Australia Trip 2019 - Part 2 - Port Fairy to Sydney
- Wayne Webster
- Sep 12, 2021
- 15 min read
Updated: Oct 7, 2021
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Sunday, October 6th, 2019 - Port Fairy
- cold, windy, a little rain
Today was not a great day. Got a late start. Did get some emails away at the Tourist Information Office. Discovered later that we do have WIFI at the cottage. The password was written on the back of a block of wood, also telling you how to start the fire - who knew? Went to the local museum which was kind of boring - a lot of documents, old newspapers with tiny, tiny print I couldn't read. Then went to the old wharf which is supposedly an historic district, but nothing remains - mostly new houses and restaurants now. It was a nice walk along the river though. Then we went to Tower Hill to do the bush walk at 1 pm.
We didn't realize that Victoria went on daylight saving time last night, so we lost an hour, and were too late for the walk. Tower Hill is wonderful, though and free! We did a short hike here before returning home. The weather is making things difficult. There is lots to do in Port Fairy, but absolutely nothing to do in bad weather. Came home and enjoyed the Saturday Toronto Star and my puzzles. The weather is supposed to be even worse tomorrow: cold and windy but without a lot of rain.
Monday, October 7th, 2019 - Port Fairy - Sun and cloud, cool and windy
Today's weather was a lot better than expected. It was sun and cloud until about 4:30 pm. Drove back to Tower Hill to try again. Got on the 11 am tour - the only ones. Our guide Shannon was quite good, but like our other guides, spoke too fast. He was an affable your man, very academic and knows tons. Tour lasted two hours but was very interesting. Saw koalas way up, and a kangaroo.
Interesting take on bush food. According to Shannon, the big companies are cornering the market on all of these good, natural plants that are helpful for every disease and pain going.
Saw a mother emu with nine babies. Also saw a dead emu chick.
We also went on a hike on our own, so a lot of walking. It was great to see Tower Hill in some sunlight today.
Came home for lunch and a rest (We love the cottage!) The owner is renovating so there are a lot of great things: new sun porch, deck, bathroom, off the back. And best of all pot lights on dimmers everywhere. For the first time since we got to Australia, we weren't going blind with the poor lighting.
After a rest, we went back to the wharf area just to enjoy the walk along the river. Walked over to Griffith Island and to the lighthouse. By now the wind was up and we had rain squalls. We had rain gear, but it was brisk.
Our planned dinner out didn't materialize. The Italian restaurant we picked was closed on Monday (didn't say so). We ended up at this old hotel where we had some adequate pasta and a glass of house wine for $20 each. However, we didn't have to cook!
Tuesday, October 8th, 2019 - Port Fairy to Adelaide - Sun and cloud, a few sun showers
Transition day: wasn't awful, but it had its moments. Left our lovely Port Fairy cottage at 8:30 am. All was well until Gertrude (as I named the TomTom GPS) sent us down a road that didn't exist. However, she rerouted us quickly. Her second stunt was to send us down a one lane (paved) road for about twenty km. Other than that, she did OK. It was long - 600 km and about 6.5 - 7 hours of driving.
Arrived in Strathalbyn where they were preparing for the Great Duck Race.
One of the big contestants had already arrived.
All went well and speedily until we were about 13 km from the airport. I didn't trust Gertrude, so we just followed the signs. Very heavy traffic as we looked for gas, stressful. However, found gas, arrived at the airport and returned the car, getting a cab easily - $26 - not bad. The YHA (Youth Hostels Association) place is really nice - our room is plain, but spacious and has everything we need, especially its own bathroom and tea/coffee making facilities. Too tired to go grocery shopping, so went to the pub - very bad of us, eating out twice in one day (fast food chicken on the road). Good pub grub: schnitzel for me, fish and chips for Wayne. Then home to our hostel to send emails and do research for the next two days in Adelaide.
Ashton 29, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 - Adelaide - Sunny, comfortable - cool mornings and evenings
Good day today! Made our first meal in the communal kitchen - breakfast: oatmeal, strawberries, tea, coffee, juice - pretty well equipped kitchem. You use two bags for your food, which you lable - one for the fridge and one for the cubbies for dried goods. No freezer though, and no way to make real coffee. Wayne used instant today.
Walked over to Coles grocery store (15 minutes) and bought enough food for two days. After that we will donate leftover food prior to our Sydney flight (they have free food bins).
We headed off to the South Australia Museum.
Wonderful tour with Leonee. Excellent lunch (smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber and spinach sandwich on terrific bread. Then we browsed for an hour in our favourite galleries: Aboriginal, animals, birds, and gorgeous precious minerals.
