to the owner to make sure we had all the details. Drove to a local liquor store where we made some purchases and a popular grocery store throughout Australia called Woolworths. Purchased dinner and breakfast supplies, including coffee. Settled onto the patio for some wine and cheese/crackers. After relaxing for an hour or so and retrieving our laundry from the dryer, made preparations for our 2-day adventure on the Great Barrier Reef. Since we had to be up by 6:00, went to bed early.

Saturday, the 23rd, we prepared for our overnight journey to the Great Barrier Reef. After a light breakfast, we headed for Pier A at Cairns. Since we were early, we found a harbour side cafe for coffee.

At the appointed time, we boarded our sailing vessel called the Coral Sea Dreaming minus our shoes; all shoes are removed before boarding and not given back until final docking so everyone were barefoot for the trip. There were 11 passengers and 3 crewmen on board. It took over 4 hours to reach the reef where the first dive/snorkel took place; all total, we went to 3 different reefs during the two days. I made the decision not to snorkel but to stay on board; the openness of the ocean without land in sight “freaked” me out. After the first dive and lunch, of sandwiches and salad, the ship went to the second dive area where we spent the night. Bill did 2 dives and was going to do the night dive but had problems with the mask he was wearing which caused irritation to his eyes so night dive was out. Watched the sunset and had pasta dinner provided by the crew. Adjoined to my private cabin (it was about the size of my entryway back home but with a lower ceiling), read, and fell asleep. Rose the next morning to watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee in hand. After a light breakfast, another dive was made. We then moved to the third reef where the final couple dives along with snorkeling occurred; after diving, Bill went with Barb for a snorkel.

A late brunch was prepared and after eating, the ship pointed back to Cairns where we arrived about 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. Drove back to our apartment where I took a shower and got into clean clothes. All were tired so decided to eat on the patio and not go out for dinner. In my room with lights out by 10:00.

Monday was our last day in the area and spent it going to Kuranda Village which was established in the late 1880’s; here is the link Kuranda Village. The village had butterfly and bird sanctuaries that we wanted to visit. Took the train up to the village and the sky rail back. Walked to the butterfly sanctuary, stopping at a shop to purchase a gift for a friend. Really enjoyed walking through the butterfly area; we were fortunate for have a knowledgeable guide with us and she explained the whole development process of the butterfly.

We found a cafe for lunch across the street from the sanctuary; I had a cold beer and sandwich. Next we went to the bird exhibit; an area filled with Australian birds free to fly or perch on trees or bushes to their content. Barb had the unfortunate experience of one crapping on her face and blouse; not a pleasant experience.

Since we were to catch the sky rail around 2:00, we only had a half hour to shop and get gelato. On our way, Barb purchase a t-shirt to replace her soiled top. Did find gelato and ate on our way to the station. The sky rail made two stops; one at Barron Waterfalls and the second at Red Peak. We got off at both places and walked the designated trails plus went into the museum at Red Peak.

Arrived back to the starting point and after exploring the gift shop plus purchasing a picture of the three of us in the sky car, we went back to our apartment where I organized my luggage for our departure the next day to Brisbane. We walked to a waterfront Italian cafe and had dinner of lasagna which was quite rich. Back at the apartment, I read for awhile and turned off the lights around 9:30.

Met up with the Knapps around 7:45 on September 14th and we had breakfast at the hotel. Went to our rooms and got organized for our pick up to the airport at 10:10. Checked out and waited for our transport which did not come so grabbed at taxi around 10:30. Arrived at the airport and, while checking our bags, found out our flight was delayed because of the weather; earlier in the day, winds were quite strong in Sydney so a couple flights from Melbourne had been cancelled. Plane arrived and boarding occurred in an orderly fashion which was slightly different than in the US. We had purchased lunches at the terminal so ate my lunch and read during the flight. All of us commented on the numbers of restaurants and retail stores available to passengers while waiting in the terminal. Arrived in Melbourne around 3:15; retrieved our luggage and caught a taxi to our hotel, The Raddison on Flagstaff Gardens. Deposited our luggage in our rooms and went down to talk to the concierge about possible tours. Got signed up for the Ocean View Road and Billy Puffin Train/Penguin Parade tours on Sunday and Monday respectively. Also signed up for high tea at Windsor Hotel on Saturday. All of us were tired so went into the bar for Happy Hour and dinner. Back to the room around 8:00; decided to meet up the next morning around 8:00.

