Sydney & Surroundings

Our last major stop was in Tarra Bulga National Park. From there, we had quite a distance along the A1 (900 km 'highway') ahead of us to reach Sydney.

A brief explanation about the highway in Australia:

• Generally (depending on the state) max. speed: 110 km/h
• When you are not in densely populated areas, the highway is often also two-lane (one lane in each direction)
• On- and off-ramps can cross over the opposing lane, even when the road is 4-lane
• The highway often goes directly through towns and then becomes the main road through the area, where the speed is reduced to 60-80 km/h
• Warnings about wildlife (mainly kangaroos and koalas) are much more frequent than in Germany
• The signage is much more detailed than in Germany (example: taking the wrong exit --> 'WRONG WAY! GO BACK!') and there are also intensive warnings about fatigue and microsleep
• Bicyclists are allowed on the highway in some regions.

Back to the journey: Due to very wet weather and previous bushfires, we skipped two national parks we would have liked to explore.

Instead, we made a short stop in Berry, a village with a small-town flair, known for its old colonial-style buildings, located just 140 km from Sydney. Here, we took a 2-hour break and checked out a few of the small shops and had a meat pie (pastry filled with bolognese/curry).

After that, we spontaneously decided to drive straight to Sydney since the previous night had been very rainy and windy, and we were looking forward to an apartment with a bathroom.

Thus, we spent the next 3 nights in Sydney. The first stop was, of course, the Opera House, along with the Harbour Bridge, which we viewed from different angles and viewpoints on both days, before strolling through the adjacent neighborhood of The Rocks, which is somewhat alternative and offers many small shops and restaurants.

We also walked through Chinatown the next day, but in the morning when it wasn’t too busy. Unfortunately, the big market (Paddy's Market) only opens on Wednesdays, and we were there on Monday and Tuesday.

Instead, we walked to the next ferry stop and from there took a boat back to the Opera House, with a short stop at McMahons Point, which offers a lovely view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, the two landmarks of Sydney. This spot is also popular for New Year's celebrations because it provides a great view of the New Year's fireworks, which are said to be among the best in the world.

On Tuesday evening, we took a stroll through the Botanical Garden, though unfortunately shorter than originally planned, as baby M fell asleep for her nap later than we wanted, and the Botanical Garden closes at 6:00 PM.

The garden is very nicely laid out, with small paths through the trees and ferns and larger paths that can also accommodate the gardening golf cart 😉 Here, we also saw the largest spider we have encountered in Australia, hanging between a few trees and with a span of about 20 cm.

Additionally, many ibises graze here, searching for food with their long beaks under the ground.

The next morning we made a short detour to the Blue Mountains, located just west of Sydney. The name comes from the eucalyptus trees that create a blue haze above them, resulting in a blue veil over the valley.

From the Three Sisters Lookout, we walked the short distance to Katoomba Falls Lookout, which was marked as a 60-minute walk one way. But, as has been the case in most instances in Australia, we don’t take as long on foot as indicated. (In contrast to the times Google Maps shows us for our drives, which usually takes us 1/3 longer than indicated.)

The waterfall was unfortunately quite disappointing at the moment - despite a lot of rain in the days prior. A funicular railway leads to the viewpoint, which was built in 1878 and still holds the title of the steepest funicular railway in the world. However, we just looked at it and did not ride it.

After our excursion, we headed to the campsite, where we were greeted by a chilly night at 7°C. Even baby M didn’t sweat during the night despite having a sleeping bag and two blankets; she was comfortably warm 😀

How does baby M spend her time?

By now, she pushes herself like a little worm across the picnic blanket - sometimes only her feet push and sometimes only her little arms pull, occasionally she raises her bottom, rocks back and forth on all fours for a moment, and may move her knees a little forward until she finally reaches her object of interest (grass, sunglasses, or phone/string) and can let herself drop. She also plays great on Mama or Papa's legs, and now and then she attempts to sit up solo in a squat while trying to maintain her balance. So far, she has been unsuccessful.

She has also recently discovered the reading lamp - the buttons are nice and easy to use, so she can randomly turn on the light effortlessly with her little teeth.

Next destination: Byron Bay (let's see when we arrive)