A fab final day in Sydney....

Good morning all from a bed I am reluctant to get out of as it is the last one I am going to be sleeping in for the next 48 hours! But that is another post and for now it's all about my last full day before beginning the homeward stretch.

I headed out and first on my list was the beautiful botanical gardens which thankfully were just a hop and a skip over the wharf and before I knew it I was walking through the lush gardens and spied my first glimpse of the infamous bridge ans opera house (I would be seeing a lot of it today as would my facebook friends!!). There was something being built that resembled a massive Chinese dragon with a stupendous view overlooking the bridge and the opera house that I now know is a stage to host and incredible Opera for a month.  I always get my dates wrong...

I had breakfast amid the palms at the botanical gardens getting all healthy with granola and yogurt, before meandering back through and finally finding myself at the steps of the icon that is known the world over.  Ive always thought it resembles a storm trooper from Star Wars with a hint of Darth Vader when looked at from the water.  Trust me, it does.

Second on my list was to get the ferry to Manly, a beach town in the northern part of the harbour.  A trip is not a trip without a boat trip.  A lovely little half hour boat ride followed, photo bombing a group of young and rather lovely Brazilian boys and sticking it out as the rain began to fall.  Yes rain.  But I was not giving in to a little bit of light drizzle.  Or heavier drizzle.  Or torrential rain.  Well I did give in a little to the torrential rain as I ducked into a shop a brought a brolly along with half the passengers on the ferry.  Despite the rain the walk through the lovely town was a pleasure and then the beach was in view, glorious even with the stormy skies.  A pint in the pub watching the surfers brave the rain stupid thought as they get wetter in the water) before mooching back through the shops with a couple of last minute purchase before a more sunny return to Circular Quay and time to get another ferry for my next destination.

Darling Harbour.  Just around the corner from its well known cousin, its shiny and brash and full of yachts and places to eat and things to do, many of which had a happy hour spanning several hours, and as the sun was now shining bright and warm it was time for another drink.  I was 10 minutes early for the happy hour so I did the right thing and sat on a stool waiting patiently until it was time to enjoy my pint at a happy price.  I sat and watched the world go by and once again the heavens opened so up went the brolly as the pint got watered down but I was not moving, the rain was warm and this was what I was used to.  Stiff upper lip and all that.  And like a flash the rain disappeared with the black clouds heading away too letting the sun shine on down.

By this time it was only about 2 hours till sunset and as this was my last night I was going to spend it with the Bridge and the Opera House so headed back on the ferry, chatting very Britishly with a couple from Oregan about the weather and their 5 month trip (well jel) and as we cruised back into Circular Quay there was one thing left on my list to fulfil...bubbles at the Opera Bar.

This is the bar that runs around the base of the theatre and is the haunt of the young, the beautiful, the rich, the not so rich, the local, the tourist and the mad gingers of this world.  So I purchased my bottle of fizz, getting a smile and a nod from the barmaid when I replied 'one' to her question 'how many glasses' and I found my spot which I ended up being in for over 3 hours.  I fought off seagulls as I ate my cheese board and a serve of calamari (nom), asked kind fellow sunset seekers to look after my booze whilst I wee'd, chatted to my sitting companions as they came and went, replaced by new ones and the more I drank the more selfies and videos I took.  And as the sun slid behind the skyline, the mood changed and more people came to share an experience I certainly wont forget.  It was magical.  Spectacular in fact.  Sigh.

When I decided it was time to go, I headed out to walk back through the gardens the way I came only to find them closed and a rather longer than expected diversion ensued through buzzing and deserted streets alike, past million dollar apartments and soup kitchens finally navigating Woolloomooloo in far too round about way and I was finally back in my manor.  Harry's famous pie wagon was still in the place it has been since 1945 (and where I found it last time I was here with my pops) and a chicken curry tiger pie was called for (pie, mash, mushy peas and gravy basically).  Lush.  Then i staggered happy back to the apartment where I fell into a happy bubble and pie induced slumber.

And now here I sit, Saturday morning and ready to head out to catch back up with my pops, Fred and Cath.  It's been a blast and Ive loved every second but it's not over just yet, I have a ferry ride with two bags to navigate this morning followed by whatever the boys fancy doing for their last few hours.  So there will be another post, when or where will be a mystery but I will make sure I do it just for you!

So until then faithful followers it is still TTFN.....xxxxxx