After a shower and coffee in the room, met up with the Knapps around 7:45. We walked to a restaurant called Operator 25 for breakfast.

The place was built in 1884 as a telephone exchange and housed Melbourne’s first switchboard. Good breakfast of granola, fruit, and carrot juice. After breakfast, went to the tram stop to catch the city center tram to the Victoria State Library (built in the 1860’s) where we joined a free walking tour of Melbourne.

Approximately 3 hour tour covering many of the local sights; Federation Square, Melbourne Laneways, Old Melbourne Gaol, Chinatown, and Carlton Gardens.  Great tour and very knowledgeable tour guide called Tess.  After the tour, we found lunch at RMB Cafe; I had chicken/mushroom ricotta which was very good and filling. It had started to pour down rain while we were seated outside so we moved in. After our late lunch, we caught the tram to Queen Victoria Market which, unfortunately, was closing.

We walked back to our hotel where we went to our respective rooms to dry out. Met and went down to the concierge where we checked about a night tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol; unfortunately, the tour was booked for every night until next Wednesday when we will be gone. We found out about a couple good Chinese places for dinner which we planned on doing the next evening. After some discussion, we went to the bar for some drinks. Decided not the leave for the evening since all of us were tired so, after a couple of drinks, adjourned to our respective rooms for the night.

On Saturday, the 16th, we found a breakfast place on the edge of Queen Victoria Market called Muleta’s; it was good food. Went into the LARGE market where we spent a few hours walking and purchasing. Left the market, went back to our hotel to change clothes, and caught a tram for a ride to Windsor Hotel where we had high tea; plates of canapés, quiches, sandwiches, buffet bar with all kinds of desserts, sparkling wine, and tea; an elegant experience. We walked to the Old Melbourne Gaol while stopping along the way to browse a few shops. At the Gaol, we saw a play regarding the jailing and execution of Ned Kelly who was an Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader and convicted police murderer.

And then we walked to dinner at a place called ShanDong MaMa which is located in Chinatown and recommended by our tour guide the day before.  They are known for their homemade dumplings and did not disappoint us. After eating, we walked back to the hotel, had a drink in the bar, and adjourned for the night to our respective rooms. I rearranged my suitcase for departure on Tuesday since the next days were filled up with tours that lasted well into the evening. Turned out the lights around 10:00 since we had to be in the lobby the next morning by 7:20 for pickup of the Great Ocean Road tour.

The three of us were picked up by Grayline Tours for the Great Ocean Road; because of a bike race, the route was reversed from the normal one. Our driver/guide was James and he was very knowledgeable of the history of the areas and where to stop for pictures as we drove along. We had Aussie style Bush Billy tea mid-morning served with lambing tons, vegemite and crackers. The vegemite was quite salty and I did not eat much of it. Places we saw along the way were Loch Ard Gorge, Twelve Apostles, Gibsons Steps which are all part of the Shipwreck Coast; Apollo Bay, the rainforest of Ottway National Park and Port Campbell National Park.

A delightful, beautiful weather day that ended when we were dropped off at our hotel around 9:00; we went into the bar to get a drink to take to our rooms and retired for the evening.

We were picked up at our hotel on Monday for a full day of touring. In the morning, we drove to the Dandenongs Range and stopped for morning tea along the way. We boarded Puffing Billy, a steam locomotive which took us from Belgrade to Menzies Creek, a very scenic journey. Another stop was at the village of Sassafras known for its crafts and antiques. Returned to Federation Square in Melbourne where we boarded another bus for the afternoon/evening. We went to Churchill Island for afternoon tea, browsing the area, and visiting Churchill Island Heritage Farm; Heritage Farm.  Went to Phillip Island Nature Park which is the natural home to koalas, seals, shearwaters, and Little Penguins. At Koala Conservation Park we were able to spot many of the little critters sleeping and eating in the trees.

