2007

We drove into downtown Ensenada, Mexico to buy our friend Dutch a Mexican surfboard. I don’t remember the exact details, but without warning the entire city closed down and swarms of locals began parading down the street. I have absolutely no idea where they were going. We somehow found our way out of the city after spending hours waiting it out in a Papas n Beer.

2010

Hayley and I boarded a public bus that was shuttling at least thirty drunk high school kids over the Harbour Bridge to the Mardi Gras parade. People crowded around the street, standing on crates, propping themselves on windowsills or climbing trees and lamp posts to get a view. We didn’t have crates and there were no trees or lamp posts left. After a half hour we tried to escape the crowds, but we got stuck for twenty minutes in a human traffic jam. It was very claustrophobic.

People trying to get a view of the jumbotron that is setup in central Darlinghurst. The street is in the center of the photo, and you can see all the people standing on crates to watch the parade.

Beginning Friday at five sharp, I met Andy on Park Avenue in downtown Sydney. We quickly began our journey via public transport to meet Hayley and Jackie at Balmoral Beach on the north shore. Around the half way point we were nearly flattened by oncoming traffic while running to catch a bus. Luckily we made out alright and within 45 minutes, we were eating fish and chips and relaxing on middle-head peninsula.

The weekend was just as crammed. On Saturday we strolled through the Royal Botanic Gardens with Andy, Jackie, and their friends, and had tea and scones in the Rocks.

Then on Sunday morning Freddy and I surfed Bungan. Yes, I am a horrible person for ditching family, but who can resist a perfect left? Apologies to Andy and Jackie!

While Hayley and her parents explored the city and its surroundings, I worked a short three-day work week. On Thursday, we drove up to the Blue Mountains, an expansive region of cloud-clipping mountains and dense eucalyptus forest within the Great Dividing Range, or the continental divide, of Australia. As a UNESCO World Heritage site I was expecting to be impressed, and boy did it deliver. Our first stop was Echo Point, home to the Three Sisters rock formation.

The Three Sisters in all their glory, each over 900 meters in height.

For perspective, note the people in the bottom left corner. They are less than 25% of the way down the first Sister.

We walked around the park and feasted our eyes on the enormous eucalyptus forest that distantly bends with the curvature of the horizon. Down on the first Sister, we noticed a crowd of people collecting on a small walking bridge. Later in the day, we came back and walked down “The Great Stairway” to the first Sister. A journey in itself, the stairway hugs the cliff in scary fashion. I held the railings tight on our way back up, watching the cliff slowly erode from underneath the steel steps.

Hayley and I under the first entrance to The Great Stairway.

We walked back to Echo Point to have another look at the region. The Blue Mountains are surreal, easily one of the most amazing places that I have been. The forest and cliffs are massive, and to say I that was feeling insignificant would be an understatement.

Jackie and Hayley enjoying the view.

In the middle of the day, we checked into our room at the Chalet Blue Mountains. After resting for a bit, we got up again and drove a few kilometers to Govett’s Leap, which offered another sweeping expanse of plateaus, dramatic cliffs and valleys of eucalyptus forest. While Echo Point has the Three Sisters, Govett’s offers a waterfall that rivals the best in Hawaii.

The waterfall (to the right) sways with the wind, drenching the rocks and forest below.

Before sunset, we walked out to the Chalet’s garden and enjoyed a fine Shiraz (and what a steal it was) while watching the unique Australian bird life fly overhead.

The main hallway in the Chalet Blue Mountains.

For dinner, we drove into town and ate at Common Ground Café, a restaurant that could be easily mistaken for a commune. A folk band played music while we ate delicious, organic food. We later heard that the restaurant was owned and operated by The Exclusive Brethren. I seriously felt like we had stepped into a scene from a fantasy novel and I loved every minute of it.

The next day we ate a hearty breakfast at the B&B before checking out and driving out to Anvil Rock and Wind Eroded Cave, passing a hopping wallaby on our way. A short walk from the trailhead, Anvil Rock hangs over an enormous drop off:

Don’t jump! Those enormous trees aren’t as forgiving as they look.

