After a visit to the cemetery to look at headstones etc for dads grave we had a spot of lunch then Pam drove us into Sydney. Quick trip using freeways and being the time of day, would not have liked going the other way sure, backed up for miles.

We checked into the Mantra2 on Bond Street, that's Bond.

Nice room for the price, even has washer and dryer in the bathroom.

The plan is to go over the Manly some time today, then the best laid plans yada yada. Fran can be waylaid by all these touristy and 2 dollar stores quite easily.

UPDATED: Fran insisted I take this photo of the frost, been at me since yesterday to "take a frosty photo". She cant get over how warm it gets after a frosty morning and how all the radio jocks are going on and on about how cold it is. All relative in it?




Yesterday was the coldest morning in Sydney for 17 years, -1 to -4 in the western burbs.

Cool this morning too with sunny conditions and "struggling to get to +16 later" in the day. Oh how the Labrador would love to see a forecast like that eh?

Off to old Sydney town later until Saturday then out to Asquith until Tuesday.

Before that we are going to see me dads grave and pick out a headstone and inscription.

Some general shots from trip to Wollongong last week. One of the hotel we stayed in [the middle building]. Then some pelicans patiently waiting for some food from a rock fisherman.

I tried to get Fran to pose besides the sign at the Buddhist temple but she would not go for it.

Went for BBQ lunch with old friends yesterday where we had some party crashers.

No way Fran was going to share her food with the crashers.

Later a kookaburra decided to make a meal of the fish in the goldfish pond at the bottom of the garden.

Fran has been at me since we arrived to take a photo of a 'roundabout' that are everywhere here. Not sure why she is infatuated with these but here is one with lots of bush growing in the middle.

And for the folks back home here is a photo of kangaroo Anak.



It is down to 0.7 degrees this morning and I have the heater on besides me, must be getting acclimatized to the conditions here, though yesterday was magnificent sitting and walking in the sun.

A view of the salt water pool and rock pool at North Wollongong beach.

Then a view looking south from the light house between the two beaches.

You have the condo towers skirting the golf course with the industry of Port Kembla in the back ground


Then closer ups of the steel mill and coal loader, not that a pretty sight but it is the engine, along with coal mining under those treed mountains that, that drives the economy of this area, and Australia for a big part.

Today we are heading to another old friends place over at Menie for lunch. Yesterday was a lay down day of sorts doing odd jobs around the house, we were going to go for a drive with Pam and Neil but sewer problems over there house put a damper on that. Still an entertaining day with friends of moms and P&N coming over for afternoon tea.

Fran still cant get over "where all the traffic is going". On Saturday evening walking home from the railway station and even yesterday down at Hoxton park Rd the traffic is endless, makes one wonder what will happen in 10 years if something is not done to cut back on the volume on the roads.

Last Monday an old friend from the teenage years drove us down to Wollongong, thanks Murph.

We had reservations at the Boat Boat Harbor Motel at Belmore Basin. What a great room they had for us, the veranda was had views of the harbor right through two large pines.

From before dawn to after dark people were walking, running, biking up and down the 'blue mile' along the two beaches, W/gong north ans W/gong. There were plenty of places to have a coffee and snack or to just sit and soak in the ambiance and the sea air.

Large ore carriers and other ships lay off waiting to get into the Port Kembla coal loader and to the docks to load steel, these added to the scene at night. The industrial area does take a little away from the tranquility of the area, but not totally, I will show pictures of that area later.

Shown are three views from our room at different times of day, hard to beat a view like that.

The blue mile goes all the way from the WIN Entertainment Center to Stuart Park where the galahas hang out and there is a sky diving outfit, about every second day you see a dozen divers descend into the drop zone in the park.

Fran and I both agree that it was a great place to spend a few days.

Just back from the Gong

and Wndang where the boys and I took to the waves

while fran picked some shells off the beach.

After all that sea air we were a bit on the hungry side and had a feed of fish

before taking flight back to Liverpool this afternoon[Friday].

Some shots taken yesterday on the coast road to Bulli. We took a little walk along the bridge section, click to enlarge the photos.

As mentioned we had a great feed of grilled barramundi at the Scarborough Hotel. There were some colorful guests hanging out on the rails, bit too much to drink I guess.

I could see myself having this as my local if I lived in the area, not that we could afford it.

Sunday Pam n Neal took us for a drive along the coastal road from Stanwell park to Bulli. The newer part of the Sir Lawrence Hargarve Drive is what is called the bridge, we stopped and did a walk along part of the bridge then carried on down the coast to Scarborough and had a lunch of barramundi and chips at the Scarborough Hotel, what a great pub and great food.

I have some great photos from the trip but I am not sure when I will get them up, kinda tired and tomorrow we leave early for a trip in the same direction but this time we are staying in The Gong [Wollongong] until Friday, so not sure when I will post next.

These photos are taken from the top at Stanwell Tops.