And then we viewed the Penguin Parade which is where Little Penguins come home from the sea; they come in on waves, cross the beach to the sand dunes, and then waddle to their burrows. What an exciting sight! It started pouring down rain but we stayed at our seats and along the rail watching the cute little guys. Because of the rain, I did not take any pictures of the parade; here is the link  Penguin Parade.   It was a wonderful afternoon and evening; arrived back to our hotel around 10:00; went to our respective rooms to prepare for our 7:00 a.m. departure the next day.

On this adventure, I am taking Mortimer, a stuffed platypus, that was given to Tom by his science fiction/fantasy writer friends when we had to cancel our trip to Australia in 2010; I figured it appropriate that he serve as Tom’s spirit on the trip. My friends from northern California, Barb and Bill, were also joining me on the trip.

Because of the amount of stuff we saw during our 3 weeks in the country, I will be putting writing four different posts for the blog.

Left home on September 8th for 1:15 flight out of Cedar Rapids to Sydney in which arrival there would be 6:25 in the morning on Friday; that would be 3:20 in the afternoon on Thursday at home. Met up with the Knapps at LAX and we were onboard for our 14.5 hour flight to Sydney.

Great flight, good food, and sound sleep of 9 hours. Arrived in Sydney shortly after 6:00 a.m. and all of us felt good. Got thru Customs and Immigration, exchanged money, and arranged shuttle to our hotel. Arrived at our hotel and we were able to get into our rooms even though it was only shortly after 9:00. Pier One is the name of the hotel and it would be our home for the next six nights; Pier One. After refreshing ourselves, we talked to the concierge about possible adventures for our stay. Onward to find the Big Bus Sydney Hop On/Hop Off; here is the link Big Bus if you would like to look at all the places we saw on the two different routes; inner city and outer beaches.

Really was one of the worst hop on/hop off buses I have experienced; surly drivers, boring tape telling us what we were seeing which was difficult to hear, and lack of signage showing the buses pick up points. One bright spot was lunch at the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel’s outside area.  And we did enjoy our visit to Bondi Beach.  That evening we ate at an Irish Pub off Georges Street called the Mercantile Hotel; the salmon was good and the atmosphere relaxing with our sitting outside.

In bed with lights out by 9:30; we were getting up for a backstage tour of the Opera House the next morning at 6:45.

We connected up around 6:15 a.m. and took a taxi to the Opera House. After walking all over the place, we found the correct entrance.

Our tour guide, Alex, appeared; he was a delightful, funny guide! It was an excellent tour that ended with a good breakfast; here is the link if you are interested in hearing about the opera house and tours available Opera House.

After the tour, because travel bag that I was using as a purse had both zippers break, Bill and I took off to find a new bag while Barb went back to the hotel. Finally found a reasonable priced bag at a local department store; by the time we got back to the hotel, it was noon. Headed to The Glenmore and their rooftop pub. A good lunch of Teriyaki Chicken sandwich with chips along with Big Yak beer.  Then we walked the harbour bridge on the lower level and walked up 200 steps to an outside viewing platform – reading about the bridge construction on boards displayed on the walls as we climbed. Beautiful view on a clear day; Harbour Bridge.

After the bridge, we walked to the ferry terminal where we caught a ferry to Manly; we timed it so we would be on the ferry in order to see the sunset beyond the Harbour Bridge and Opera House; a glorious sight!

Dinner was at Garfish, a restaurant in Manly; I had fish curry which was very good. Caught the ferry back to our original wharf. Got back to hotel shortly after 9:30 and we headed to our respective rooms.

On Sunday, after having coffee and breakfast at The Fine Food Store, we headed to the ferry terminal to purchase tickets for the ferry and Taronga Zoo; Taronga.  The weather was beautiful with sunny, clear skies. We had a very enjoyable day viewing all the animals and having lunch at The View restaurant.

Got back to Circular Quay, a harbour in Sydney, about 3:30. Wandered the area and found a place to purchase gelato…yummy! Headed back to our hotel and we gathered in Knapps room where we attempted to get seating assignments for all of our domestic flights scheduled in Australia. Had a very difficult time and, since we were tired, decided to eat at the hotel instead of going out. Went into the bar area and had salad along with a glass of wine. Back to the room where we continued to work on getting our seats and this time we met with success! Returned to my room where I prepared for bed and read for a very short period before turning out the lights.

