Exploring North Sydney

So after a little sun-bathe in the garden (giving the distant office-block workers a bit of an eyeful I suspect) I decided to go have a wander around North Sydney. You can see the edges of Darling Harbour from Neil's window, and Sarah said she found a great run that frames the Sydney Opera House under Harbour Bridge so I set off in search.

Their house is in what seems to be in a business area, though you wouldn't know it till you walk to the main road. Having wandered more around the harbour now, it seems that the harbour bays are surrounded by housing in various price-bands and in various states of repair or design, and then backed by skyscrapers and hotels. So since I was in lunch-time office world I started first with lunch at the Greenwood Plaza food court.

The Australians have adopted the American concept of food-courts, so each person in a group can choose exactly what they want and eat together at a lunch table in the centre. I have to love Australia even more for apparently believing kebabs to be relatively healthy, so I felt it would be chirlish not to sample one sober and during the day. It was accompanied by a low fat smoothie from the next outlet. I love that there are so many juice and smoothie bars here!

I then started wandering in the direction of distant sparkly water, glimpsed between the banks and offices. This meant walking downhill mostly, winding down and down through roads and crossroads till eventually I crossed a little bridge and the view opened out to me of the harbour, the bridge and the opera house. It really is a breath-taking view, and I stood and looked at it a long time. I adore the view of the London skyline, from the many bridges that span it, you can see almost all it's most famous landmarks. My favourite view is from Waterloo Bridge, and I always stop to look at it as we pass, even though so many Londoners seem immune to it and keep their head down in the buses and taxis. But this view is a bit different; the view is of a large harbour with many little bays; Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, Lavender Bay, Watson's Bay, so you can see much more of it at the same time, rather than one long snaking river flanked by landmarks. I won't compare them, but I was really enamoured with the view.

So I decided to get closer, and happened across a long flight of steps cutting down the hill. I walked down, trying not to think about the long long walk I would have to do to get back up these steps and hills! But eventually I came out at water-level in Lavender Bay and sat sunning myself on the old boat winch. I seem to have arrived at just the right time in Australia. The weather is just starting to warm up, though for an english girl it is hot enough to be wearing skirts and singlets when most Australians seem only just to be being coaxed into their thongs (flip flops)! Then I took a little walk all around the bay and up to Luna Park under Habour Bridge, which is like a permanent fun fair reached by the many boats that sail tourists around the harbour before heading back to the supermarket.

Since I passed a hundred coffee shops and eateries on my wander, I had decided not to bother shopping for food since there is so much food readily available 5 minutes away that there really wasn't any point. In 17 days of being here, we have eaten in only once, last night! But I popped down there anyway for some drinks. There's a lot of same brands, even some same home brands with extra flavours we don't have at home! For example, Cadburys have about 5 more flavours of milk chocolate in addition to the turkish delight and caramel ones of home, and M&Ms come in 7 flavours; biscuit, milk choc, peanut (the same as home) plus mint, peanut butter, dark choc and various! But still, I miss some stuff. And bananas. So far the bananas look rubbish. They are slightly blackened already, not bright yellow or greeny under-ripe. :( Still, everything else is nice so I'll manage.... :)