Catching up on anything we missed.

Day 8.

Today's goal is to explore anything that we missed in our travels around Sydney.

We arose from bed around 8ish because Mum was getting anxious that we weren't going to be able to get to everything. We left the Park around 10 and headed off to the train station, this time I actually went down the escalator in the 100 meter drop. Yippee! When we got on the train station we either could get a train that left in 2 mins or a train that left in 23mins, so we went to Chatswood where we would catch a train to Wynyard. 

After we arrived at Wynyard we waked to Sydney Observatory were we got in for free. The observatory was full of lots of things that related to telescopes and paperwork on things that they worked on. There was a documentary on Captain James Cook and when he discovered Australia. I sat there and watch pretty much the whole time. We then went up to look at the old telescope but we couldn't get in to have a look. Mum started to head up stairs and we all follow and I discovered in one room a whole table scattered with Lego. I started to build a aircraft that would project off its carrier. 

After we had played with lego for around 30mins we headed to the Harbour Bridge, which we are going to walk across! It was so high above on the bridge, Mum and I freaked out about the height. It was quite a good walk across the bridge, we didn't climb the pylon. 

We went to the markets underneath the bridge, we had lunch at the market, I had Indian which was a mixed plate.  After lunch we headed up to the station and headed onto the train. We arrived at the station and headed home, this is the last time that we would be going to that station. We had dinner at home which was chicken and veggies. Then it was bedtime! Blue Mountains tomorrow...

Exploring Lane Cove National Park.

Day 6
Today we are walking around Lane Cove National Park. We started getting ready around 10 o'clock, and had a hot breakfast on the BBQ (Egg & Bacon). We started to walk down to the bottom of the tourist park were there was a path to the National Park.

It was very interesting that we got to walk through the old gates which were made of, what I think is brick. It was a nice even walk  for the start of it, when the hill started to head downhill we saw some old concrete stairs, which Mum didn't relies at the time was part of the oldest cache in Australia! The stairs led up to some over hanging rocks, mum freaked out that Tim was going to fall down because he was running up and down the rocks.

We walked along the paths that revealed lots of Water Dragons (which I have to admit, freak the living daylights out of me)! Just because I have been unfortunate enough to step on one and run into another. Mum kept teasing me and saying "Come and meet your new friend", I always ran away. We kept strolling through the national park until we came upon the Fifth Command in the Ten Commands from God, but we couldn't find it on the stone, we just saw it on a plaque.

We just kept walking through the beautiful park until we got to what we think was the old Headquarters but now is a beautiful Boathouse. We all wanted to go on a boat for they rented Kayaks, Canoes, Peddle-boats and Row-boats but it was a bit too much money, so we thought we might do it another day. Continuing on our walk we noticed that the clouds which started out a nice white were getting grey and grey and grey and was moving very fast towards us. Just before the rain reached us we got shelter in an information area. The rain was so heavy that it last for about 45 mins while we were trying to interest our selves, by colouring and looking at all of the information that was displayed there.

Finally the rain finished and we decided to walk back  to the campsite but this time via the road. it was a totally different view from the road. it only took a little while to get to the stairs that led up to the Tourist Park, Mum let us make a decision, either we could go with her and Dad to find the stairs and count them again or you can  go back to the campsite. I went with Mum and Dad and Sarah and Tim headed back to the caravan.

It took quite a while to find the stairs again, by that time Mum was sore all over. We found and counted the steps (13) and headed back to the caravan. Lunch was sausages on the BBQ which I successfully cooked, we then cleaned up the caravan and headed up to the shopping centre where we looked n the other section that we had not looked in last time. After we had bought some ingredients we headed back home. I made burgers in the caravan, they tasted really nice (I love home-made burgers).

Tonight we are going on the Spotlight Tour, so we had to get ready for that. We put raincoats on incase it rains while we are on the tour. We had to meet at the office and then the guide would take us on the tour. The woman who was the guide was named Sarah. The tour was about looking for all the animals that lived in the Tourist park and to find them. It was really fun trying to find the animals, we had to race a frog that in the middle of nowhere back to its pond.

When the tour was finished we headed back to the caravan passing the tv room and what did we see on? The Bachelor. We only got to see the last 30 mins of it, when it was finished we headed back home and went to sleep.

Exploring Sydney for the second time.

Day 5.

