Day twenty two

Sunrise in Bronte 

Ten and a half hours on a train.

Sun set in Melbourne 

Day twenty one

A day of idleness as we prepare for our trip to Melbourne tomorrow. We board the train at 7.40 and arrive at 6.30 in the evening. Then make our way to Masie’s house where James and Grace will join us. Then off to an Airbnb on Saturday to meet Grace’s father and brother. 

Today the only interesting thing I have seen is an enormous crane working on the building site next to us.

Day twenty

Another exploration of Sydney today, this time to Sydney Park. Helen, Steve,Immie and Jack did a Park Run there be we have never visited. 

I can now tell you that it was created on an old Brick Works and the now only the chimneys remain. A mixed parkland of grass, trees and lakes has been created. It looks from the photo as if the chimneys were still smoking away but they aren’t. 

We saw some good birds including an egret, a spoonbill and three black-winged stilts.

Spoonbill, egret and ibis!

Three stilts, and ibis and a purple swamp hen in the background. 

Then back home on the train in time for a walk round the Cemetery where we saw a black butcher bird.

Day nineteen

Rain! Who knew it rained here?

Art photo alert - gum tree reflected in the rainwater on the balcony table. 

We headed back in to Sydney to explore another area called The Rocks, the area where the first houses were built. The same eclectic mix of buildings, including a set of workers cottages from the early days, preserved in the same was as the Back to Backs in Birmingham. 

I had wondered where all the cast iron came from. This gives a possible answer, the Victoria Foundry, Sydney. 

The more observant of you will notice a cafe in this terrace. We chose to give it our lunchtime custom and ordered Grantham Salmon and a ploughman’s. This is what arrived. 

There was even entertainment while we waited...

We returned via the usual landmarks. 

Back at home the waves were quite impressive. 

Day eighteen

This morning we explored a new area of Sydney. We went with Grace on her way to work at UTS and then explored the area called Ultimo. It is an odd mix of ultra modern architecture and terraced houses from 1880  -  1900.

Interestingly (well, I find it interesting) the old buildings still have corrugated iron roofs.

Then back home for lunch and a little light gardening. 

There was a clear band of smoke in the sky this evening fo. The bush fires that have been burning to the South of Sydney. 

Day seventeen

Almost a rest day but not quite. After a slow start we headed across Sydney to a smart Garden Centre. They were full of great plants and great advice on suitable plants for tubs on the balcony and made some great suggestions. Which we ignored and went to Bunnings instead!

We bought three good plants and some ground cover plants plus one new tub to add to the two existing empty ones. 

Day sixteen

A rest day....yes, we do occasionally have rest days.

We sat around and read our books and drank beer.

And the threatened rain never appeared.

And walking back from the beer shop I spotted these unusual clouds.....the plane gives some idea of scale.