Australia 2018

A 35-day adventure by Bernie Read more

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Trip start
March 5, 2018
Australia 2018 Traveler
Accomodation
March 5, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
This is were we are staying. Flat 5/22 Ashburner St, Manly, NSW. The view is from our balcony.
Enjoyed lunch today (Barramundi for B and Chicken Schnitzel for M)with Suzie and friends at The Skiff Club with birthday and engagement parties going on found ourselves out on the breezy veranda.
https://manlyskiff.com.auRead more
TravelerHoward says we had chicken for tea. How long do you have to cook a Bura for? No laughing now
3/5/18Reply
TravelerIndeed .... no laughing 😉
3/8/18Reply
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Monday 5th March - Today's Activity
March 5, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Today Monica and I did a 4.5K run up to Queenscliff and back. And then after lunch visited The Boathouse at Shelly beach for a cappuccino and shared a fig brioche. Mmm!
http://www.theboathousesb.com.au/#aboutRead more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Tuesday 6th March
March 6, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
Starting to get over jet lag we think. 5.5K run in the morning from Shelly Beach to Queenscliff and back.
https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydn…
www.hellomanly.com.au/things-to-do/manly-beache…
Lunchtime we got another visit from the Kookaburra showing off what it had caught for lunch. In the afternoon went for a stroll past Manly Wharfe and up to Fairlight Beach.
www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/rec…Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Wednesday March 7th - Off To The Flicks
March 7, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
After being joined by Sulphur Crested Cuckatoos at breakfast we went to the Hayden Orpheum at Mosman to watch a film.
http://www.orpheum.com.au/history/
We watched 'Finding Your Feet' at this old world picture house and enjoyed a light lunch. Before the film we were entertained by Neil Jensen playing 'The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ'. Some nice clips here to give a feel for the place and the Wurlitzer.
https://youtu.be/L7B6B9ukARI
https://youtu.be/B071IXBHPh4
https://youtu.be/3pUWk79tN50

Enjoyed a cool beer at the Wharf when we got back.
http://www.manlywharf.com.au
This spell of bad weather ;-) is over after today.Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Thursday 8th March- NSW Art Gallery
March 8, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Our first trip to Sydney on this visit to Australia. After a stroll through the Botanic Gardens where the flowers were still in vibrant colour and coffee at The Pavillion we visited NSW Art Gallery.
www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
Here we saw amongst other exhibitions 'The Lady And The Unicorn" a series of six large tapestries from France.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady_and_th…
After our cultural afternoon and a few drinks with Suzie's work colleagues we visited Mr Wongs for Dim Sum, Duck Pancakes and Salt n Pepper Calamari accompanied by a nice bottle of wine.
https://www.merivale.com.au/venues/mrwong
Then back on the ferry and drinks at The Four Pines with Suzie's flat mates.
https://4pinesbeer.com.auRead more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Friday 9th March - A Slow Day
March 9, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
