Sydney, Australia, Day 1

The world's largest natural harbor, Sydney, was founded as a penal colony by Britain in 1788.

In the early morning, the Neptune sailed into its berth within a boomerangs' toss of the Sydney Opera House - a 20-minute walk from the ship. What a magnificent, inspirational sight as we glided to a gentle stop directly port-side to the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We took a three and a half hour panoramic bus tour of the city. Driving by The Rocks, we stopped at The Gap ocean cliff (infamous for suicides), and Bondi Beach. We learned about the city and its 5M residents who love all things rugby and cricket. We had lunch, browsed shops near the Opera House, and had a "Behind The Scenes" tour of The Opera House.

In the evening, we headed to the Opera House to see Magic Flute performance at the Joan Sutherland Theatre. It was crowed, and the performance was entertaining. Wow.Read more