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Tim and I spent our last few weeks in Geraldton enjoying farewell parties (including one with a cardboard theme), two fantastic 4wd excursions (through scrub land and on sand dunes) with a friend, and packing out the house.  The moving company came 10 days before our flight out, and with only one guy at the house, managed to almost box everything up the first day.  With the assistance of a second person the next day,  they cleared the house within several hours.  Wow.  We looked around at the brick house we called home for 15 months, and now it is empty.  All that remained were the 4 large pieces of luggage and 2 backpacks to fill our necessities with, and the cardboard gifts given by friends.  Our per diem rate doesn’t quite match what Geraldton’s nicer hotels charge, so we decided to stay in this empty house a few of those 10 nights.  We chose not to pack out the mattress or box spring, since it was more than 20 years old, so we slept on that until it would be hauled to the tip (dump).  There was a special weekend rate for the Ocean Centre Hotel, which managed to fit within our per diem, so we stayed at this oceanfront hotel for 2 nights.  Emily was going to miss the beaches incredibly, so she was going to enjoy her last few walks and sunsets.  Dome is a popular coffeehouse in Australia, which had recently opened on Geraldton’s foreshore months prior.  This coffeeshop became Emily’s morning hangout with friends.  Since our meals would be paid for, Tim and I decided to discover Geraldton’s restaurants this final week.  Why wait until now?  Because, they’re expensive and we refused to pay those prices, so we mostly cooked all year.  Checking out of the Ocean Centre Hotel, we next checked into the Geraldton Bed and Breakfast, where we would be spending the remaining 5 nights until our flight.  Tim worked until that last day, so I would drop him off at work and take the car for visitations.  We turned in our house keys and friends offered to sell our Mazda 323, which we were thankful for.  Our Saturday morning flight was scheduled in Geraldton at 8.30am.  We got there an hour early (usually only 30 minutes is required for this small airport) to handle all our luggage issues.  Welcoming us was 15 of our closest friends wishing a safe journey home.  Tim and I were absolutely moved by this outpouring of love.  After boarding the plane, Emily cried all the way until landing in Perth one hour later.  Besides dealing with more luggage issues and a flight attendant who could not correctly identify our credit card information (month/day/year are switched in Australia), our next flight from Perth into Sydney was quite uneventful.  I would like to mention I am no longer happy with Qantas for not serving ice cream bars…who wants a citrus-sicle?  Our Holiday Inn hotel in Sydney was within walking distance of the airport (keep in mind, we had 4 huge bags and 2 backpacks), so rather than waiting for a shuttle, Tim wanted to walk.  We ate a quiet meal in the hotel restaurant and with nowhere else to walk nearby, went to bed.  The next morning, we checked out and I waited in the lobby with all the luggage, while Tim walked back for our rental car.  Before we were to drive down to Canberra, I wanted to make sure we got ample time in Sydney and its surrounding areas.  We drove out of Sydney, heading northwest towards the Blue Mountains.  Their M toll roads are not friendly.  They do not have toll booths where you can pay cash, so once you go through the toll counter, your license plate is scanned.  You must go online to pay within 48 hours, or you will be sent a penalty invoice.  We learned this the hard way, because we missed the deadline, tried calling the number for customer service, explained we were moving internationally and in-between addresses.  Long story short, paid a $35 fine for this toll back in the US.  Anyway, driving up towards the Blue Mountains is pretty, but not much to stop off and do.  We looked into a steam train ride, which was closed that day.  The Blue Mountains are filled with gorges and wildlife.  “Blue” literally comes from the blue hue you see as you overlook the mountain range.  It is caused from oil given off by the abundant Eucalyptus trees below.  The “Three Sisters” statue rock formation is very well-known and made easily accessible for viewing.  We took a hike to Upper Wentworth Falls, which seemed small in comparison to many other waterfalls we had experienced through our travels.  Also, being winter, there was not much run-off at this time.  We then drove over to where the “Three Sisters” is and looked for hot chocolate before the hike.  There is an additional, massively steep, but short, climb down to where you can step onto the first “sister”, with a handrail to provide more balance.  Cool standing next to this statue.  Tim had not been to the Blue Mountains before, and I was excited to see them a second time.  We stopped for lunch in Leura, a town near the Mountains, and one that I had been to long ago.  It was nice to come back and see it as quaint as I had remembered.  