Next, we were off to the Art Gallery of Southern Australia right next door where we had the best tour yet with Max.
This is a beautiful building (1800s) and the collection is placed thematically so you get some really interesting juxtapositions of old and new. Saw some amazing works including the original of the painting of Tower Hill which was used to guide the restorations of the 1960's. I could go on and on: the horse, the couple made out of nails, the impressionist style painting called Break Away, paired with a Rodin (they have 14 Rodins). They have a great collection of very good Australian artists. We then went on an hour and a half tour on our own, after which my feet gave out so we walked home via the Tourist Information where we got our questions answered.
Gallery of Photos we took in the Art Gallery of Southern Australia
Cooked fresh salmon tonight with a New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Adelaide is a lovely city, punching well about its weight.
Thursday, October 10th, 2019 - Adelaide - Sunny and Warm
Started the day early and got a load of washing in. We've been here for 2 weeks now. Then walked over to the Adelaide Botanic Garden. On the way, we dropped into a bank and got our big $100 bills broken down -- again, everyone was so helpful.
Adelaide Botanic Garden Map
Went on the 10:30 am garden tour with a lovely lady, nearly 80 years old, called Helen.
Our Adelaide Botanic Garden Gallery of Photos
The tour was a bit too technical for us - trees, trees and more trees, but good nevertheless, and lasted until 12:15 pm. By then I needed a toilet, to sit down and to eat, in that order. Wishes were fulfilled. Got a sandwich (ham and cheese croissant for Wayne, mushroom and onion toastie for me and a coffee) Helen hadn't taken us to any buildings in the garden, so we set off to the rainforest in the Bicentennial Conservatory which was very nice.
The Water Lily building had sprung a leak so that was out. The Palm building was lovely, but doesn't have palms. Now has drought resistant cacti.
We felt this garden was in a bit of a decline due to drought and cutbacks in government funding (its still free). Not many flower beds, no annuals. Lovely trees and bushes and sculptures...
From there we walked over to the small but very moving, and sad Immigration Museum. Again, land stolen, kids taken away to residential schools or adopted out -- all in the name of the assimilation of an "inferior" culture. Australia still had a White Australian Policy until 1945. Things are changing here - aboriginal culture is rebounding, but they still have a terrible history of abuse of refugees.
Then my feet and will gave out, so we walked home about 4 pm, booked a taxi for the airport tomorrow and got all of our gear sorted back into airplane mode. Off to Sydney tomorrow. A good day!
Friday, October 11th, 2019 - Adelaide to Sydney Flight - Sunny
Not a bad day considering. We had some chores to do at the YHA hostel: stripping beds, donating leftover food, getting into airplane mode. Cab came right on time - $21 to the airport.
Flight bang on time. So amazing how quickly Quantas turns it around: Flight arrives at 12:10, we board at 12:30 and take off is at 12:50. And the aircraft is pristine. Everyone very friendly - even address you by name every step of the way. Also amazing on a 1 hr 50 min flight - they fed us - only a sandwich and a pie, but amazing -- also could have had three drinks.
Arrived in Sydney on time, lost half an hour. The only airport in the civilized world that still charges for carts: $4 - we passed. Fortunately the taxi rank was just a few steps from the baggage. Good taxi drive - steered us to a grocery store, but $72 - mind you it was rush hour.
Found the lock box for the airbnb apartment key - no problem, but the security system at the apartment is massive. Fortunately, two women came and showed us how to use the fob to get in and get the elevator to work. We are on the 15th floor, which is great - this is a very busy, noisy city. The apartment is drop dead gorgeous - huge balcony, but very badly equipped. Thank goodness for my little fry pan and two microwave pots plus kitchen implements.
Walked about six blocks to the grocery store -- poor Wayne had to haul it all home, but they didn't sell wine. Asked multiple people, but no wine store nearby (all controlled like in Ontario) but found David Jones, the Sydney equivalent of Harrods - down to the the food court - I am relentless in pursuit of wine, especially on a transition day. Lovely young man steered us to the cheapest wine in the place - their house brand $38 for two very good bottles. Home, and got sausages, potatoes, veg cooked by 7 pm. Delicious!
Saturday, October 12th, 2019 - Sydney - Cloudy, cool, a little raw after 3 pm
A frustrating day today. Started by getting myself turned around and again, and we walked the wrong way to go to Darlington Harbour. Finally righted ourselves. I had decided not to go to the Aquarium, to wait for Townsville, but succumbed to Frommer who said don't miss it. It was not a good experience. It was packed with a gazillion kids - you could barely move or see.
