After almost 26 hours of travel we arrived in Sydney. It’s a long trip – our route took us from Pittsburgh, to Atlanta, onto to LAX, then the final leg to Sydney. The LAX to Sydney flight was REALLY long – Dick took 3 naps, had 3 meals, watched 2 full movies and a half-dozen TV series episodes before we landed.
The woman in the seat next to him was pretty interesting. She looked like a Hawaiian grandmother straight out of central casting but was actually from the small Pacific island country of Tonga (they have a King!). And, a Mormon. She had great stories about her 10 kids and 46 grandchildren. Her biggest beef was that she couldn’t keep up with the birthday cards for the herd.
Our apartment is just across from the pleasant ‘Gladstone Park’ in Balmain, an ‘inner west’ suburb of Sydney. Early vibes are that we made a good pick on lodging as we are close to a ferry stop and the main drag with an abundance of restaurants & pubs.
We took a ferry ride into the city proper and did a quick walk-about of ‘the Rocks’. Very nice atmosphere. We were able to check off a couple of pubs on Dick’s list – the ‘Lord Nelson’ (first brewery in Sydney) and ‘Hero of Waterloo’ (first pub in Sydney). Mary was excited to see two gentleman playing traditional Aboriginal instruments, the sticks and the very long horn; the “Didgeridoo” on the wharf in Circular Quay.
All in all, a good first day.
7 thoughts on “Balmain”
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We’re jealous. Hope all of your days just keep getting better and better.
We hope so too!! We went with the ‘Smith & Smith Agency’, a small, fly-by-night outfit. Their references didn’t look too good, but they were cheap!
Did you book this adventure with a travel agent? Or, are you just doing it on your own?
Is it summer time there? If so, what’s the weather like? Are you guys planning on walking on top of the bridge? I think it’s in Sydney.
It’s late spring here now. Perfect weather.
As much as we’d like to do the ‘bridge walk’, no way as it’s about $300 USD per person – that’s a lot of beer!
Free to see – after the airfare!
OK… catching up from the beginning…
The flight over the Pacific is ridiculously long. Eat/Movie/Sleep was the pattern I remember most too. What carrier did you use? I flew Air New Zealand and was so amazed at the great service. I would fly them again in a heart beat.
Digeridoos are cool. So is Syndey and the Rocks.
Love you both!