Getting dark early, the clouds were also coming in and the temperature was dropping.  We drove to the Kurrara Guesthouse, where we were staying for the night.  Old Victorian house with ornately decorated parlor and breakfast rooms.  Our room was the first at the top of the stairs.  Upon checking in, we asked for food recommendations, and the owner said that Young’s Chinese Restaurant was good.  Tim has been skeptical of “good” Chinese in Australia throughout our living here, since the sauces are mostly bland.  If nothing else, it warmed the belly, and after a cold walk back to the car in downtown Katoomba, we went back to our accommodation.  We had evening drinks in the parlor with the owner of the property and borrowed a movie to watch upstairs in our room.  Since we only rented the car for 24 hours, we had to skip breakfast at the guesthouse and check out early, so we found a bakery instead and kept driving.  We returned the car at the airport and took a taxi to the downtown Sydney Citigate Central Hotel.  A chaotic itinerary, but we chose to save money on hotel parking and rental car fees.  All bags in tow, we check in.  Overcast today, and we decide to take a walk.  We first stop in Chinatown, which is only a 5 minute walk from the hotel and find barbecued suckling pig for lunch.  Yum.  Walking on, we step foot into the very ornate and stylish QVB, Queen Victoria Building, a 19th century city block long building which was originally a concert hall, later turned into a library, before its current use of upscale boutique shopping.  Heading south, we go inside the Sydney Opera House and research what is on the next couple days.  We purchase tickets for this evening’s performance “Of Earth and Sky”, as performed by Bangarra Dance Company.  With only a few hours before the show, we stroll around Sydney Harbour through Circular Quay (pronounced “key”) where the ferries arrive/depart.  This area around the harbour is filled with waterfront outdoor dining, and street entertainers.  An Aboriginal musician catches our eye, so we sit and listen to him for awhile before purchasing his CD.  We continue to the impressive MCA building, Museum of Contemporary Art.  Sorry, but not impressed with the featured horticulture exhibition.  We step outside and and are at the base of “The Rocks”, an area once claimed by European settlers for convicts, now a ritzy arts and shopping district.  Walking the cobblestone streets allow you to observe old buildings and gorgeous views of the harbour below.  Sydney is a very hilly city.  We are now walking towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge.  Wow.  It never ceases to impress me with its size, measuring 432 feet to the top arch and 3300 feet long.  2000 workers and 8 years to its 1932 completion, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world’s largest steel arch bridge and a Sydney icon.  We walk across this spectacular bridge, feeling the strong wind gusts and pausing for the stunning views.  The sun is now setting and as we make our return trip across the bridge, we choose a terrace restaurant in the Rocks offering fabulous view of the city below.  Relaxing meal outside with glasses of wine and a steak dinner, we enjoy the Opera House lit up now.  Close to show time, we meander back, noticing the dessert selections in a Belgian Chocolate cafe nearby.  This performance requires only a handful of dancers.  How to describe what we observed.  Didgeridoo and drums, along with other instruments to produce rhythmic dance beats, combining interpretive props and dances, to tell stories from Aboriginal history.  The sounds, lighting, costumes, and movements take the audience on this heart pounding journey.  As promised, after the show, we find a table at Guylian’s Belgian Chocolate Cafe and order luscious desserts and cappuccino.  Sydney isn’t exhausting.  As proven by us over the next couple days, you can spend all day and evening in the city and not feel tired.  Even the crowds of people that flock to Sydney Harbour just isn’t suffocating as US cities are.  Public transportation systems are very efficient and abundant, with buses, trains, ferries, monorails, taxis, and trolleys.  On our way back to the hotel that night, we take a detour and walk through Darling Harbour, where Cockle Bay Wharf is surrounded by shopping plazas and waterfront restaurants.   The next morning we take a Sydney Harbour Cruise to Manly.  We hailed a taxi to Circular Quay, bought our ferry tickets, and board a 30 minute scenic boat ride to the town of Manly.  The Sydney ferry systems are punctual, as these boats are used for transporting people to and from the CBD (central business district).  Boats run all day, with more scheduled times during “rush hour”, as people are using the ferries to/from work.  As a tourist, I am simply enjoying the sights and Sydney’s beautiful (65 degree) weather.  A popular seaside surfing village, shops and cafes outline Manly’s downtown main street.  We arrived before shops were open, so we chose to eat an early kebab and chips lunch outside at a picnic table by the ocean.  Funny story.  