30 degrees, full sun and we decided to go to the zoo, my gosh it was hot. Sam and I took the ferry from Circular Quay across the harbour to Taronga zoo, this was a ride I would happily pay for even if I wasn't going to the zoo it was gorgeous being out on the water. Upon arrival we boarded a sky car and were taken up the hill to the top of the zoo which was the starting point. The zoo is built down the hillside and designed so that you start at the top and wind your way down until you reach the ferry point at the bottom.
Not only does Taronga Zoo have a great selection of animals but another attraction is the fantastic
views you get of Sydney.
I was particularly impressed with the Komodo Dragon as it was the biggest reptile I have ever seen, it was the size of an adult crocodile. The giraffes were gorgeous and had a wonderful view over the zoo.
Sam loves this zoo and my friend Natalie had also recommended going and I can definitely see why, it was really beautifully laid out and a real open feel to it.
On the way back on the ferry I stood up at the front of the boat to take a photo and the wind suddenly blew and took my entire dress up over my head and into my face exposing my knickers to everyone sitting behind me. Once I had grabbed my dress and tucked it securely between my thighs, I finally got some photos.
Next stop was the Opera bar which was great to visit again as the last time we were there it was Christmas Eve and that feels like a long time ago now. Sam and I were so hot that we opted for the air conditioning rather than sitting alongside the water and ordered a summer frozen cocktail each.
We headed off around 3pm to meet the guys and also Elly and Chuck a lovely couple who Sam and Ben are good friends with. We all went for a drink and then headed to the Sydney festival. We had tickets to see Limbo which was a circus type performance inside a tent they ha erected just for the show.
The performance was amazing, there were 2 women and about 7 or 8 men who played instruments and performed circus tricks that included making a women disappear, flying though the air, walking on stilts, juggling fire, eating fire and general gymnastics. It was absolutely fascinating. We finished the evening with a few cocktails and a kebab.
Nathan and I headed back to Turramurra on Sunday to see Steve (Nathan's dad's) cousin Jenny. We walked the dogs in the bush, went for a swim and had a lovely lunch. It was really nice seeing her one more time before leaving Sydney.
Monday was really relaxing, the weather was grey so we started to organise ourselves for the next part of travelling. We ordered our car insurance and booked some flights for Asia. In the evening we had a good meal, red wine and watched a movie in Sam & Ben's flat.
Tuesday was a lot of fun. It was our last day in Sydney and it really was a great final day. I headed off to meet Vikki for lunch in the CBD, we went to Chicanes were we chose 3 types of gorgeous salads each, it was delicious. It was lovely catching up with Vikki and hearing about her last few months, her life in Sydney and plans for the future. After lunch I headed off to Circular Quay to take a few photos.
Sam came out and met me for a glass of wine at one of the bars in the Quay which was nice. I then headed off to the botanic gardens.
I was having a great time taking photos but the sun seemed to be getting hotter and hotter. I thought it would probably be best to make my way to the exit and along Bridge street to where I was going to meet Lee for a drink on his lunch break. I started following the signs to the exit which stated how many minutes it would take to get there. The sign told me 6 minutes. After 6 minutes I felt like I was in the middle of the outback with the sun beating down on me and my dress feeling super tight and hot but I was no where near an exit and the city buildings still seemed so far away.
I looked up and saw a signpost that said 6 minutes!!!!!! How was that possible! I decided to just start walking towards the buildings. While in the tropical climate of the botanical gardens I wondered how people were walking past me in jumpers, surely I could not be the only one absolutely boiling!
Finally I saw steps and I knew I was close to being at street level. The second I emerged from the gardens I could feel the breeze which was wonderful!
I headed off down Bridge Street to where Lee works and met him for his lunch hour. We went to a bar and had a really good chat about life, work and his beautiful little girl as well as the new arrival due in May. It was great to see him one last time before leaving.
At 5pm Sam, Ben, Nathan and I all met and went for drinks and then for tapas which was lovely. We then headed to Ryan's bar and then the Ivy where we had many many drinks.
It was a fabulous last day in an absolutely beautiful city! It is rare that you get to spend a long time in any one place in life apart from the few places that you live and work. So far in our trip I feel extremely lucky to have spend 6 weeks in Buenos Aires, 6 weeks in Taltal in Chile and almost 5 weeks in Sydney. I really feel that it is in those cities that I feel like I have truly lived. Sam and Ben were unbelievably generous while we were there and I cannot thank them enough for the amazing time they showed us, they showed us the best parts of the city they love and it was unbelievable.
I feel that the best way to end this post is by quoting Baz Luhrmann, 'Sydney is rather like an arrogant lover. When it rains it can deny you its love and you can find it hard to relate to. It's not a place that's built to be rainy or cold. But when the sun comes out, it bats its eyelids, it's glamorous, beautiful, attractive, smart, and it's very hard to get away from its magnetic pull'.