Day 36: 🇦🇺 Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia 🇦🇺
Well, we had to say goodbye to Asia to explore a new continent, Australia. It is new for the whole family. Darwin is 1 1/2 hour flight from East Timor. We will be forever grateful for Sandy and family for picking us up at the airport just in time to enjoy the beautiful sunset over the Timor Sea. A bonus was a wonderful fellowship with many new friends over take out food from Mindil Beach Market. We learned a lot about the Northern Territory and its Aboriginal Australians.
Here are a few things we have learned:
Thongs = flip flops
Sunnies = sunglasses
Lollies = candy
Jumper = sweater
Sand shoes = like a sneaker
There is so much to learn about this amazing country!
Day 37: 🇦🇺Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺
We just had to do it. We booked an encounter with a koala. Koalas eat only eucalyptus leaves. These fragrant leaves give them nutrition and hydration. Koalas are vegetarian marsupials native to Australia, and little koalas are called joeys. I am in love with snuggly koalas. The world, indeed, is our classroom.
Day 37: 🇦🇺Rooty Hill, Australia 🇦🇺
The best time with first cousins! What a spread! A feast!
Day 38: 🇦🇺Katoomba, NSW, Australia
A beautiful day spent at Blue Mountains National Park, Scenic World. We are thankful for our hosts (our family) who knew everything about this amazing park. The Blue Mountains National Park is densely populated by Eucalyptus trees which disperse eucalyptus oil. The finely dispersed droplets of oil together with dust particles and humidity, scatter blue light. What a beautiful place!
Made in Australia. Meat pies (Nika got chunky steak, and Carter got beef with green curry, Uggs, storm water flushing water and more
Day 39: 🇦🇺Rooty Hill, Australia 🇦🇺
Checked out of our hotel in the subrubs of Sydney. Great breakfast.
Day 39:🇦🇺Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺
Sydney Harbor is one of the finest harbors in the world. I would have to agree. Carter was excited to see the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney’s skyline. Sydney is a very pretty city, and we are all very impressed. Of note, according to our guide, 70% of locals are fond of the Sydney Opera House, while 30% think of it as an eye sore 😅. As a matter of fact, some of the real estate near the Opera House declined in value when it was built. 😲We also learned that Australia’s Independence on January 1, 1901 from England was in a form of a letter, which was approved immediately. No wars. No hard feelings. We learned when we were in London, that the British used to send their convicts to Australia as a form of punishment from 1788-1868. 😲 We love learning about history! Today was Carter’s day. He spotted Five Guys from a mile away! 😂 His American palate was very satisfied, indeed.
Day 39: 🇦🇺Sydney Harbor Bridge, Australia 🇦🇺
We did it! We climbed to the top of Sydney Harbor Bridge at night!
Total time of Bridge Climb: 4 hours
At 440 feet at the summit, about 40 stories tall, Sydney Harbor Bridge is the world’s largest steel arch bridge. At the summit, there are two flags, the Australian and the Aboriginal flags. We learned that this bridge is a significant part of Sydney’s history since it was made during its difficult times. It’s a symbol of success. 6 million hand driven rivets, 1,400 workers in 8 years. It is twice as tall as the Sydney Opera House because the rule was the buildings could onl be built half as tall as the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
What a thrill to be at the summit looking over the Sydney Harbor and the lights of its gorgeous skyline!