C/Mon Visit Sydney Australia my home town!

My home town too Gdad:). ... and yes, even though I'll never live there again it's still very much worth looking at.
As cities go, she's an extremely pretty 'girl'.

I watched that short 'day trip' video and it's reminded of one of very few things I really miss about Sydney, and has made me sad that I'll probably never do that trip again.
But I have bookmarked it to look at now and then. Thank you.


Taronga Zoo must be sitting on the primest tract of undeveloped real estate in the World! Sydney Harbour waterfrontage, it's worth billions.
I used to often go over there for the ferry trip and the views. Spectacular. Those animals are living in $1000 p/n accommodation.

I wonder sometimes what the animals make of the NYE fireworks display though, there must be some awfully nervous inmates there.
 
I have only passed through Sydney on way home from QLD, from what I did see of it it was a nice place,the videos of the zoo are lovely.
 

A memorable 'come home' moment for me was flying in at sunrise and for some reason the plane didn't go straight into Mascot, but did a run around past the city and harbour. It was like a jewel box! I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. It didn't seem real.

It was a long and expensive way around to find that arguably the best piece of scenery of the whole trip was only a few miles from home.
 
Di; The same with me. My wife & I were comming into Sydney from the U/K flying south following the Blue Mountains, Because we were early the plane flew south to
Woolongong & then turned & proceeded to head back north to Sydney, all the while the overseas visitors were oohing & aaring looking at the scenery that was below.

It bought a big smile on my wife & my face, yep we have a beautiful Country, we're Home.
 
A land developer put on a flight in a small plane to look at a new land release up here in Woopi in the early 80's. $85 if you didn't buy a block, free if you did. I did, and sold it a few years later, but that was a flight worth doing at any cost. One of the better 'day trips' I ever took.

It left from Bankstown airport, then all the way, low over all the coastal beaches, all the way to Coffs Hbr. Magic, a tourist's dream, but bet it would be a lot dearer now.
It came back along the Gt Dividing Range and that wasn't half bad either.

(The house on that block sold last year for 10 times what the land cost me, maybe I should have hung on to it longer. )
 
GS0dZIl.jpg
 
GDAD said:
Hope you enjoy these few videos


http://www.youtube.com/channel/HCLn97djZ5js0
Click to expand...

LOL I love that you extend your invitation to Sydney as if it were only a short drive in the country. I would LOVE to visit but it's a gazillion miles away and costs almost that much to get there. For those I've known fortunate enough to go (not many,) they don't want to come home, any of 'em. Two high school friends married after college and went to Sydney on their honeymoon. They've only been back to the States to visit and have raised their family there, as did my great uncle who was transferred there as a young man by his company many years ago. So I know it's a wonderful and magical place, but it's too over the top to even add to my bucket list. I have to be realistic. In the meantime, I'll enjoy hearing about it from you and other Aussies and enjoying your links. They're great! And thank you for your wonderful invitation.
 
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You know, Katybug, that it's the same distance from Sydney to the States as it is in the opposite direction but lots of us have made the trip. We save up and take a very long vacation to make the trip worthwhile. There's a lot more to this continent than Sydney.
 
Warrigal said:
You know, Katybug, that it's the same distance from Sydney to the States as it is in the opposite direction but lots of us have made the trip. We save up and take a very long vacation to make the trip worthwhile. There's a lot more to this continent than Sydney.
Click to expand...

I know there is much more, it's just that for so long I've wanted to visit my friend in Sydney and that's been on my mind for years, tho totally out of the realm of possibility. If I were able to visit, I would want to see far more than the large city of Sydney. I would want to feel the full flavor offered only outside big city life, and would feel very cheated otherwise. However, as a divorced woman of 20+ years and with only my income, I've long since passed the age of being able to save for such a trip, nor am I able to take that much time away. Moreover, traveling alone has never appealed to me and I don't have any single friends who share the same interest in traveling the world, as I did when I was married or with a partner. At this point, all my friends are married and travel with their spouses and the thought of traveling alone w/total strangers in a tour group isn't my thing at all.

So while I understand what you're saying in saving for years and taking a very long vacation to come here, it isn't anything that would work for me. There are so many beautiful places here in the US that I haven't visited and would be far easier on my budget, tho they will remain a dream as well. I was once so full of adventure, but these days I don't travel further than 2-3 states away, always with family, and feel very lucky to do that.....trips I can afford without breaking the bank. But I will always know I missed out big time in not being able to visit your beautiful country.
 