The seagulls here are extremely aggressive.  They are clearly fed too often and have no problems jumping onto your table and harassing you for food.  There were people eating at nearby tables, so we were left alone, until we were the only ones left eating.  Then it started.  The seagulls were on the table, on our benches, calling to us for food.  We would try to shoo them away but not one of them minded.  Not managing to scare them with kicking or stomping our feet, we eventually moved to another table and were finally left alone.  Then it got ugly.  A man sat down near the table we recently left and began eating a sandwich.  Tim and I watched as he chatted on his cell phone, while casually eating.  At one point, a seagull took a bite from the sandwich in his hand before walking away.  This man could get no relief from these birds.  We were so amused and disgusted by these seagulls all at the same time.  The man finally gave up and threw half of his sandwich away, all the while the seagulls following him to the trashcan.  Walking on, we took a lengthy nature hike towards the North Head Sanctuary for a few scenic overlooks of Manly below us.  Trying to catch the return ferry back (they run every hour on the hour), we picked up the pace for the hike back down.  In the off-season, Manly was quiet and peaceful, although I can imagine just how heavily populated this vacation spot for locals can be (only 15 minute drive outside Sydney) during the summer.  Arriving back at Circular Quay, we stop for a gelato and sit in front of the Opera House for a break, before a quick stroll through the Royal Botanical Gardens.  The fruit bats!  They hang upside down from the trees throughout the gardens and talk to each other all day.  Tim and I paused to listen and laughed wondering what they were saying.  Very comical creatures.  Although it is winter in Sydney, there are flowers in bloom all year, which we got photos of.  We had hoped that the Government House would be open for viewing, but was closed.  Therefore, we walked its gardens instead.  The day is coming to a close, so we walk back to Cockle Bay Wharf to enjoy a nice meal outside on the waterfront.  Every building near the wharf is lighting up and it’s beautiful reflecting off the water.  Cozy atmosphere.   We chose an outside table at Baia San Marco Cafe with a nearby heat lamp, ordering wine and bread to start, followed by a kangaroo fillet for me and beef tenderloin for Tim.  We then strolled through the Harbourside Mall briefly before the 10 minute walk back to the hotel.  Next day, we check out of the hotel, hail a taxi to the downtown Avis location where we rent another car for our drive to Canberra.  Continuing on, the more south we drive, the colder it gets.  We stopped again at Fitzroy Falls, a magnificent 240 foot waterfall in the Southern Highlands, followed by a few wine tastings at Centennial Vineyards in Bowral.  The small towns leading to Canberra do not offer many attractions or food options, especially since cafes/restaurants close between 2.30pm and 5pm, so when you’re hungry around 3pm, you’re out of luck.  Restaurants that looked interesting to us only served lunch buffets, which we don’t eat, so instead we found a deli and ordered sandwiches for the road.  Getting to Canberra at dark, we parked at the Crowne Plaza, where we would be staying the next 3 nights.  After checking in, we walked downtown Canberra a bit to find any restaurant open, until we stumbled upon a noodle house.  Sounded good to us and would warm our freezing bodies.  Not used to the cold!  The next morning, Tim took the car into work, so I had the day to wander.  Canberra is easy to navigate.  I walked along Anzac Parade (memorials which line this famous street), to reach the Australian War Memorial at the top of the hill, where I spent a few hours touring the grounds and museum.  I had lunch at the Memorial cafe, wandered back a different way through Canberra Centre (a mall of over 300 stores), then finally back to the hotel, where I got ready for a night out with friends.  Yes, we have friends in Canberra.  We had drinks downstairs at a bar before heading upstairs to the restaurant.  Although we had made a booking, it was not necessary as we were the only ones there.  Good Italian meal and catching up on conversation with friends we hadn’t seen in quite some time, made for a nice evening out.  They dropped us back off at the hotel where we crashed for the night.  I got a late start the next day wandering through more of the downtown district and the Canberra Centre shopping area again to look for an early lunch.  Finding a cheap chinese restaurant nearby, I ate a set lunch menu before heading for the bus station.  I wanted to visit the National Museum of Australia today, so I got off the bus and went inside.  The museum is situated on Lake Griffin, which on sunny days, would make strolling the grounds more pleasant.  Today was gloomy, cold and windy, so later enjoying a tea and cake in the cafe overlooking the lake was a better idea.  I spent several hours in the Museum, admiring the Aboriginal artwork and videos clips.  