A slow day today but actually did something we hadn't managed in two previous visits to Australia totalling 4 months. Went for a swim ....... nearly in the sea ..... but not quite..... Fairy Bower Ocean Pool.
swimmingsydneythemrsgspot.wordpress.com/fairy-b…
Lunch was beer battered fish and chips at Manly Fish Cafe.
And then before tea Aperol Spritzer for M and a pint for B.
Early night tonight with the prospect of a 7 a.m. park run at West Spit Reserve.Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Saturday 10th March - Parkrun & BBQ
March 10, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Early rise 05:30 and off to Mosman Parkrun, 07:00 start, all done at West Spit Reserve by 07:40.
Very warm and humid.
http://www.parkrun.com.au/mosman/
B 33.50 M 37.55
These were both PBs for us..... at Mosman. 😉
Then after a catch up nap......
Off to a Lovely BBQ👍 at 4 Smith St with Suzie and some of her friends. All those names to remember. 😀 A little too much to drink 🥂🍻 and a Ben & Jerry's on the way home.🍧Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Sunday 11th March - Book Of Mormon
March 11, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Another sunny day started with another walk to Shelly Beach watching all the weekenders make the most of the fabulous weather enjoying the sand, sea and sun. It would be all ours again soon as the working week exercises it's power over the locals. In the afternoon we met Suzie at the Wharf and ventured into Sydney to watch a matinee performance of 'The Book Of Mormon' at The Lyric followed by dinner and drinks on Darling Harbour. Lunch at Born Tapavino and drinks at Banksii.
A great afternoons entertainment!
http://www.sydneylyric.com.au
https://www.tapavinobarangaroo.com
http://www.banksii.sydneyRead more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Monday 12th March - Run, Wash, Shop
March 12, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Another slow day .... what else are holidays for? 🏖
A couple of Rainbow Lorikeets joined us for breakfast.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_lorikeet
After cereal we did a 5.5K run to North Harbour Reserve. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️
www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/rec…
At lunch we were visited by two Water Dragons scuttling around in the vegetation on our back wall. And an Echidna too!
https://australianmuseum.net.au/water-dragon
https://australianmuseum.net.au/short-beaked-ec…
An afternoon shopping for new swimmers with 'Internal Mesh Liner' at Warringha Mall. Not an easy thing to find with 'IML' and for just 5$ a real bargain.
Then off to New Brighton Hotel for pre dinner drinks. 🍸🍺
https://www.newbrightonhotel.com.auRead more
TravelerLooking good. Love the birds. Would be the highlight of my trip seeing all the wildlife.
3/12/18Reply
TravelerIt's always a big part of mine too from the very small to the not so small. And it's never too far away either.
3/12/18Reply
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Tuesday 13th March - Rain! What? 67 degs
March 13, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
We had some rain overnight and through the day so another slow day. Did some gift buying - job done - and just meandered locally .... back up to Shelly Beach amongst other places. Checking out the enroute art. And bumped into The Vegamite Girls. Then pre dinner drinks with Suzie at Sugarfish before a meal on the Wharf at Hugos.
http://garfish.com.au/sugarfish/
https://www.hugos.com.au