Another beautiful day as I awake on Monday. After a shower and gathering my stuff, headed over to Knapps for breakfast from room service. We were going on a tour of Blue Mountain. The tour bus picked us up at 8:00 and we headed out of the city. First stop was Featherdale Wildlife Park which has nearly every unique Australian mammal, bird, and even a crocodile; Featherdale. I got to hold Elmo, a baby kangaroo, and hand feed adult kangaroos. It was an excellent stop!

After leaving the wildlife park, we stopped for lunch at Katumba which is the tourist capital of the Blue Mountains; Blue Mountains. Lunch was quite tasty. After eating we drove to Scenic World where we rode Scenic Skyway across Jameson Valley to the opposite side getting a good view of the Three Sisters along the way. Then we rode the world’s steepest incline Railway, which is 415 metres in length and has a vertical drop of 206 metres, to the bottom of the valley where we took a stroll along the boardwalk through world heritage listed wilderness consisting of rainforest, eucalyptus trees, long view of Katoomba Falls which were very difficult to photograph, and many birds. Took the cable car to the top which ended up at the entrance of the gift shop…isn’t that where most tours end?  Got back on the bus and headed to Echo Point; while others walked to a overlook point for viewing the Three Sisters, we had a local brew.

We returned toward the city but stopped at Olympic Park where we picked up a boat for a relaxing river cruise on the Parramatta River to Darling Harbor. At Darling Harbor, we strolled along the harbour side and found a seafood place for dinner called Nick’s. And we lucked out with getting a table right along the waterfront. Delicious meal of King Crab salad.

Found a taxi and returned to the hotel where, after some discussion, we decided we would explore the Australian Museum and Susannah Museum on Tuesday.

Tuesday saw us heading out about 8:00 a.m.; we had breakfast at the Mercantile Hotel and then found a taxi to the Australian Museum. This museum was established in 1827 and was the first Australian museum to explore the country’s natural and cultural history through its huge collection of artifacts; Australian Museum. We spent the day there covering all three floors; had lunch on their outside terrace restaurant. The areas I enjoyed the most was the History section describing Australian development from its conception to today; the section on the Aboriginal people was excellent. And they had a special exhibit displaying photo works of Australian artists.

Found a taxi to take us back to the hotel and relaxed for an hour before walking to the Mercantile Hotel for our historic Pub Tour; Pub Tour. Hotel in Australia means pub. We explored 5 different places with a drink at each place. Our guide, Gary, provided the history of each place in a story format. The hotels we went to were Mercantile; Australian where we also enjoyed a meal of emu, crocodile, and kangaroo pizzas; Fortune of War; The Hero of Waterloo; Lord Nelson Brewery where we actually went into their brewery in the basement. An excellent evening! We found our way back to the hotel and went to our respective rooms.

Wednesday was our last day in Sydney with our having a flight to Melbourne scheduled the next morning. It was decided Barb and I would go shopping while Bill went to the Powerhouse Museum. Before going our separate ways, we had breakfast at Bar Cycle Sports; delicious omelet that I split with Barb. The temperature had turned quite hot with it getting into the 90’s. We started our shopping adventure at Clocktower Square and worked our way down to George Street. It turned out to be a successful shopping experience with both of us acquiring items we wanted. Met up with Bill at the Clocktower and went to lunch at The Loft where we split a salad and kangaroo burger. Went to Susannah Place Museum for a tour; Susannah Place. It was built in 1844 by Irish immigrants as terrace houses that were occupied until 1990. We were able to explore all four quaint homes while our guide provided us with detail of how life was back in the particular time period she was discussing. The small houses have the city’s oldest original outdoor laundries and brick lavatories. One of the houses has been recreated as a corner shop that sells goods during that era. We found a taxi and ventured back to our hotel where Bill and I printed out our boarding passes for three of our four domestic flights. It is interesting that there is no time period for when a boarding pass can be printed; we are used to in the US where it can only be printed within a 24 hour period. In the evening, we had reservations at the O Bar which is a 360 degree revolving restaurant on the 74th floor of the Australia Center; O Bar. All of us dressed for the occasion and had a wonderful time with delicious food and conversation. One thing to note: in Australia, Entrée on the menu means Appetizer.

Took a taxi back to the hotel and went to our respective rooms to pack for our departure the next day around 10:00.