I know, I'm not normal. But this was crazy! And exciting! And SO much fun!
When we first arrived in Australia, I was too busy adventuring to worry about finding a hairdresser - until I felt like a shaggy dog & was absolutely desperate for a haircut. I just walked into a hairdresser one day in Darling Harbour. Some Irish girl butchered my hair!!!! It took me ages to gather up the courage to go into another hairdresser again. When I eventually did, that's when I found Nicola at Bodhi Hair in Mona Vale.... In 20 years I haven't found anyone else able to cut my hair as well as Nicola.
Fast forward to the Brisbane move.... The last thing I did was visit Nicola for a last haircut before heading north. I kept putting off finding a new hairdresser. I was too bloody nervous of having my hair butchered again and having to walk around with a beanie or cap on! Not to mention then having to start from scratch again! Well, I started resembling a shaggy dog once again....
So I booked a cheap flight to Sydney and went to Nicola for a haircut! Totally insane!
I was up at 3.30am, showered and parked at the airport's long-stay garage to catch my 6am flight. I landed in Sydney at 7.30am and took the AirportLink train to Museum station. I'll let the pics take over the story of my wonderful day in Sydney...
When we first arrived in Australia, I was too busy adventuring to worry about finding a hairdresser - until I felt like a shaggy dog & was absolutely desperate for a haircut. I just walked into a hairdresser one day in Darling Harbour. Some Irish girl butchered my hair!!!! It took me ages to gather up the courage to go into another hairdresser again. When I eventually did, that's when I found Nicola at Bodhi Hair in Mona Vale.... In 20 years I haven't found anyone else able to cut my hair as well as Nicola.
Fast forward to the Brisbane move.... The last thing I did was visit Nicola for a last haircut before heading north. I kept putting off finding a new hairdresser. I was too bloody nervous of having my hair butchered again and having to walk around with a beanie or cap on! Not to mention then having to start from scratch again! Well, I started resembling a shaggy dog once again....
So I booked a cheap flight to Sydney and went to Nicola for a haircut! Totally insane!
I was up at 3.30am, showered and parked at the airport's long-stay garage to catch my 6am flight. I landed in Sydney at 7.30am and took the AirportLink train to Museum station. I'll let the pics take over the story of my wonderful day in Sydney...
AirportLink train ticket
My Daytripper ticket - $17 allows you to travel on all public transport - ferries, trains & busses (except the airport train!) for the whole day. It was well used.
Museum train station in the city
The Downing Centre courts where Scott worked so bloody hard over last Xmas hols. Very close to Museum train station.
Town Hall
Queen Victoria outside the Queen Vic Building
Darling Harbour
Pyrmont Bridge at Darling Harbour
Looking down the stairs under the Pyrmont Bridge
Looking down towards Cockle Bay Wharf. All the red flags were for CeBIT - Australia's largest ICT trade show taking place at the Convention Centre at Darling Harbour. Everywhere you looked there were people with CeBIT clothing, bags & folders on ferries & pleasure boats, shopping, eating at restaurants, etc.
The wooden beams under the Pyrmont Bridge
This was at about 8:30am and the light was amazing. There was no wind - just a light breeze enough to move all the red banners. I love this pic of the bridge reflecting in the water.
For the month of May, it is Darling Harbour's 21st birthday. They have fireworks displays every Friday & Saturday nights with live music on a floating stage. 
The restaurant I went to for my breakfast - coffee & an omelette. The view was absolutely heavenly! The brekkie wasn't bad either! 
The view from where I sat eating brekkie. Don't you just love the flags across at Cockle Bay Wharf and those city buildings reflected on the water? *sigh* 
Looking across at the city centre - that's the Sydney Tower in the centre. Oh, and that's the covered floating stage just next the bridge.
One of the public toilets at Darling Harbour - funky colours & so clean!
The Festival Cafe taken from inside the mall - made for an interesting shot through all the glass.
I can watch this water feature ALL day! And the sun catching the rippling water was dazzling.
Off to the next stage of my trip... Catching a ferry around to Circular Quay
Shaggy! When I left home that morning it was pitch dark & I left my sunnies at home so I bought a cheapie pair at the Sunglasses Hut.
Leaving Darling Harbour on the ferry - looking towards Barangaroo. That's where that tower is in the distance & also where they held the Youth Day celebrations last year.
The Scarborough - two identical ferries passing each other
I was on the Supply. Yip, odd name for a ferry.
Anzac Bridge
Balmain Ferry Wharf
Goat Island
Looking back at Darling Harbour
What a sight! The Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Iconic Sydney
Beautiful!
Shaggy! I got someone on the ferry to snap this one.
The Rocks
The Manly Ferry - so much bigger than the little Supply
Leaving Circular Quay for Manly 
The Art Gallery of NSW - still on my to-do list...
One of the Jet Boats at Kirribilli
Our path...
HMAS Sydney Naval Base
Sydney City
Shaggy snapping away
South Head
North Head
Passing one of the other Manly ferries - I call them push-me-pull-you's cos they go in both directions.
Arriving at Manly Ferry Wharf
Inside Manly Wharf. Wooohooo! Officially back on home turf - the Northern Beaches of Sydney!
Manly Court House
A 400m walk up Belgrave Street to catch the bus to Mona Vale
My appointment card for Bodhi Hair in Mona Vale - 3 months since my last haircut!
Shaggy no more!!! 
Nicola & I at the salon - I'm SO stoked with my haircut!!!
Looking down Bungan Street, Mona Vale village
Rainbow Sushi - our favourite sushi spot until we discovered their sushi train sister restaurant around the corner
Sunday brekkie spot
Rainbow Sushi Train - YUMMY!!!
Miro at Rainbow Sushi - she couldn't believe her eyes when I walked in the door! I got plenty hugs & was brought a complimentary tea as a welcome. Damn, it was good to go back!
Lunch!
Looking back up Bungan Street
At the traffic circle looking down Pittwater Street towards the Village Park
Park Street which crosses Barrenjoey Road & changes into Golf Avenue - home!
Barrenjoey Road
Golf Avenue with the Mona Vale Golf Club on the right - home's just over the crest of the hill ahead.
This was worth every hour worked and every cent paid in rent! The view as you come over the hill - our apartment was one of the brick ones on the left.
Mona Vale beach looking towards Warriwood headland
The pathway to the beach
What the dunes look like when people obey the dune management signs! Mona Vale beach at last!
The seas were really rough and the beach had totally changed shape in the 3 months since we left.
Looking towards Warriwood - those rocks and the concrete pipeline thingy were only just visible.
Big surf! This guy was getting absolutely pummelled by this set - he just got caught in the washing machine and couldn't get out. 
Happyness is!
Looking back towards the golf course
*sigh* Time to make tracks back to the airport
On the bus heading back to Manly - this is the dog park on the other side of the golf course to us. We'd often walk this way.
Where Narrabeen Lake meets Narrabeen beach
On the ferry at Manly - heading back to the city
Sunset over the harbour
I tried. I really did. I arrived in Sydney looking for faults and negatives. The worst I could come up with was the traffic congestion. This incredible, exciting and beautiful city is where I want to lay my hat...
2 comments:
I concur Mands, this is home. We were drawn to Sydney, and will return. We both Love this place.
You truly are a nutter with way too much time on your hands... Ange
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