The usual smattering of flora and fauna.Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Wednesday 14th March -Away but Home&Away
March 14, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
The day started with a 5.5K for one of us. 🏃‍♂️
A trip down to Palm Beach where the outdoor scenes for 'Home and Away' are filmed. Pots of money down here indicated by lots of unoccupied luxury accommodation and lack of real touristy stuff. Well worth the visit and the 1 hour 20 min bus journey from Manly. Should have brought our swimmers.
https://www.australia.com/en-us/places/sydney-a…
We got our steps in today with several walks up and down the front and to Barrenjoey Light House at the end of the spit.
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-d…
A sav blanc and beer in The Boat House on the Pittwater side well deserved.
http://www.theboathousegroup.com.au
On returning to Manly we treated ourselves to a couple of pizzas and a litre of red at Criniti's opposite Manly wharf and finally, as if we hadn't walked enough, a brisk walk as night time fell up to Shelly Beach to lose some of the pizza.
https://www.crinitis.com.auRead more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Thurs 15th March - Manly Scenic Walk.
March 15, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
The day started with a swim 🏊‍♂️ and a run 🏃‍♀️and then after a leisurely breakfast we got the 144 to Spit Bridge did the 10K + scenic walk from Spit Bridge to Manly. Arriving back in Manly shortly before 4.
https://www.sydneycoastwalks.com.au/spit-to-man…
Then deservingly treated ourselves to Calamari and drinks at Hugo's and then even a little more refreshment at The Four Pines Brewery.Read more
Travelervery active!
3/15/18Reply
TravelerI did the swim mum did the run so maybe not as active as you thought but both of us pooped now. 😘
3/15/18Reply
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Friday 16th March - Snorkelling & Sun
March 16, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Spent the morning Sunbathing , Swimming and Snorkelling before returning to the flat for a light lunch.
Spent the afternoon walking to Freshwater View Reserve and back.
https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/things-t…
Then a pre dinner G&T in The GlassHouse🍸 at Hotel Steyne followed by more refreshment at The Four Pines.
https://hotelsteyne.com.au/glasshouse/
On to Gilbert Park for the World Food Market and some live entertainment.
https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/things-t…Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Sat 17th March - Curl Curl Parkrun
March 17, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Saturday's start early with Parkrun Australia, so another 05:30 rise to get us to John Fisher Park for the 07:00 start of Curl Curl park run. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️Then coffee and croissants at 08:00. ☕🥐
https://www.parkrun.com.au/curlcurl/
https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/things-t…
Then warm down with a 3K walk back to Manly.
After waking up the residents of 4 Smith Street on the way back we had a spell in the sea 🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️ off Manly Beach proper before showering and heading of to the city.
Refreshment stop at PJ Obriens to meet some of Suzie's chums and enjoy St Pats day atmosphere with the paddies abroad. The music suggested one or two artists had been made honorary Irish for the day as the throng joined in with well known Irish tunes 'Angels' and 'I Want You Back" on the music system. Suzie, Pierre and Ken Made an effort at reproducing the Irish tricolor. 🇨🇮 Although like the music something not quite right.
http://www.pjobriens.com.au/sydney/homepage-mobile
Then after liquid refreshments at The Opera House Kitchen is was back on the ferry for more liquid refreshment at Manly Wine.
http://manlywine.com.au
Before dinner at a splendid little restaurant on Manly waterfront. Seaside Thai Gourmet.
http://seasidethaigourmet.com.au/Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Sun 18th March - Lazy Sunday Afternoon
March 18, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Set for a high of 37 degrees this is only ever going to be a lazy Sunday afternoon BBQ at Smith St with the occasional nip and dip in the sea.
Later that day.......
Great BBQ with Suzie and her chums and Ice creams on the way home. So 32C/89.6F at 20:00 hrs what did we do today........ not much........ it was great.
And so 7 more pics from our Spit to Manly walk to fill up the spaces.Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Mon March 19th - Going with the flow.
March 19, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
With rain forecast from tomorrow afternoon it was easy choice with temperatures of 80 degrees to have another beach day with the resident Shelly Beach Bush Turkeys.
http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Alectur…
Whilst snorkelling here 'I was got' ..... by a Jimble jellyfish most likely. Relative of the usually lethal Box Jellyfish of more tropical waters. A briefly painful sting that subsided to a less painful irritation for a couple of hours but then left some very dramatic marks. No hospitalization required. 😉
https://australianmuseum.net.au/jimble .
After a couple of hours on the beach and another snorkel it was lunch at Shelly Boathouse. Mmm!
Then after a short break bringing in the washing more fun on the beach playing in the waves on Manly Beach.
Refreshment at Four Pines before meeting Suzie on the Wharf for a brief hello and then back to the flat for supper and a glass or two of red.Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Tues 20th March - Sun n Snorkel again.
March 20, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Rain didn't come until later then a few days of mixed weather forecast, mainly rain suggested, so back to the beach again today.
Later on we went to meet Suzie and Charlotte Bernasconi in Sydney for dinner at Long Chim.
https://www.longchimsydney.com

