Day twelve

Several triumphs today. We got the right bus to the right station, we got on the right train, we got off at the right station and we got our hire car! And then we managed to find our first AirBnb. What an adventure.  This is our car - not only was the cheapest it was the only one with a manual gearbox - I will try an automatic next time. 

Little car

The drive from the station took us up into the Highlands so we were not surprised to drive in to Robertson. And this place had been highly recommended by friends in Brecon. 

I did not eat all the pies.

But we did eat two - a tasty chicken, leek and Camembert pie and a beef bourguignon pie.  The train took us along the coast and then the car journey took us up into the hills.

Coast

Highlands

We stopped at Fitzroy Falls Reservoir and saw some good birds.

Reservoir

Bird

Big bird

Black bird

Actually it is a yellow-tailed black cockatoo. Now we are settled in at Big Bell Farm on Kangaroo Valley Road in a comfortable two bed bungalow for two nights. 

Day eleven

A rest day. After our excursion to the zoo yesterday and with the first big trip away starting tomorrow, today was a day of relaxation, with just a bit of housework and home-handyman work thrown in.  Kate has been cleaning things and I have been filling in holes and fitting drawers.  The furniture arrived and that needed a little assembly too.

Dining table

Kitchen

.....and introducing 'the parrot chair'.

 

Day ten

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo, you can come too..... We went to Taronga Zoo today which involved a bus in to the centre of Sydney, a walk in Hyde Park and a ferry across the harbour.  The zoo is built on a hillside so we started at the top and worked down. The weather was not cloudy and wet as promised but was hot, so hot that many of the animals were in their shelters and not visible! But here are some highlights. 

Frog mouthed owl

Tiny penguins

Pelican

Meerkats

and of course koalas

Some the best things were the great big lizardy things - they appeared on tables and benches and are wild, not part of the zoo.

One

Two

Three

We took the ferry back to Sydney and met up with James for a lift back home. 

Skyscrapers

Panorama

 

Day nine

Sunrise this morning.  After a leisurely breakfast we walked from Bronte beach to Coogee beach, 5k down the coast.  We saw these delights on the way...

Sunrise

 

Golden Orb Weaver

Golden orb weaver

We didn't see any of these

 

Clovelly beach

Coogee beach

Superb fairy wren

 

Day eight - supplemental

The house is constantly surrounded by these noisy blighters. They look much better than they sound. It has taken a while to get a reasonable photo of them as they hide in the canopy. 

 

Rainbow lorikeet.

Lorikeet

Day eight

Grey and wet today. Yippee, its cooler.  After an Aussie breakfast....

Full Aussie Breakfast with avocado.

  we went furniture shopping with James and Grace. We helped them select the right items - dining table and chairs, side light, mirror and a parrot chair - photos will follow on Tuesday when the items are delivered.  Then after a pleasant lunch of a selection of stews and pittas we moved on to kitchen shopping. It is very interesting seeing what is different and what is the same.  Now we are back at the house for a relaxed evening. 

Day seven

Our first day as proper tourists.  We walked across to Bondi to catch a bus to Watson's Bay which is where we went for fish and chips. We decided the area was worth a look in daylight. 

Sydney

Cliffs

  We walked out along the cliffs, through a National Park and came to Hornby Lighthouse, but no trains were evident. Then back along the coast, photographing birds and plants as we went. 

Bottle brush

Miner bird dust bathing

  Then we hopped on to the ferry to Circular Quay which is the transport hub for Sydney. James came down from his office and walked us round the outside of the Opera House then back to his car park for a swift drive home - its a BMW M3.

Classic view

Iconic

Sydney

 

Day six

An exciting day full of new experiences. While Kate walked the coast path to Bondi I got to meet the electrician, a structural engineer and the telephone man. And I found out that I still know how to configure an ADSL router! We now have proper broadband.  After lunch we took our first bus ride with our Opal cards....

Aussie bus.

and went to Centennial Park which turned out to be a wildlife heaven. We had ice creams and were harassed by a White Australian Ibis..

Stalking Ibis

The lakes were full of waterfowl..

Lake

And the trees were full of these..

Cockatoo?

And these!

Flying foxes

James picked us up from the park and took us to a very large food court with stunning views over Sydney where we ate Brazilian food and then took us to Woolworths to do some food shopping. 

Day five

Last night James and Grace took us to a bayside Fush and Chip restaurant. Very upmarket fish and seafood. We sampled many wonderful things that had been in the sea only hours before. And also spectacular was the view across the bay to the city with the sun setting behind it. 

Doyles

The city across the bay.

Sunset

Night lights

  We woke this morning to the call of the Laughing Kookaburras- a bizarre sound but very Australian.  Several trips to the shop today - buying life's luxuries like tonic water and bin bags, also setting up Opal cards - these are travel cards that sign you on and off buses, trains and ferries, similar to the Oyster card in London. We shall start exploring a little further with these in our pockets.  We are definitely going native now! Breaking the habit of a lifetime we are barbecuing some beef! Whatever next? Cork's round my hat?

Barbie

Beef

 

Day four

Another glorious sunrise followed by breakfast on the terrace. Then an interesting morning interacting with the builders and electrician. Great fun to see the different practices! Not a lot of health and safety. Back to the hardware store with Grace and then some pruning in the back garden.  We were serenaded over lunch by what we think is a Butcher Bird. You can watch it here. https://youtu.be/F9JApC3BS3s I took a walk down to the beach and up through the town. 

Bronte

  An amazing mix of deco buildings and ultra modern. I spotted this lovely stained glass window on a very shabby dwelling. 

Glass

And this vertical garden. 

Garden

We are shortly off to have a fish and chip supper at a viewpoint called The Heads which is at the entrance to Sydney harbour.