The Sydney run-down...
There was limited connectivity at the Hotel in Sydney, so I had limited time to write. And the internet is a little slow here in Perth so I won't be uploading many pics until I can get it working a little faster. I uploaded some pictures complete with smart remarks on my Facebook account.
Friday:
The girls left at 7am to go climb the bridge. The kids and I were up at 8 and, surprisingly, the Yerm's weren't. We went down by ourselves and had a great b-fast at Kaz's. Sean had a nutritious b-fast of hot chocolate, hash browns and a chocolate muffin. The girl had thick toast, bacon, and some eggs. I had (horns blare) - Big Breakfast.. and a "flat white". Awesome.
After a little exploring, we picked up the Yerms, breezed through the McDonalds for b-fast, and then on to the Aquarium. The aquarium is good but a little over commercialized with photo op.s and concessions trying to bilk you out small change.
The big tank has a number of different fish. Apparently, part of the exhibit is the demonstration of the food chain as some of the fish were eating and fighting over eating other fish in exhibit. Shocking! The kids found this added dimension very interesting. I have never seen a sea turtle eat a fish's head before.
We then waited until the girls finished the bridge tour and met up with us outside the aquarium. We lunched at the end of Darling Harbor and on to the touristy shopping mall there. Outside the mall we spent some time playing in the fountain. That of course ended badly as the children apply the rules of "something worth doing is worth over-doing until your parents yell at you."
Saturday:
David and I climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge. It wasn't strenuous. But it was warm and we had to wear funky overalls. They were even funkier at the end of the 3 hour tour. While on the bridge, the James Craig Tall Ship we had toured the day before at the Maritime Museum sailed underneath us.
The Roch wasn't feeling well that day. So we hustled back to the hotel to find kids in various stages of punishment and isolation.
We gathered everyone up and went to Museum Station Cafe in Hyde Park for lunch. Then we proceeded through the park to the Barrack's Museum where the girl had a huge 20 minute meltdown in front of all the tourists on the street. I calmly cleaned my Oakleys and read a book. Then the storm passed and it was as if nothing happened.
The Police Museum which was closed during the week was open and we toured the Femme Fatale Exhibit. That last part might have been a little ambitious, as the adults could hardly keep their eyes open and the kids were running amuck. Then back to the hotel to gather enought courage to go to dinner.
Seeing that it was my birthday, the choice was left to me. I chose a place that nobody liked and was too far away. Silvia didn't even eat anything, the kids were tired, and we got caught in huge thunder shower which soaked us to the bone. Then to avoid the storm, I opted to take the monorail the two stops which cost $35aud!
meh. Sunday:
On Sunday was a large St Patrick's Day parade down George Street in Sydney. We'd gotten a late start. So getting to Manly or Bondi Beaches was a little ambitious. David describes it as "facing the tyranny of the clock." That left us with the lowest common denominator option of shopping at Darling Harbor. We had lunch in tourist packed food court there, made it back by 3:15pm, collected our baggage, and left for the airport about 3:30pm. No worries. We took our shoes off in airport security at the airport and received funny looks from officials there. Meh.
The girl slept most of the flight and only awoke to vomit all over mom and the lady next to her. But the flight crew descended on the scene like in Monster's Inc when they find that sock.
So we made it no problem to Perth. Did I mention it is 30 degrees here and the houses are made of brick? E-Z-bake ovens. The accommodations are great and the kids slept with mom. Bonus!
The Yerm kids are off to school and we are lazying around this morning. I want to go to the beach. It is expected to be around 32 C today with high humidity and sunburns eminent.
Our last meal in Time Square HK. Kids are somewhat few and far between outside of a school. Our group withh 6 kids all under 10 is a unique thing we were met with acceptance such as in this case where we had our own private dining room, or we were given the brush-off. 3 hours after this picture, we were on a flight back to Perth. This meal was the best we had in HK. Each meal we had was better than the last. Everything is about 50% the cost in US. So we had many extravegant meals for reasonable prices.
Once on the Peak in the center of the shopping mall, we hit the stores and tourist shopped. The girl had a twenty minute meltdown that attracted the attention of everyone in a 100meter radius. Her fit was so violent that a Japanese tourist had to assist me with the stroller down the steps.
On the Peak, a sign outside the Burger King takes "mind the gap" subway warning to a new level. There are funny signs like this everywhere in the land of Engrish. This guy looks like he is about to take a digger.
So the girls went fabric shopping in Schenchen. That left David and I with all six kids. We are stuggling up the hill to the Zoo and the park by the Peak Tram. The kids make things a little more difficult with endless trips to the washroom and constant bickering; but they also live in the moment and really enjoy the smaller things that make the trip more fun.
