Our first stop in Canberra was the Australian War Memorial. The Mount Ainslie Lookout allowed us a great view over the capital. Finally, we visited Parliament House, including the House of Representatives and the Senate.
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On our second day in Blue Mountains National Park, we went to both Leura Cascades and Leura Falls before hiking the Grand Canyon Track, including the 6.3 kilometre Evans Lookout loop. We also hiked to Govetts Leap Lookout and then Pulpit Rock Lookout. After three straight days of long distance walks and hikes, we were both pretty sore and very ready for a good night's sleep.
We drove from Sydney to Blue Mountains National Park and headed straight to the iconic "Three Sisters" rock formation. We hiked down the "Giant Stairway" and on to Leura Forest. We took the "Prince Henry Cliff Walk" on the return leg. We enjoyed the views from several lookouts along "Cliff Drive" and made our way to Wentworth Falls. While visiting the Blue Mountains, we stayed in "Rose Cottage", a great airbnb located near the park at the back of a lovely private property.
Our first full day in Australia was all about Sydney's Coastal Track Walk. Just minutes into the walk, the coastal track had already exceeded our expectations. It is a well-developed, heavily used, spectacular path along a gorgeous coastline. We walked from our airbnb through the heart of the neighbourhood to Bondi Beach itself. From there, we followed the six kilometre coastal path past remarkable pools, rock formations, parks, and Sydney suburbs. Beginning at Bondi, we headed to Tamarama Beach, followed by Bronte Beach, then Clovelly Beach, and finally Coogee Beach. Along the way, we watched swimmers, surfers, volleyball, rugby, lawn-bowling, and more. The trail passes through beautiful Waverley cemetery, visits small coves, includes several parks, and offers gorgeous vistas. After taking a short rest at Coogee Beach, it was time to walk back!
Flying to Australia is a bit of an endeavour, as even a direct, non-stop flight is 14.5 hours long. The time difference of 17 hours meant that despite leaving late on September 14th, we didn't land in Sydney until the 16th. We picked up our rental car and began what was supposed to be a short half hour drive to nearby Bondi Beach. First we had to contend with traffic congestion leaving the airport and then, much more of a concern, our highway exit was completely closed due to the city's marathon. Additionally, I hadn't realized that the steering column would be completely reversed from what I'm used to, so each time I wanted to signal, I'd flip on our windshield wipers. Eventually, we found our way to Bondi Beach - it was worth it! Our airbnb stay was very well located and close to the beach itself. We hadn't realized that we'd actually be staying in our "host's" actual bedroom and that she'd have to temporarily relocate. We also became very aware of our age while sharing a small flat with two university-aged girls. The place was not the cleanest, but the neighbourhood was great. I found the selection of bathroom reading material interesting and telling. We walked the beach, explored the area, and went grocery shopping.
The weather is far less consistent in September, but we still managed to enjoy the outdoors everyday, continuing to walk, hike, and cycle locally. After last year's bumper crop, we weren't sure how many peaches to expect this year. Our tree couldn't match last year's spectacular output, but we did receive more fruit than we'd anticipated once again. A lot of time was spent finalizing travel arrangements and adjusting to cancellations. We also did all of our autumn and winter preparation in advance: sweeping the chimney, splitting kindling, clearing gutters (we even finally got around to having the shed gutter replaced), closing crawlspace vents, packing away patio furniture and garden hoses, etc. We got to do plenty of socializing with friends before leaving Honeymoon Bay to travel once again. On the seventh, we joined five other guests at Anna and Dave's for a lovely evening and barbecued salmon. The following night we indulged in more treats and plenty of cranberry mead at Guy and Bonnie's wine-tasting party. On the ninth we volunteered to help out with the "Lake to Lake Walk" (from Shawnigan to Cowichan), which turned out to be mostly visiting with other Honeymoon Bay locals who had also volunteered. That evening we were spoiled by yet another delicious meal of both chicken and ribs while catching up with Shaun and Debbie. We grilled several times, enjoying steaks, burgers, and spicy sausages. Thanks to Dick and Ann, we had lots of fresh produce, many Greek salads, and tomatoes in all of our burgers and sandwiches. Before flying out of YVR, we always make sure to visit with family. We once again stayed with June and went out for dinner at "Indian Wok" with her and her sister, Auntie Janet. We took another trip down Fairy Lane with our niece, Katrina, and went out for Thai food with my parents. Beer and samosas at John's have become a welcome tradition. It was also great to run into Ping at Costco and chat with two Michelles, Bruce, and Christine at Lakeview Elementary.
Now it is time to begin another adventure - exploring Australia for six weeks and New Zealand for an additional three weeks! |
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