At this point, all my friends are married and travel with their spouses and the thought of traveling alone w/total strangers in a tour group isn't my thing at all.
Click to expand...

I recognize that boat Katy, I was in it too, and while I didn't mind being alone I wouldn't risk traveling too far that way even 30 years ago.

I was lucky to be working with an older woman who had been to the States and wanted to do it again since her husband was retired. He was a home-body and wouldn't go anywhere so she and I just booked and went.
We scraped up all the spare money we had and booked as much itinerary as it could cover. It added up to 8 weeks in the US, Alaska and Canada and left enough spending money to buy the lunches that were never included. Not a cent of it was wasted, we had a ball.

[story alert]
Gwen and I didn't have a great working relationship, in fact we were at constant loggerheads and had daily tiffs.
She was 20 years older than me and self appointed queen of the office. A bossy control freak with a short temper and shorter tolerance levels. She had that alpha at any cost and vengeance on dissenters personality. She was the quintessential Scorpio who ruled by terror where she could and manipulated those in power shamelessly.
She was exactly like an older version of me.

The day I started there was the worst day of her entire career. It was on from day one. She was bossy and I was stubborn and that never changed. But strangely because we understood each other so well we also had a kind of respectful rapport that the other staff never realised and woe betide anyone who ticked us both off at the same time or tried to play one against the other.

We often had dinner at each others' homes and went to social outings and got along fine. Like all heirarchal creatures we only fought over common territory, the workplace. Strangely it wasn't really 'personal' just a 'professional' power conflict.

I mellowed in later life once I didn't feel the need to be on the defensive all the time, because that's what that type of personality really is. It's 90% pure bluff, armour to cover a weak, soft centre, a survival tactic. ... but I digress.

When we announced that we were off traveling together for 8 weeks the staff had 3 sweepstakes running.
One for which of us would 'spit the dummy' and come home first, one for how long we'd last, the other for which one would murder the other.

As she'd been before and knew the tricks about how things worked over there I let her take the lead and that worked fine. She knew how far she could push me and there were a few places we went that I'd have missed out on had I not let her have her way and boss me into going along. Then we met a Canadian lady who was braver than both of us and had set off to see her country totally alone. She was retired and recently widowed and wanted to put some distance and memories between her and a sad time.

We explored Canada like the 3 musketeers but poor Ada couldn't understand how our 'friendship' worked at all.
She'd never encountered people who could have a full on public yelling match over something one minute and be laughing together at something else 10 seconds later. We were a bit strange I guess, Gwen and I.
But Ada hung in there, and when Gwen was bossing Ada more than usual I'd warn Ada to wander off a bit as I was about to jerk Gwen's reins and a verbal brawl and steam venting was brewing. She saw the funny side of it all eventually and quite enjoyed 'the show.'

She didn't gel with Gwen so much but Ada and I remained firm friends until she died around 10 years later. She came to Australia twice and stayed at my home and we all went touring together up the coast to Cairns, flew across to Darwin and by bus down through the Centre to Adelaide, then flew back to Sydney. Great trip. I'd done it all before but it was better having someone new to show it to.

She'd come in the best season they'd had for 20 years, there was actually grass and flowers growing on the Gibber Plains! It's normally dead flat red dust horizon to horizon and covered in billions of small shiny black rocks.
She was impressed at how 'pretty' it was never realizing she was one of very few who'd ever seen it that way.

The 2nd time Ada came over we didn't even tell Gwen she was there. I felt bad about that but Ada had had enough of her as she was getting even crankier as she aged, and had retired so we didn't work together any more and only phoned each other rarely for the odd reunion so I got away with it, she never knew.

The 2nd 'grand tour' was a road trip. We did a leisurely 3 days, staying where we liked, drive up to the Gold Coast and stayed with my relatives there for a week, then got stranded in Taree on the way back when we got into the middle of a 5 car pile up and found ourselves largely uninjured but without any transport. But that's another tale.

Ada was booked for a 3rd trip down here when she was diagnosed with cancer and had to cancel.
She lost her battle, but we spoke often on the phone and she was always positive to almost the end that she'd make that 3rd trip eventually. I miss her still, she was a wonderful person and we were so lucky to have met her on that tour.
[/end story]


So you see Katy, traveling alone can have all kinds of fun outcomes. Like Ada, you might have met a couple weirdos like Gwen and I and opened up a whole new world.

Traveling isn't just about the scenery, and travel companions don't need to be close friends, just share a common interest in seeing the same things.

