2nd -> 5th August (Sydney)

After a very easy flight, I caught Dad and George in the arrivals lounge in Sydney airport. This was a great achievement on Dad's part because I only emailed him my flight times and details that morning. haha! But he's good like that. It was great to see them again, especially as George was wearing the t-shirt and jeans I picked out for him when we went shopping and a leather jacket I'd given him. He also took my aviator sunglasses and put them on. He looked like Maveric, but it was very cute and flattering all the same.We headed back to Pom-Pom's old place and I was given some time to settle in.

The next day us three boys trekked out to the city. We parked up and walked over the bridge, an experience in itself, and visited the bridge museum. The Sydney boat show was on the week so we made our way through town towards the docks, visiting the Opera House, Botanical Gardens, Observation Tower and QVB on the way. Walking through the gardens I was amazed when a fruit bat the size of a golden eagle glided over my head and joined a few hundred others hanging from a tree... and there were a dozen other trees just as full. I couldn't believe how active they were in broad daylight. After a tour of the city and gawping at some boats, we visited the aquarium and I finally got to see a Dugong! I'd heard about them in Cape Tribulation but never saw one.

The next day Craig joined us for the Hallett Manly Beach trip, where we went to the famous pie shop for lunch. Aparently it was one of Pom-Pom's favourite walks, so it was nice to be there, but sad I didn't get to see him and tell him about my trip. I remembered being there before, and it was cool to see the pelicans again. As a kid I was seriously scared of by them... they were bigger than me... and I could see George was being a little wary :) That afternoon Dad treated us all to a hike up Harbour Bridge, and as we came down the sun dropped with us. Sydney looked amazing with the orange glow complementing the skyscraper shadows panning out over the city. An amazing experience I'd recommend to anyone. For some reason I thought I'd climbed the bridge before, but according to Dad I hadn't. Still, the guide presented me with my certificate telling me I was now a "Master Bridgeclimber". Sounded good to me, seeing as the others got a "First Timer's certificate" :D That night Lisa and Javier hosted us for dinner and we caught up on the goss and swapped stories. I loved catching up, they're lovely people and I was very excited that we were going on a trip together with Craig as well to Janolan Caves!