Today we were are going to travel to Watsons Bay by ferry. We didn't start today in a mad rush, instead we took our time to get to the train station we travelled to Wynyard. We went to the ferry stations where we caught a ferry off a wharf to Watsons Bay. It was really fun when the ferry sped up in speed when we were in the back of the ferry. It was vibrating a lot that Tim started to think that the ferry was going to fall apart. 

When we arrived at Watsons Bay, we decided to head straight to Doyle's Fish & Chips which is a very good and busy place. We then headed up to the lookout to look out to the sea, we saw, well I thought that it was a Pirate Ship. We then headed up even further to the highest lookout, we then went for a long but interesting walk through a National Park where saw quite a few plaques and we even got to look at some old bombs which were outside the HMAS Watson, which highly Guarded.

We then headed down the path to Camp Cove where Sarah and I went for a swim, well Sarah did, I just went for a little splash. After out swim we got an icecream and then went for another walk where we past a Nudity Permitted Beach, I had never seen one in my life and I don't really wanted to look down at the beach. We headed up a long path to the old light houe where we saw lots of gun and cannon holes and we eve got to have a picture with the kids on the light house stairs. 

We then headed down the road, back onto the road and down to Camp Cove and had to race back to the Wharf so that we are ble to catch the ferry back to Circular Quey. On the ferry we saw the Opera House and this time we were up the front and I stood at the front the whole time and I got salt water in my face and lots of wind as well. We arrived back at Wynyard and decided to have dinner in the city, but first Mu wanted to find a cache relating to the Matrix movie, and.....DNF! 

We were heading up the road when we ducked into the lollie shops get some off-cuts and test some more lollies. We then headed back to the station when we past a Japanese Resturant, and of course wead dinner there. By the time dinner was finished we dragged our feet to the station and got aboard a train. I, unbelievable fell asleep on the train for about 8 stations until we reach out, when mum shook me awake. We headed back to the Tourist Park and to bed.

Exploring Sydney (Sydney)

Day 4 

Today's goal: Exploring Sydney. We woke up around 7 and had eggs & bacon on toast, on the BBQ. We got ready quickly and was ready to walk to the train station, which was about 1km away from the tourist park. When we got to the train station, mum and I freaked out because it was about a 100 metre drop. You could either go down an escalator or a elevator. Mum didn't want to go down either, we finally went down the lift because it look like the saftest way. We bought some tickets from a cheery person, which were about $63 for adults. We went through the gates... And WOW!... It was so spacious and a nice breeze was there. We were departing from North Ryde onto a Double Decker Train! Into the city. When we boarded the train we went onto the bottom level were you could just see people's shoes. We were travelling mostly through tunnels and then...We are on the Sydney Harbour Bridge! 

We got off the train at the station Wynyard, and started to walk to Circular Quay because we saw a HUMUNGOUS cruise ship and then spotted the visitsor centre and after admiring the ship we headed up the hill to it. We got a sticker for the caravan, spoon and keying. When we were heading down the escalator we saw another Lollie shop! This time a trainee was learning how to fold a lollie on the hook, to make it long and so that there I no more air bubbles in it. We got to taste test some of the lollies that there were making at thus time. 

We then headed out of the shop to go into the Rocks Discovery Museum. The lady at the front gave us a map quiz that we had to fill in two questions is each room. I recomend that if you are in the area, visit The Rocks Discovery Museum which is located at the Sydney Harbour Fore Shore. We the looked up and saw some places to eat in which we ate at Wokon Inn. After we ate we played Giant chess and board football. We then walk through all of the alleyways and read nearly all the plaques that mum could put her eye on. We than finally walk to the Opera House!!!!!!! It is such a pretty building and we even got to go inside! Dad couldn't remember al of the concrete that was on the inside of the building. 

We then went for the painful walk around to Mrs Macquire's Point/Chair. It was a long and eventful walk, in which we got tosee some people chipping stone to make a brickwall and some one chiselling at a wall to make a plaque fit in. When we got to Mrs Macquire's Point there were so many rocks next to the water. And of cause (well, we could't help ourselves really) we started rock hopping. I finally finished up to go and help mum figure out a cache riddle and I got to sit on Mrs Macquire's Chair. We then had to walk all the way back to the city by which time it was about 4 o'clock. We decided to walk through the Royal Botanical Garden. It was a really pretty sight and mum said that it would be a good for the Special Needs Kids at her school to go to because it is really good sensory. We then boarded the train and headed (finally) back  home. 

