This was my last day in Canberra and, feeling like an April Fool, it was a palava getting cash and change to leave my bags in a locker for a one last explore. I took the bus from the bus station (which was nothing more than a collection of stops in the street!) to the National Portrait Gallery. Here, there were several school groups so I spend time earwigging on the good (and not so) teaching! The portraits I particularly liked were:
Shaun Gladwell (2013) by Fiona Lowry
Don Burrows at work (1998) by Barry Walsh
Self Portrait (1948) by Grace Cossington Smith
I walked to the National Library and took a quick look in a WWI exhibition. I think I was spoilt at the Australian War Memorial though as this wasn't too interesting! Still, it was worth visiting the library because I enjoyed a hot chocolate and brownie in the café with fabulous stained glass windows.
After taking the bus back into the city, I had a Mexican lunch and returned to the hostel where I crocheted the main part of a Viking hat.
At 6pm I caught the Greyhound bus back to Sydney. During the journey, I dozed, Facetimed Mum and Dad, read, listened to music and generally tried to ignore the very loud snorer who was sitting a few seat behind me! Back at Railway Square I had a huge hug from Zoe who was very pleased to see me and I settled into my huge ensuite 8 bed dorm.
Thursday 2nd April 2015
This morning was a jobs morning - haircut, collecting tickets, and food shopping (and I may have squeezed in a sneaky Copenhagen ice cream in Circular Quay!). The afternoon was spent chilling with Zoe - reading and browsing the internet. I caught the bus to Glebe Town Hall for the evening's choir rehearsal which was a little different to the norm as the first half was taken by the Choreographer and Director of Cheek to Cheek and we were blocking the Sops and Altos song and then the second half was with Sarah, upstairs in the pub! After rehearsal I had several drinks and hugs as I left (my last rehearsal before leaving for Perth) and then I nearly forgot where to get off the bus! After all of the travelling around, I'd temporarily forgotten where I was currently staying!
Friday 3rd April 2015
A pretty lazy day time but I did take part in a hostel Easter Egg hunt! Late afternoon I met Steph and Kat (Steph's sister) for the Bridgeclimb! But I'll dedicate a whole blog to that one!
Saturday 4th April 2015
I was up pretty early because Chris and Liz were arriving from the UK, en route to New Zealand. After taking the train to Museum, I met them at Hyde Park Inn where we left our bags. We had drinks and croissants at Macchiato while we decided on our plans for the couple of days they were in the city. Unfortunately the weather was pretty rubbish, varying between light rain, heavy rain and very heavy rain all day! Nonetheless, we wandered through the Queen Victoria Building and on to Darling Harbour for lunch. Understandably Chris and Liz felt tired after their long flight so we spent a couple of hours back at the hotel before heading back out the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
It was soon time to think about dinner so we wandered through the Domain to Jamie's Italian which was surprisingly full to be returned to Macchiato's where we had delicious food. Back at the hotel we played a couple of rounds of Yahtzee. Chris and Liz were ready to turn in but I decided to head back to Darling Harbour for what would probably be my last opportunity to see the free fireworks. I didn't get far past the front doors though - it was still pouring with rain!
Sunday 5th April 2015
The clocks had gone back an hour during the night (daylight saving) and coupled with the early night, I was awake before 7am. We had an impressive breakfast supplied by the hotel which was complemented by the hot cross buns I had bought - it was Easter Sunday after all!
When we were ready we walked to through Hyde Park and past the hospital to Sydney Opera House where Chris and Liz were booked onto a tour. While the enjoyed inside, I had a drink in the bar and caught up on my journal. After I'd met them on the steps, we walked around Circular Quay to Dawes Point where several Asian wedding shoots were taking place. Continuing into the Rocks, we spent quite a while wandering around the markets and bought lunch from a café close by.
After lunch we went on to Darling Harbour where we were going to go into the Nomanslanding instillation but it was too hot and sunny to wait in the queue - what a difference from yesterday! Instead we explored the Chinese Garden and ate afternoon tea in the café.
Now that the sun was lower, we returned to Nomanslanding which was an interesting experience.
Passing through an army tent (where we had to don life jackets) we then continued onto pontoon bridges which strut into the water and into one half of an open dome. The brochure describes:
"The two halves of the dome slowly unite across the water to create a dark, chapel-like space for contemplation.
Wartime whispers, sound and song fill the space. Confrontation and conflict, fighting and falling - time slows and life speeds past here in no man's land. Once a place of fear and destruction, now reimagined."
Included in this experience was a singer dressed completely in white and if we stood right in the centre of the dome, our voices echoed all around.
Back at the hotel, we got changed to go out for dinner, this time taking the train to Circular Quay for food and fizz at the Opera Kitchen, followed by ice cream at Copenhagen, gazing at the Opera House.
Monday 6th April 2015
I waved Chris and Liz off early for their flight on to New Zealand and although I'd planned a leisurely get up - I somehow ended up running out of time - even for a shower! Luckily I could check into the hostel straightaway. I was chilling in the hostel at 11:25 when I found out about an Easter Parade which started at 11:30! I hurried to see it, thought I'd missed it but managed to catch it as it entered Hyde Park. I particularly liked the Marching Koalas marching band and stayed for their 'static' performance - it was anything but static!
I returned to the hostel (via Grill'd) where I began to upload photos onto this blog. When Steph and Kat arrived from Manly we went to K square Karaoke where we spent 2 hours singing out hearts it. I was much nicer surroundings than our previous experience (not that that was difficult!).
At the end of the evening it was sad to say goodbye to Steph - we'd had so much fun together over the past few months but we were both on to new adventures, Steph with Kat, and me to Perth.
After all of the goodbyes of the past 10 days, I felt that this was a rather apt quote...
How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. - A. A. Milne
Monday 6th April 2015
I waved Chris and Liz off early for their flight on to New Zealand and although I'd planned a leisurely get up - I somehow ended up running out of time - even for a shower! Luckily I could check into the hostel straightaway. I was chilling in the hostel at 11:25 when I found out about an Easter Parade which started at 11:30! I hurried to see it, thought I'd missed it but managed to catch it as it entered Hyde Park. I particularly liked the Marching Koalas marching band and stayed for their 'static' performance - it was anything but static!
I returned to the hostel (via Grill'd) where I began to upload photos onto this blog. When Steph and Kat arrived from Manly we went to K square Karaoke where we spent 2 hours singing out hearts it. I was much nicer surroundings than our previous experience (not that that was difficult!).
At the end of the evening it was sad to say goodbye to Steph - we'd had so much fun together over the past few months but we were both on to new adventures, Steph with Kat, and me to Perth.
After all of the goodbyes of the past 10 days, I felt that this was a rather apt quote...
How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. - A. A. Milne
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