... and all that isn't a bit of use without the money and fitness to do it with right?
Know about that boat too, which is why we shouldn't put off doing what we want to for too long. Those opportunities don't remain open for ever. Sorry we won't see you down here.
 
Gwen would have swatted you on that one.

Went on a tour with another workmate who was very quiet and never stood by a decision in her life and left everything up to me and to be honest, the Gwen trips were a whole lot more interesting.
 
Diwundrin said:
I recognize that boat Katy, I was in it too, and while I didn't mind being alone I wouldn't risk traveling too far that way even 30 years ago.

I was lucky to be working with an older woman who had been to the States and wanted to do it again since her husband was retired. He was a home-body and wouldn't go anywhere so she and I just booked and went.
We scraped up all the spare money we had and booked as much itinerary as it could cover. It added up to 8 weeks in the US, Alaska and Canada and left enough spending money to buy the lunches that were never included. Not a cent of it was wasted, we had a ball.

[story alert]
Gwen and I didn't have a great working relationship, in fact we were at constant loggerheads and had daily tiffs.
She was 20 years older than me and self appointed queen of the office. A bossy control freak with a short temper and shorter tolerance levels. She had that alpha at any cost and vengeance on dissenters personality. She was the quintessential Scorpio who ruled by terror where she could and manipulated those in power shamelessly.
She was exactly like an older version of me.

The day I started there was the worst day of her entire career. It was on from day one. She was bossy and I was stubborn and that never changed. But strangely because we understood each other so well we also had a kind of respectful rapport that the other staff never realised and woe betide anyone who ticked us both off at the same time or tried to play one against the other.

We often had dinner at each others' homes and went to social outings and got along fine. Like all heirarchal creatures we only fought over common territory, the workplace. Strangely it wasn't really 'personal' just a 'professional' power conflict.

I mellowed in later life once I didn't feel the need to be on the defensive all the time, because that's what that type of personality really is. It's 90% pure bluff, armour to cover a weak, soft centre, a survival tactic. ... but I digress.

When we announced that we were off traveling together for 8 weeks the staff had 3 sweepstakes running.
One for which of us would 'spit the dummy' and come home first, one for how long we'd last, the other for which one would murder the other.

As she'd been before and knew the tricks about how things worked over there I let her take the lead and that worked fine. She knew how far she could push me and there were a few places we went that I'd have missed out on had I not let her have her way and boss me into going along. Then we met a Canadian lady who was braver than both of us and had set off to see her country totally alone. She was retired and recently widowed and wanted to put some distance and memories between her and a sad time.

We explored Canada like the 3 musketeers but poor Ada couldn't understand how our 'friendship' worked at all.
She'd never encountered people who could have a full on public yelling match over something one minute and be laughing together at something else 10 seconds later. We were a bit strange I guess, Gwen and I.
But Ada hung in there, and when Gwen was bossing Ada more than usual I'd warn Ada to wander off a bit as I was about to jerk Gwen's reins and a verbal brawl and steam venting was brewing. She saw the funny side of it all eventually and quite enjoyed 'the show.'

She didn't gel with Gwen so much but Ada and I remained firm friends until she died around 10 years later. She came to Australia twice and stayed at my home and we all went touring together up the coast to Cairns, flew across to Darwin and by bus down through the Centre to Adelaide, then flew back to Sydney. Great trip. I'd done it all before but it was better having someone new to show it to.

She'd come in the best season they'd had for 20 years, there was actually grass and flowers growing on the Gibber Plains! It's normally dead flat red dust horizon to horizon and covered in billions of small shiny black rocks.
She was impressed at how 'pretty' it was never realizing she was one of very few who'd ever seen it that way.

The 2nd time Ada came over we didn't even tell Gwen she was there. I felt bad about that but Ada had had enough of her as she was getting even crankier as she aged, and had retired so we didn't work together any more and only phoned each other rarely for the odd reunion so I got away with it, she never knew.

The 2nd 'grand tour' was a road trip. We did a leisurely 3 days, staying where we liked, drive up to the Gold Coast and stayed with my relatives there for a week, then got stranded in Taree on the way back when we got into the middle of a 5 car pile up and found ourselves largely uninjured but without any transport. But that's another tale.

Ada was booked for a 3rd trip down here when she was diagnosed with cancer and had to cancel.
She lost her battle, but we spoke often on the phone and she was always positive to almost the end that she'd make that 3rd trip eventually. I miss her still, she was a wonderful person and we were so lucky to have met her on that tour.
[/end story]


So you see Katy, traveling alone can have all kinds of fun outcomes. Like Ada, you might have met a couple weirdos like Gwen and I and opened up a whole new world.