Tonight dinner is Spag Bowl in which I was making and it turned out alright. Dad then insisted that we needed to go for a drive in to the city! So father dinner and dessert we headed back to the car and headed to the shops first to buy somethings for tomorrow, then we travelled in to the CITY!

We made it into the city by going the long way because mum wanted to avoid the tolls so we had to travel an extra way to get there. When we arrived in the city, mum was navigating but here was just one problem. Her phone was down to 10%, 9%, 8%......... She was stressing when we missed turns and corners. 

We did go down Kings Cross but there were no crazy people on the streets just a lot of adult shops and adult pubs a.k.a. ................... We then headed back to Macquire's Point where we got out of the car and saw a great view of the Opera House, Hoparbour Bridge and Luna Park. By then we were walking zombies because it had been such a long day, so we decided to head back to the campsite and headed off to bed.

Travelling To Sydney.

Day 3.

Goal today: Sydeny. 

We woke up around 7, but didn't have to at any actual time. We took our time having breaky, taking down the caravan and setting off for our task today. We travelled down a dirt road until we got to the Main Street in which we just kept travelling without stopping. We stopped at a roadhouse around 12 to have some lunch, which we had some chicken fillet burgers which were so filling that we were full as. We then kept travelling all the until we pasted Newcastle where we saw the Old Pacific Highway and there were huge rock walls on the side of the road, this made it look as if we were driving through rocks. We finally spotted the Sydney Tower, which was really tall and cool. We finally arrived in the Lane Cove River Tourist Park where we are staying, we set up the caravan and had a look around the park, Sarah was insisting to go in the pool (mum refused point blank). We went for a drive to the closest shopping centre to get some things for dinner and to have a look around the centre, we bought some things from the Reject Shop, Woolworths and Big W. We then attempted to travel back to the tourist park in PEEK, PEEK HOUR TRAFFIC! It took such a long time! We finally arrived back and saw that the playground and BBQ that is behind the caravan was taken by some people, we were fine with that except that the children are a little loud. I had a glorious shower, which so warm, had what was a hot, but now cold chocolate, dinner which is Sweet and Sour chicken. We will probably play some games and head off to bed. Oh yeah, Sarah bought this sticky ballon mixture that sticks to you.

-Em

Off To Sydney (Cooper Nook State Forest)

Day Two. 

Aim today is to get as far as possible to Sydney. We had to leave the caravan park before 10. We left around 9, and headed to the Apollo Eleven park where there was a cache which I successfully found. Then we headed to Grafton Information Centre where we got a sticker for the caravan. We the. Headed for along road trip, for about 3 hours before stopping at the Big Banana where we had a look around the lollie shop and Tim, Sarah and Mum got some lollies. We had a look around the soveniour shop where i got a spoon, Sarah got a keyring and we got a sticker for the caravan. After leaving the Big Banana we traveled for about 3 hours when we arrived at a shop to get ingredients for dinner. We got a sausage sizzle for each of us and then headed for another 2 hours in which I was sleeping again. We finally arrived at the free camp at Cooper Nook State Forest where we set up camp and had some lunch. We went for a little walk to find another cache, and look around the State Forest. We will be having dinner and then go to bed. I'll blog tomorrow. 

-Em. 

Next Trip, Off To Sydeny! (Grafton)

Day 1.

Our aim to day is to head to Grafton, we started the morning round about 8. Having to pack the caravan and pack even more clothes we were successful on the road about 11. We dropped down to di's place to drop off some oranges and then we were on the road! We were taking the Gold Coast route to Grafton, but decided to leave on the first day of the school holidays which was a very bad idea. The traffic was unbelievable to see, it took us about 2 hours what should have taken 1 to get through the Gold Coast. We were all starving becuse we couldn't find a park in the Gold Coast. We decided to travel on until we found a rest area called Sleepy Hollow, which I recomend any one who is around there to drop in as it is well maintained, and may have a coffee van there. So we had lunch there before continuing on the long trip. I don't know what was happening most the time as I was(as usual) asleep. I did get to see the macadamia farm which looks like a castle and has a giant knight out the front. We finally arrived at Grafton and it was good to see a familiar place. We took a while to find the caravan park which was the same as last time. We set up the caravan and are currently making dinner. I will be blogging tomorrow. Goodnight. Nice start off for the trip. 

-Em.