From there, I waited for the bus to then go visit the New Parliament Building.  I first took an elevator to the terrace for a lookout over the city, followed by spending another hour reading how their Government works, and lastly viewing both their House of Representative and Senate rooms.  Another bus ride, I got off at the stop closest to our hotel with first taking a glance through the Canberra Museum and Art Gallery before meeting Tim back in the hotel for a dinner out with another set of friends.  They met us in the hotel lobby and drove to a parking lot with many food options nearby.  Walking this section of downtown, we laughed at several of the questionably risque statues.   We settled on a Korean/Japanese Restaurant downtown and ate outside next to the heat lamps.  Although the name escapes me, food is ordered inside, and big plates of stuff arrive at your table for the main following a salad and soup entree.  Quite tasty.  Later, we went back to their house for tea, dessert, and more conversation.  It has been quite a good couple nights out catching up with friends.  The next morning, we did the unthinkable.  Rather than taking the direct route back into Sydney (which is normally 3 hours), we agreed upon the scenic route, which requires a minimum of 6 hours along the coast.  With our early start, we headed southeast on country roads until we arrived at Bateman’s Bay, the popular beach spot for Canberrans.  Once you travel outside of Australian cities, it’s amazing just how quickly you are roaming the countryside, especially in Western Australian, the Northern Territory, and even South Australia.  Canberra is the capital city of Australia  and has a population close to 350,000.  Driving just 10 minutes outside the city, you are in the rolling hills and passing through small towns.  Along this route, we stopped at a flea/farmers market, Jervis Bay for overlooks and lunch, followed by driving to the summit of Mt. Keira, approximately 1300 feet.  At the top of this windy and narrow summit drive, there is a beautiful overlook of Wollongong, and the surrounding areas along the coastline.  There is a restaurant at the top of Mt. Keira, which we did not go to.  Today was a beautiful day, and the parking at the summit was packed, with cars and motorbikes, so we stayed for about 20 minutes then continued down the mountain.  Our next stop was at the Sea Cliff Bridge, which is a windy bridge that juts out from a cliff.  Not as scary as we were expecting it to be.  We parked the car and walked back along the bridge (yes, there was a pedestrian lane) and took photos.  Driving on, we stopped briefly to watch hang gliders literally leap off a section of these enormous cliffs.  Quite fascinating really.  The sun was now beginning to set, and we still had a while to go before traveling back into the south of Sydney.  We finally arrived at the downtown Four Seasons and parked.  Pure elegance. I love when you are greeted with music playing and dim light inside your warm and cozy room, not to mention L’Occitane soap and lotion in your plush bathroom.  Having learned that fireworks would be going off tonight in Darling Harbour, we headed there next.  We found dinner inside the Harbourside Mall at Wagamama, basically an Asian inspired noodle house.  Walking back outside, we sat near the water for the display.  Only a 7 minute fireworks show but awesome watching them shimmer over the water.  Apparently, once a month, they have these short firework displays here.  Anyway, Emily still got teary-eyed, because she was already an emotional mess for having to leave Australia, and to have a fireworks send-off on our final night was just too much for her to bear.  We walked a bit around Chinatown, ordering a couple appetizers before walking back to the hotel.  Our final morning, we slept in, and decided to take advantage of the 12.00pm check out time.  Tim had to return the rental car, so he did that while Emily packed the suitcases.  We left our luggage with concierge, since our flight from Sydney into Hawaii wasn’t until late evening.  Strolling Sydney’s streets once again, we found an internet cafe to send messages that we were on schedule with our travels (no cell phones), then walked through QVB once more to see if there was a black pearl Emily needed to take home, and spent more time this afternoon at the Royal Botanical Gardens.  We looked for lunch within the Gardens but the restaurant was absolutely packed so we kept walking.  Walking around the Sydney Opera House one last time, we decided to have a very nice outside waterfront meal in Circular Quay with stunning views of Sydney Harbour Bridge in front.  How am I supposed to leave this beautiful place?  Well we did.  After a few final hours walking the Harbour, we came back to the Four Seasons, picked up our luggage, and hailed a taxi to the airport.  We checked in with no problems and after waiting to board, we were once again in the air for a 10 hour flight into Oahu, Hawaii.  Australia is and will always be home to us.  Thank you for the best 15 months of our lives.

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