About ten minutes in the opposite direction is Wind Eroded Cave, an enormous concave rock covered with small pockets and exposed rock layers. We climbed inside the so-called cave and took a few photos.

Hayley and I inside the rock.

Andy resting inside a smaller cave, which is inside the bigger cave.

On our way back to Sydney we stopped off at the Mt. Tomah Botanic Gardens. We walked around for an hour and saw many cool trees and plants, including the rare and ancient Wollemi Pine, which you can now buy for your garden. We also spotted some great birdlife, including this Eastern Spinebill:

Notice that the plant’s petals are perfectly shaped for the bird’s bill.

After the gardens, we drove back to Sydney and spent the next morning with Andy and Jackie before saying our goodbyes. We had a great time and it was sad to see them go, but we reminded ourselves that we will be seeing them again soon.

And so here we are, one week of work to go before we depart on our road trip to Melbourne. I will definitely write again when we return.

For more photos, feel free to peruse my flickr galleries, specifically the Blue Mountains Overnight Trip album.

ABC has many cool props for TV shows. This one greets me in the mornings on my way to the kitchen.

Restaurant competition is fierce in Sydney. To rise above the competition, many restaurants display their menus outside with welcoming messages such as this:

Finally, some things in Oz are just way behind the times.

Grilling some shrimp on the barbie. Click here to see the rest of the Aussie Day pics.

Last weekend, Hayley and I took a ferry to the Darling Harbour Maritime Museum. The museum has a large collection of nautical treasures on display, including a sailboat made of beer cans and a few large models of mythical sea creatures such as the Kraken and a half-monkey mermaid. More interesting though was the collection of century old whale bone crafts- including whale bone bones (dominoes) and a chair made from a whale vertebra. My favorite item by far was an old captain’s journal from the late 1700s. Old journals rule.

Afterward we walked about a hundred kilometers (or at least it felt like it) to the Rocks and collapsed at a table in an Irish tea shop. I had the raisin scones with my tea, and they were damn fine scones.

Mmmmm… delicious. Click here to see the rest of the pics from the day.

And now back to the rain.

From our pátio on Saturday.

Looks like it’s finally clearing though.

January

Nice waves in Del Mar, California.

February

Rugby Sevens in San Diego, California.

Rare powder at Mt. High, Wrightwood, California.

March

Noodle Scrabble in San Diego, California.

April

Crazy weather on Mt. Baldy, California.

White out at Mt. Baldy, California.

May

Hayley graduates with a Masters Degree in Journalism. San Diego, California.

June

Bellagio at night, Las Vegas, Nevada.

July

Visiting friends in San Francisco, California.

Epic surfing at Pipes in Cardiff by the Sea, California.

August

Tower Bridge in London, England.

Don’t stop! Somewhere north of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Elephant crossing in Kruger Park, South Africa.

A hyena and vultures feeding on a dead giraffe in Kruger Park, South Africa.

Just before one of our many elephant scares in Kruger Park, South Africa.

Impala horns in Kruger Park, South Africa.

African sunset over the bush in Kruger Park, South Africa.

Wine tasting in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

“Jackass” penguins- after you know what- in Boulder’s Beach, South Africa.

Hiking up Table Mountain on beautiful winter day in Cape Town, South Africa.

Monster surf at Sea Point in Cape Town, South Africa.

Protea at Kirstenbosch near Cape Town, South Africa.

Kudu Crossing in northern South African farmland.

Cheetah sighting at Pilanesberg, South Africa.

Trampoline at Sun City, South Africa.

Township homes outside Johannesburg, South Africa.

Playing with lion cubs in the Lion Park, just outside Johannesburg, South Africa.

September

First cockatoo sighting in the Royal Botanic Gardens. Sydney, Australia.

Flying foxes in the Royal Botanic Gardens. Sydney, Australia.

Dust storm in Kings Cross, Sydney, Australia.

October

Destroying my only surfboard. Sydney, Australia.

Walking to Cremorne Point, Sydney, Australia.

November

Ford Ranger Cup. North Sydney, Australia.

Balmoral Beach, Mosman, Sydney, Australia.

