Manly has a lot of surf shops it would seem. I think I might have been taken there under false pretences as we spent all of 5 mins on the beach and then somewhat longer in the numerous surf shops, hmmmm?

Big fricking spiders here too

Then the next day it was a train to Bondi town and bus to the beach. Kath lived here for ages, years ago, so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane.

Well this is what you do on a beach isn’t it?

Sydney is a lovely place

OK one more shot!

You can also have quite a good time off the freebee wine tasting if you play it right! The event is sponsored by a wine producer and there are nice people to give you tasters in tiny plastic glasses. Limited by the day we could go we saw Top Gun. It would appear this weekly (possibly monthly – not sure) Top Gun event has a bit of a following, with a good portion of the crowd shouting out the more famous lines and not a small number of sailor and pilot outfits present.

Top gun – Oh YEH!

The best bit for me though was, along with the fresh fish (and crabs and abalone and strange slithery things) they’ll pretty much cook anything up for you. I had a plate full of prawns, if I had a bigger budget I could have had anything the sea has to offer!

Up there in the back corner are the serious specimens, HUGE lobsters, crabs and abalone and all sorts. If you go up there you’re gonna get wet.

It’s permanent home is in Darling Harbor, Sydney but a few times a year it sets sail with a mottley collection of public. You can be either part of the crew and live like the original crew in hammocks minus the almost certain possibility of horrible disease ridden death or you can sign up to be an officer and live in one of the 6 (I think) officer cabins.

The officers were no less likely to die a horrible death and I think only one other except Cook made it back. (Did he?) It’s all kitted out with original\replica bits and bobs complete with officer belongings and it sails with most of that tucked away. Down below, modern toilets and showers are hidden from public view which is no bad thing if you take a look the original toilets. Called the “Seats of Ease” they are two wooden holes right at the front of the top deck basically giving you a slightly more comfortable seat than if you were popping your bottom over the side. The “toilet paper” doesn’t bare thinking about… the end of a frayed rope kept on a bucket of sea water and “cleaned” by leaving it over the side for a while. There’s a website you can go to sign up, I’ll be there one day, oh yes! http://www.anmm.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=457

The slightly more modern but equally cramped boat parked next door.

(seems a lot smaller in real life )

Take a look right at the top there. That’s us. Well not actually us but for sake of a picture…!

Yup, we climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge! Another spur of the moment thing and well worth it. Ridiculously well run and not cheep but worth every penny. A few scary moments on the ladders going up between the road which just made it better. You can’t take anything at all with you so pictures are a big no no. This is the view from one of the pylons though which you can go up from the road. Great stuff.

We’ve only got a few days here in OZ. We’ve been blazing around Sydney making the most of them. First day exploring Kings Cross, where we’re staying at the Jolly Swagman. Pretty much like the Kings Cross in London really. Everyone and everything all melted into a chaotic but infinately watchable war zone. Great restaurants, anything you could want, and swanky or seedy as you like, day or night.

We missed Chinese New Year in Chinatown by a few days but crammed in a load of Sydney, Manly and Bondi sights. We got a free drink coupon book from our hostel and mission “Use all Coupons” was very successul thank you. Just missed the shark attack in Bondi which is also good.

Sydney! (With the office of my accomodating employer beginning with “I” behind, transfer one day maybe?)