They do have some amazing things (fairy penguins, other penguins including kings, sharks, walks through tunnels underwater, lots of colourful fish, sea horses, etc.) but I just couldn't enjoy it. Two hours later and $92 lighter, we emerged. Had a nice lunch outside on the water.
Gallery of Our Aquarium Photos
Then on to the Maritime Museum which is gorgeous but very hard to navigate - again, very busy (some of the films we wanted to see were full). I feel like contacting the manager to tell him to have a clear, signed path, one way, through the museum. We did enjoy some things though, especially the battleship docked in the harbour which was very interesting to tour and the submarine. I have never been on one before - 68 men in that tiny space.
We also enjoyed the one movie we did get to see - 3D about sea monsters from prehistoric times. We actually spotted a bottle shop at the end of the very impressive pedestrian bridge over Darlington Harbour, so we have enough wine for the week now.
The walk home was a lot shorter than the walk there. I'm not a fan of Sydney so far - very busy, noisy, built up. I don't have the affection for it that I have for Adelaide and especially Melbourne. Think I'm getting a bit tired - need some sea days!
Sunday, October 13th, 2019 - Sydney- Cool, a bit of spitty rain in the AM - sun in the afternoon
A good day today. Walked to the Tourist Info in the Rocks with no incidents. Got a great woman who lined us up with a tour of the Blue Mountains tomorrow and booked a tour of the Sydney Opera House for Tuesday. Also steered us onto a way to get onto the bridge via a lift. We still did about 60 stairs, but nowhere near the 200 we thought we'd have to do. Walked to the halfway point of the bridge. Great views of the Opera House.
Then stopped for a coffee. The woman had also given us a walking tour of the Rocks.
Again, very frustrating. Mostly buildings that used to be there that weren't anymore. There is also a lot of construction. Bailed at the 3/4 point after about one and a half hours and walked to Circular Quay. Big Princess cruise ship in.
Saw Cadman's cottage - interesting tale - from convict transported for stealing a horse (1797) to Master of Boats in the harbour about twenty years later.
Had a good lunch at a creperie on the Quay - reminded us of Brittany - a creperie with Gallettes. Then, best part of the day: finally a ferry, and a large one, to Manly Beach. Walked the while Northern Beach - terrific!
Squeezed onto an outside, rail seat both times. I was astonished at how big an operation this is. Not a little ferry with 50-100 people, but a HUGE one with hundreds of people! Had a lovely time on Manly and on the ferry. Back home about 4:45 pm. Walked home without incident - I'm getting better! P.S. I don't think Sydney is taking care of its heritage buildings very well - seems it is mostly turning into high rises.
Monday, October 14th, 2019 - Sydney - Blue Mountains - Sun and Cloud - High 25 C
Today was an excellent day. Got picked up at 7:35 am two blocks from our apartment. Met Tony who was one of the best guides ever.
Tony's system to deal with late comers: 5 minutes late, you sing, 10 minutes you dance. After that you find your own way back to Sydney - no one was ever late!
Went to Leura, a pretty little village in the Blue Mountains for coffee and great banana bread. Then on to Scenic World which is on a huge gorge where the Three Sisters are. First took the scenic skyway - a cable car with a glass floor that glides between cliff tops above the Jamison Valley, 270 metres high, highest in Australia.
Then out to the railway, the steepest passenger train in the world at a 52 degree incline, and seats that tip up make it 60 degrees. Then a lovely walkway in the ancient, temperate rain forest for about 30 minutes. They mined coal here. Saw the face of the mine and a miner's cabin.
Then up the cableway, Australia's biggest cable car (84 people) to the top.
Very impressive views and a good experience. Lunch was included - anything on the menu up to $46 for two. I had fish and chips, Wayne, a burger and chips. Then on to Echo Point for close up views of the Three Sisters.
The the best part of the day, a visit to the Featherdale Wildlife Park - it was amazing. All the Australian mammals, birds, snakes, etc. We got to hand feed the kangaroos.
You could also get your picture taken petting a Koala's bum - for $20 - we passed - not a nice thing to do to wild animals. Lovely park I didn't like it as much as Healsdale in Melbourne, but that is a sanctuary. The enclosures are bigger, more natural. This is a wildlife park - goal: making money - from the $3 for kangaroo food to the $20 for koala pictures.
Gallery of Our Featherdale Wildlife Park Photos
Then, rather than spend two hours going back to Sydney in the rush hour, they put us on a boat to cruise down the river. I love all boats, but this was stuffed full of hundreds of people - very yuppie type craft. No outdoor seating and not a hope of a window. We barely got seats. It was pleasant though, one hour to Darlington Harbour. Talked to a nice couple from Edmonton. Only a 5-10 minute walk back to our apartment. We arrived home about 6:45 pm, very tired. Then the fun began. Pizza (fresh) was our only option, but we could not figure out the gas oven. It looked easy enough - Wayne thinks it wasn't even connected. Cooked the pizza in a large fry pan, covered. Bottom got pretty burned, but the top was hot. As Wayne said, it filled a hole.