December

Opera House, Sydney, Australia.

Work holiday party at the Watson’s Bay Hotel. Sydney, Australia.

Attacked by cockatoos in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia.

NYE Sydney, Australia.

So that was my sales pitch. Did I do well? Perhaps this was all I needed to show you?

Gordon’s Bay, Sydney’s premium snorkeling location.

The walk passes through many amazing sites, none more unexpected and remarkable than Waverley Cemetery, final resting place of many Australian politicians, poets and athletes.

Not a bad place to spend eternity.

The McMurray grave, containing a small child-sized coffin, looks away from the ocean but is nothing short of spectacular.

Is that paint splattered on the side or something else entirely…?

Of course no Australian walk would be complete without seeing unique Australian wildlife. I present to you the Golden Silk Orb-Weaver, a toxic widow spider that spins webs strong enough to be used as fish nets.

One of three that were roasting in the sun near the trail.

The walk ends at Coogee Beach, where we went for a dip and ate yummy toasted sandwiches.

Coogee beach, definitely worth the walk on a weekday…

Afterward, Hayley and I split off from the group, riding forty minutes on a bus to Circular Quay. We watched a street performance and then boarded a harbour ferry back to Neutral Bay.

Definitely a fun day.

Well, I was not going to succumb to the depression. I got dressed, tied my shoe laces and ran out the door, leaving my iPod on the counter. I ran west- inland- towards Crow’s Nest and cut north. I ran over the highway and passed an old World War II monument and a stone clock tower. Shortly after I came to the most remarkable monument, Long Gully Suspension Bridge.

Before Tunks Park was created, Long Gully Bridge (aka Cammeray Suspension Bridge) crossed over the Sydney Harbour.

I walked across the bridge, then continued down to Tunks Park. The view in all directions is stunning, the harbour lies to the east, Jungle surrounds the entire park and to the west is that stunning stone bridge. It just so happens that this park is situated in the middle of Northbridge, a beautiful community that is rich with Aboriginal and European history.

I realized at this point I was lost. That can happen easily when trotting aimlessly around the meandering Sydney harbour without a map. I hiked up a hill to the south and back down a side street. It terminated in the back of Green Park, where I regularly play tennis- very lucky, indeed.

On the way back to our studio, I picked up a Frangipani flower for Hayley. It seemed like the perfect souvenir from such a wonderful place.

Hopefully Hayley won’t mind that I share her gift with the world.

And so that was the start to my day and my weekend. So much for “Blue Saturday.”

Last weekend wasn’t bad either. Hayley and I opened our Christmas presents and did Christmassy things. We packed up around 11 am, took the bus across the Harbour Bridge to the Sheraton on the Park in downtown Sydney and checked in to our new home for the next 24 hours. We spent the entire day relaxing and using the facilities, and at night we ordered room service, cracked open some champagne and watched a movie. The next morning we enjoyed a free buffet breakfast. The short vacation was just what we needed after several months of hard work.

Somethings never change, no matter where you are.

New Years Eve was also a success. We claimed our spot at St. Leonards Park around 4 PM. We relaxed, read books and drank champagne until midnight. The fireworks show spanned five different barges, not including the spectacular Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Cheers to a great year and another excellent one to come!

Enjoy! Jingle Bells

Afterward, we walked around the sea wall up into the Royal Botanic Gardens where we encountered a flock of cockatoos. The first parrot we saw was drinking from a tall sprinkler head. I was amazed by his ingenuity; he had wrapped his legs around the tall pipe and was dabbing his beak into the sprinkler head. I snapped a few photos then walked back to Hayley and Dana, who now had more parrots walking casually around them. We fed them Dana’s trail mix and in came the whole flock!

It’s ok buddy, do what you gotta do!

We all took turns feeding the birds. After a while we gained their trust and they were eating straight from our hands. The birds then took this a step further by flying up to our shoulders and climbing on our legs. I’d be a liar if I said it didn’t freak me out, but I was also enjoying it immensely. The birds were surprisingly gentle. Not once did they snap at any of the food we offered; instead, they were very polite and relaxed. We took a few photos, set them back on the ground, and went on our way.

