DAY 46 - SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 14, 2010

THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON OUR PART AS TO THE CORRECT TIME OF OUR TOUR FOR TODAY. THE “PATTER” DIDN’T LIST THE TIME SO AFTER BREAKFAST WE INQUIRED, BUT NOBODY KNEW AND THE TOUR OFFICE WAS CLOSED. THE TICKET NEVER GIVES AN INDICATION. WE THOUGHT IT WAS 4:45, AND WE FELT OTHER PEOPLE WERE GOING ON A SIMILAR TOUR AT 1:45.

AS WE WERE LEAVING THE SHIP WE RAN INTO MARCOS, THE TOUR OFFICE GUY, AND WE ALL WENT BACK TO HIS OFFICE. THE TOUR SHEET LISTED THE TOUR AT 1:45 AND A RETURN TIME OF 4:45. QUESTION WAS, DID WE WANT TO DO THE HARBOR CRUISE THAT EARLY. THERE WAS NO TOUR AT 4:45.
WE WENT WITH THE FLOW AND STAYED WITH THE 1:45 DEPARTURE. IN THE MEANTIME WE MADE SEVERAL CALLS BACK HOME UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO MEET OUTSIDE THE SHIP TERMINAL.

A GROUP OF ABOUT 60 PEOPLE MADE THE WALK DOWN TO THE FERRY TERMINAL AND AS OUR GUIDE GOT THE TICKETS WE FORMED A LINE. GEORGIA AND I WERE FIRST IN LINE AND WHEN WE WERE ALLOWED ON THE BOAT WE MADE OUR WAY UP THE STAIRS TO THE UPPER DECK FOR AN OUTDOOR SEAT. IT WAS A GREAT SEAT AT THAT WITH NO OBSTRUCTIONS, A CLEAR VIEW FOR ALL OUR PICTURE TAKING.

THE HARBOR CRUISE CONTINUES FOR 2 HOURS AND EVERY MINUTE IS PACKED WITH SCENIC VIEWS. CLOSEUPS OF THE OPERA HOUSE, THE BRIDGE AND MANY MORE SITES ALONG THE WAY. WE EVEN SAW THE NUDE BEACH, FOR MEN ONLY, AND WHAT A SITE IT WAS. ALL GUYS PARADING AROUND IN THEIR BIRTHDAY SUITS.

AS WE CONTINUED PASSED THE HIGH PRICED HARBOR VIEW HOMES, EACH NICER THAN THE ONE NEXT TO IT, WE EVENTUALLY FOUND OURSELVES AT THE VERY ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR WHERE IT MEETS THE PACIFIC OCEAN. IT HAS BEEN SAID SYDNEY HARBOR IS THE LARGEST NATURAL HARBOR IN THE WORLD. IT TOOK CLOSE TO AN HOUR TO REACH THE ENTRANCE POINT AND THE CLIFFS AND CHANNEL OFFSHOOTS WERE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

EACH OFFSHOOT CHANNEL HAD IT’S OWN UNIQUE FEATURES, SOME WITH BEACHES AND OTHERS WITH WATERSIDE RESTAURANTS. BUILDING CODE PREVENTS UGLY HIGH RISE APARTMENTS FORM MESSING UP THE SHORELINE. THE AREA IS FILLED WITH HISTORY AT EVERY BEND AND THE SHORELINE IS DOTTED WITH DOZENS OF LIGHTHOUSES, MOST OF WHICH WERE ERECTED BECAUSE OF SOME TRAGIC MISHAP OF YEARS AGO. THE HARBOR IS ALSO ONE OF THE DEEPEST AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SHIPS AT THE BOTTOM.

AS WE RETURNED TO THE CITY OUR BOAT TRAVELED UNDER THE HARBOR BRIDGE AND THEN CIRCLED BACK TO THE FERRY TERMINAL. GEORGIA AND I DECIDED NOT TO RETURN TO THE SHIP BUT INSTEAD HEAD FOR THE KIOSK STANDS ON ARGYLE STREET. WE FOLLOWED UP WITH A WALK TO THE KIOSK STANDS ON ST GEORGE STREET BEFORE RETURN TO THE PLAZA ADJACENT TO THE SHIP TERMINAL.

WE SAT ON A PARK BENCH FOR 45 MINUTES AND OBSERVED PEOPLE AS THE WALKED BY. PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD, TOURIST, LOCALS AND ENTERTAINERS. JUST BEFORE HEADING BACK TO THE SHIP WE SAW A YOUNG COUPLE WALKING ALONG THE PROMENADE. HE WAS WEARING A PITTSBURGH PENGUIN SHIRT. AS HE GOT CLOSER I BEGAN YELLING “PENGUINS, PENGUINS, PITTSBURGH, PITTSBURGH. THE GIRL LOOKED OVER OUR WAY AND SMILED, HE NEVER MADE ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.