I feel the same way about Sydney as I do about Rome: They have great stuff, but I feel no affection for it at all - not as I do for Melbourne and Adelaide. It is noisy, too busy, too expensive, too in-your-face.
Tuesday, October 15th, 2019 - Sydney - Sunny and Warm
Today was a really good day. We walked down to the Sydney Opera House in about 40 minutes and were first in line for the 9 am tour. The group was large, but we had headsets which are great. Excellent tour! Saw the three biggest theatres. The concert hall (the largest, for music only, has 2,690 seats and according to Frommer has the best acoustics of any building of its type in the world. This is partly to do with the wood. The walls and floor as some type of eucalyptus wood, the seats and ceiling birch. Also, the twenty one big plastic? or glass circles suspended from the ceiling deflect the sound down so the musicians can hear themselves and the sound comes out to the audience. Lovely venue. The second theatre is the Joan Sutherland Theatre which seats 1,547 people for opera, ballet and dance. It can acommodate 90 musicians and is a true theatre with facilities for changing sets. Then the Drama Theatre seating 544. We didn't see the Playhouse (seats 398) for the Studio (seats 300) for drama and more contemporary performances. They put on 2,000 performances a year! The history is intriguing.
In 1956, Jorn Utzon, a Dane, won an international competition to design it over 200 other entries. He was the genius behind it. But by 1963, it was unfinished and way over its $7 m budget. Utzon was forced to quit and returned to Denmark. An Australian architect Peter Lane was hired to complete the interiors. It was finally finished in 1973 at a cost of $102 m. Utzon is still beloved. Even though he never returned to see his finished masterpiece, he received a state memorial service and donated all of his original designs to the Library of New South Wales. His son was part of the recent refurbishment. It is truly a masterpiece - elegance and simplicity personified - one of only two UNESCO World Heritage Buildings and a powerful symbol of the new Australia.
The crisis: my one card of nicorette gum for the day had slipped out of my pocket (for the first time, I carried no purse and no jacket). We walked home (Wayne was very nice about it) and stopped for tea and Tim Tams. Because of this, we missed a detailed look at the Botanical Gardens on the way to the Art Gallery. We did see a bit on the way down and back. Then we walked back to the Art Gallery. We went on an excellent tour about Asian Art and were the only people on the tour. It was most interesting and informative. Never ceases to amaze me how countries like Korea, Pakistan, Indonesia which we now consider third world, were once artistic powerhouses!
After a quick bite in the cafe, we went back to the European collection - all downhill from here! A couple of decent Picasso's, a minor Monet and Rubens and not much else of interest. The gallery is lovely though - they went down three levels, so while the exterior is 1800's, the interior is state of the art.
Then we did what we should have done five days ago and walked down to the big Woolworths through Hyde Park. Found an excellent bottle shop where we got a 2 litre box and two bottles of wine for $50 to smuggle aboard our ship on Thursday. Picked up a few essential food items and pharmacy stuff for the next month and walked home. Arrived by 4 pm. Nice to be home early for a change. Got a great long email from Gill. Off to the zoo tomorrow, then pack up for the cruise on Thursday.
Wednesday, October 16th, 2019 - Sydney - Sunny and Warm
Good day today - woke up very late 8:15 am. We'd been in bed for 11 hours. We are getting tired! Walked down to Circular Quay and took the berry to Taronga Zoo. Excellent zoo. Saw a ton of animals, birds, reptiles etc. and went to talks on the elephant (mum, dad and two year old male), gorillas - lots of babies, and the bird show - very impressive! Spent five hours there and loved it. Gorgeous setting. You take a cable car up the hill:
Gallery of our Taronga Zoo Pictures
Then ferried back to Circular Quay and walked home for 5 pm. Lots to do tonight to get rady for the cruise tomorrow. We are docked way out on White's Bay, not at Circular Quay. Plan to haul our bags two blocks to a taxi rank.
Impression of Sydney: Gill hit the nail on the head: it is like Vancouver - beautiful setting, lots to see and do, but no soul. Huge, fast paced, noisy, mostly young people who walk without looking up from their phones. Crowds everywhere - hard to walk sometimes. Expensive. Food adequate but not good for the price. Coffee - always $5. Where is Timmy's when you need it!!! Glad to be getting out of town. The ferries and the gree spaces have saved us - also being fifteen stories up!
Go on to Australia Trip 2019 - Part 3
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