Hayley being attacked by wild parrots. See more cockatoo pics here.

Our tribute to the Jackson Family Route March continued as we meandered through the park, around the Opera House, through Circular Quay, and into the Rocks, where we settled for a mid day snack. Dana and I both ordered the chicken sandwich and Hayley had the veggie delight. We were all very pleased. We talked about everything from traveling to college buddies, and watched a few lorikeet scavengers pick away at leftovers on recently deserted tables.

A rainbow lorikeet on a red chair with fruity, colorful drinks behind him.

Afterwards, we walked back to the Quay, said goodbye to Dana, and boarded a bus back to Neutral Bay. Hayley and I rushed off the post office to mail out a package, which is probably still there due to postal strikes. Afterward, we shopped for groceries and prepared for the Carols in the Domain concert. We left at 3:30 pm and arrived to a completely packed event. We found a small patch of grass in the far back section between two other parties, and setup camp for the evening.

Our view… note the bats going mad in the top left corner.

The event featured the winners from both Australian Idol and Australia’s Got Talent, the full Wicked cast in costume, the Wiggles, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Kate Soprano. While none of these people interest me in the least (except maybe the Wicked cast), we were looking forward to Ronan Keating’s performance since his version of “When You Say Nothing At All” was the song we chose for our first dance at our wedding. Unfortunately his performance was recorded “live” from somewhere far away and projected on all the video screens around the venue. To make matters worse, it was a duet with Kate Soprano who was there at the venue, which made for a pretty awkward performance. We had a great time though!

Sunday morning I went surfing with Freddy and the Sydney Surf Group at Freshwater. Surprisingly we got a few good waves. We surfed an hour and a half and topped it off with breakfast at a nearby café. Thanks for the wrap, Freddy!

It was an hour or so later that I started feeling sick. For the last few days, I’ve been taking it easy. I’m eating Zicam Rapid Melts like candy in the hopes that I’ll squash this bug quickly so we can enjoy our holiday to the fullest.

Which is exactly what I wish for you- a full and happy holiday that is. And do something grand for New Years, will you‽

* Forgot to mention that I created a new, extremely simple theme for my website, http://mswebby.com.

Last saturday morning, we walked down to Primrose Park. It was a nice little morning stroll, and I took my first photo with the 450D by the water.

The harbour is always so calm in the morning.

Freddy arrived with his surf buddy Hanna an hour early, so Hayley and I quickly packed the beach gear into the car and we drove out to Mona Vale. While we surfed, Hayley was awesome and took photos of us surfing.

I’m on a nice little wave here while Freddy’s being a champ and leaving it wide open for me.

Afterward, Hayley and I had lunch and relaxed at home for a few hours before heading downtown. P&O Cruises was hosting a party for their new ship, the Pacific Jewel, so we thought we’d go check it out. We arrived early, and so we spent most of the afternoon browsing the arts and crafts of the Rocks street market. Still too early for the cruise party, we walked around Circular Quay to the Opera House, which is absolutely stunning and really never gets old. We finally walked back to the cruise party, but it was a complete bust so we left after five minutes.

Hayley relaxing on the empty Opera House steps.

The next day, we walked from our house down to Cremorne Point Reserve and hiked around Cremorne Point to Mosman Wharf. We saw another Kookaburra on the way!

Mr. Kookaburra, eating something delicious.

Yesterday, I attended the ABC holiday party at the Officer’s Mess in Watsons Bay. After the standard presentations and speeches, we kicked back, drank beer and played trivia. The venue is set next to “The Gap”, a beautiful vista point overlooking the Pacific ocean.

The Officer’s Mess in Watsons Bay.

Afterward, a few of us walked down to the Watsons Bay Hotel for dinner and drinks. While the food is pricey, between $20 and $30 per plate, the drinks are reasonable and the views are spectacular.

The pátio restaurant and bar at the Watsons Bay Hotel.

We watched the sunset, then picked up a cab just as a thunderstorm rolled in. What a start to the weekend!

Sunset over downtown Sydney from Watsons Bay.