Exploring Australia&NZ Day 13

Day 13 - Thursday, April 28, 2011 – Morning on our own – visit Royal Botanic Gardens; Visit to Sydney Aquarium; Dinner Together

There were no planned activities for the morning; a day at leisure. After breakfast we met Jim and Mary Ann at 9:45 to set off to explore Sydney on our own.

There had been heavy down-pouring rains but by the time we went out the skies had lightened and there were just a few intermittent showers.

Following the map and with rain coats and umbrellas in hand we found the Royal Botanic Gardens. The gardens are huge and even in a Fall rain the 30 hectares of prime property were impressive.

The garden paths were well laid out but for the first time in the history of our travels we saw a sign that said “Walk on the Grass!” It was wet but we managed to zigzag our way through many paths as see a substantial part of the park.

We saw hundreds of wild Sulphur Crested Cockatoos that were making quite a racket in the overhead trees. In addition to the birds, Gennie spotted a few bats. And then we looked up and saw thousands more.

Gennie talked to a gardener who told her there were 22,000 gray-headed flying fox bats also known as fruit bats in the park. About the size of a large squirrel, their wing span is over one meter and they live to be 15 – 22 years old.

We also talked to a woman in the information center who told us these bats are sighted, have ears, and do not depend on sonar. They eat fruits and flower blossoms, much to the chagrin of the gardeners.

Other birds we saw were the masked lapwings, ibis, and the buff-banded rails. It seemed very strange to see all of these birds in the middle of the city, but they were in a protected and welcoming environment.

At 12 we left the Gardens and walked through Hyde Park and saw the famous Archibald Memorial Fountain, another memorial to veterans and those fallen in World War I.

Mary Ann had researched a yarn and needle craft shop called Morris and Sons on York Street so that was our next stop. The shop was lovely and had many different kinds of cross-stitch patterns as well as the thread needed to complete these works of art.

It was time for lunch and we were in search of an ice-cream shop but found a sandwich shop in the Wynyard Shopping Center instead. The mall was crowded with professional people on their lunch breaks.

Our next scheduled activity was not until 3:45; a walk to the Sydney Aquarium, so we returned to our room for an hour or two. I sorted photos and Gennie started working on the journal.

We met Leigh at the lobby and walked together to the Aquarium on the far south end of Darling Harbour. The Aquarium is designed around a Lego theme with pirates, scuba divers, great white sharks, and penguins introducing the various sections of the exhibits.

The Great Barrier Reef tank is very well done and gave us another look at the underwater life we had seen over a week ago.

Everyone gathered at the exit at 5:45 and we walked from the aquarium to I’m Angus, an open air steak house on the waterfront. As we were eating we watched several torrential rain storms.

The skies cleared as we left the restaurant and we walked back to Pier #3 and the Sydney Harbour Ferry for a night time cruise. Although it had stopped raining for most of the ride, talking good photos at night from a moving ferry in rough waters is not easy.

Gennie and I elected to sit outside until it began raining again and then we sat inside enjoying the views of the night lights of Sydney.

We walked home from Circular Quay at 9:00, still seeing the streets full of buses and taxis, along with pedestrians enjoying walking in the rain.

Accommodations: Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney - - - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

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