No day pictures today so just saving some YouTube vids to remind me of fish I've seen.
And some pickles from previous days.
Not a view often taken of Sydney Harbour Bridge and more flora n fauna.
https://youtu.be/s0o2TChR0_c
https://youtu.be/AWMA7JSWaZ0
https://youtu.be/E__n3di8J5Q
https://youtu.be/eKrdldogMLwRead more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Wed 21st March - Grey & Damp
March 21, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
But still found some entertainment.
With almost English weather 🌫 took ourselves to the pictures - back to the Orpheum to watch 'The Post' in The Rex screening room.
A good film! Beautiful cinema.
https://youtu.be/P49iVsdItkM

Still grey n damp when we came out 😮Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Thurs 22nd March - North Head Walk
March 22, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Weather just right today for the strenuous walk up to North Heads. So today was the day and I'm sure we got our steps in. Stopped for a bite to eat at Bella Vista.
http://www.bellavistamanly.com.au/
This was the spot we watched the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race from in 2016.
https://youtu.be/zB4kn104DGA

Then after visiting the old quarantine station cemetery.
http://austcemindex.com/cemetery.php?id=1739
We took a stroll around the Quarantine Station itself, now a resort. Didn't seem a very exciting place to stay but some interesting history.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Head_Quar…

And then finally dropped in on Collins Beach before going back to the flat for coffee.
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-d…Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Fri 23rd March - Cocktails n Take Away
March 24, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Flat weather today so a slow day spent the afternoon at Warringah Mall before happy hour cocktails at Sugarfish and then takeaway at Suzies
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Sat 24th March - Park Run and Opera.
March 24, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Early start to do Curl Curl park run then warm down with a walk back to Manly taking in a dip in Curl Curl sea pool before breakfast at Queenscliff Cafe overlooking Freshwater beach
Then more culture as Suzie treated us to La Boheme-opera on the water.
https://opera.org.au/whatson/events/la-boheme-o…
After a brief shower ... long enough though for us to purchase rain ponchos ....... it remained dry for the performance. Which was spectacular in such a setting with the backdrop of The Opera House, Harbour Bridge and CBD.Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Sun 25th March -Baptism, Penguins & More
March 25, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Early rise for Suzie's Baptism at Little Manly Beach and then celebration breakfast at Manly Wine. They do more than the name suggests and on this occasion black coffee was the strongest drink consumed.
http://manlywine.com.au/
Find penguins? 🐧 We certainly did today!
At the baptism we were joined by one of the Manly penguins and as well as Church members a good turnout (so early) of Suzie's friends.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animal…
Then later on at the Wharf beach a little Sun bathing and sea, the Wharf because the main beach was closed for swimming due to it being a little breezy😉.
Day finished at Suzie's with a dumpling take away from Momobar. Mmm!
https://www.instagram.com/manlymomobar/Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Mon 26th March - Lost Anniversary & more
March 26, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
The day we both forgot our Anniversary (not the first time) was the day we decided to go south of the bridge on the river to Parramatta.
A full day that saw us going up the Paramatta river as far as any proper boat could go. Only canoes and small row boats could have gone further. We stopped for a drink and a sharing platter at the quayside bar.

On the way to Parammatta we stopped for a couple of hours at Cockatoo Island. Where we saw some interesting art, one installation for a large part based around mill workers from Pendle in Lancashire.
http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/

After all of this we met Suzie at Circular Quay and returned to Manly where we went to The Skiff Club for 10$ Steak night. It was very busy but worth the wait. It was here we became aware it was our 35th wedding anniversary after a text from Jenny back in the UK. And so celebrated the occasion with a bottle of Chandon and two strangers we had offered to share our table due to The Skiff Club being busy.
A very pleasant and full day that ended by walking off some of the food and drink escorting Suzie back to Smith St.Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Tues March 27th - Last Manly Day
March 27, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
My last manly 🏋️‍♂️day was years ago😉.
We started our last day in Manly with our last run🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ along the beach front to Queenscliff Park and back (4.7K)
Where else would we spend our last Sunny day in Manly other than on our favourite local beach - Shelly 3 hours in the sun, swimming and sunbathing. And coffee n cake!

Our last evening with Suzie was spent having a meal with her and some of her, and now our, friends at Daniel San on the beach front at Manly.
https://danielsan.com.au/
Mmm! Fish n Chips for B and Chicken Katsui Curry for M

It's been great to get to know Suzie's housemates a little, Danny and Lauren, on our visit. Top people. And to a lesser extent Hans who we met just the once as he was abroad for most of our stay.

Our last evening with Suzie that is until we hook up with her again in Perth on Saturday.Read more
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Australia 2018 Traveler
Wed March 28th- Travelling In Style
March 28, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
All aboard the India Pacific for our epic train journey across Australia to Perth.
http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/trains/the-…
Canapes, soft drinks and entertainment on the platform before departing from Sydney Central Station on time.
Just managed to get a bit of Blue Mountain scenery in and spotted a wild wombat, one for our Australia I Spy book before enjoying a delicious 3 course meal.
Lamb Shank, Kingfish Fillet and a Cheese Plate .
https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/blue-moun…Read more
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