Traveling isn't just about the scenery, and travel companions don't need to be close friends, just share a common interest in seeing the same things.

... and all that isn't a bit of use without the money and fitness to do it with right?
Know about that boat too, which is why we shouldn't put off doing what we want to for too long. Those opportunities don't remain open for ever. Sorry we won't see you down here.
Click to expand...

I LOVED YOUR STORY! I've never had a working relationship quite like that one. There have been many whose friendship I cherished and a few I couldn't stand for the very issues you had with Gwen -- alpha dogmatic personality, but I always kept my distance and had as little interaction as possible. I admire that you could put the bad aside and socialize and travel with her, otherwise you would have missed out on a fabulous trip. You made the very most of a bad situation and had yourself a fine time -- and good for you!

What a blessing in meeting Ada, a dear friendship that was totally unexpected. She added greatly to the beauty of the trip and took your mind off the negative aspects of Gwen. No matter how testy the times with Gwen may have become, you had dear Ada to balance it out. How lucky is that?!! Just a great story all the way around and you'll be cherishing those memories of your trip and Ada for the rest of your life.

And I'm sorry too that my circumstances will not allow me to live my dream in visiting, but I'm thrilled to be able to hear so much about your country via this board and to be acquainted with those of you whose outstanding personalities give Oz the reputation it so well deserves....that Aussies are among the friendliest people in the world. Got that directly from Oprah and Ellen whose shows from there were wonderful!

Thanks again for sharing your story!:love_heart:
 
Diwundrin said:
Gwen would have swatted you on that one.

Went on a tour with another workmate who was very quiet and never stood by a decision in her life and left everything up to me and to be honest, the Gwen trips were a whole lot more interesting.
Click to expand...

After my divorce I took several trips with friends, 3 to the Bahamas and one to Jamaica, back when money & energy were more plentiful. Always had good experiences, but these trips were with long term friends. Everything always went smoothly and my friends always pulled their own weight. I wouldn't want the role of travel planner either and would highly resent it. But we were always very fortunate and met many interesting people/men along the way. Things are just so much easier when you're in your early 30's.....sigh...

Sidenote....I met a wonderful German (who had custody of his 2 kids) my first day in Freeport. We ended up falling in love and he invited me to visit. Thinking this may be "the one," I left my girls with mom & dad, took a leave of absence from work and spent 2 months with him and his family in Lollar, Germany. (What a glorious experience!) He had already proposed and the trip was to see if it was the thing to do in marrying and leaving my country. I decided not. I simply couldn't take my 2 daughters (one of them with cerebral palsy) and leave my family, friends and job to live in a country where I didn't speak the language. I didn't love him enough to make that bold move at age 30. I've always wondered how different my life would have been if I had married him, but I have no regrets.
 
Thanks Katy, glad you enjoyed it. I do often think about that trip, and Ada, to this day. I've done a fair bit of traveling but that was the standout.
I cope with the Gwens of the world because as they say, it takes one to know one. I recognized her modus operandi because I used it myself. It was personality in her and a learned tactic in me but it was the same trick.

I'd learned early that shy nice Wallflowers who want to be left alone tend to get picked on or bullied, but bossy people with short tempers are simply avoided and get away with it because others aren't game to take them on.
Method in our madness.

[Warrigal, look away now.]

I learned it when I was around 9 or 10, on the day I decked a boy with my schoolcase who had been teasing and playing pranks on me for weeks as we came out of the school gates. He was smaller than me, the idiot, and I never had a bit of trouble after that. Not from anyone at school anyway, but my mother was waiting for me to go shopping and I didn't know she was there. Oh boy! I was nagged for a week but the lesson in life was well worth it.

What was that about us being 'friendly'?

We are really I guess. But why wouldn't we be?
 
Loved the story Di. It always makes me proud when someone who visits Canada, goes away with a happy memory of the people who live here. I'd love to go to Australia and know 2 people who live there, although they don't know each other.

Must admit, the bugs, snakes and roos strike me as a bit scary though......

I've had my travels and unless it was something spectacular to go see or better yet, someone spectacular, I'm content to stay home and have folks come visit me.

Now..... A Senior Forum get-together in Australia would certainly be something that would get me on board though..... Wonder if we could approach some airline to fly us all over there for free in exchange for advertising or something? Somebody should look into that!!! I'll start packing....
 

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