Tuesday in Sydney

This is my last Sydney post.  I promise.  Because we only had one more day before we returned to Melbourne. 

What, you ask, was on the itinerary for this last day? 

Well, after three days, I had pretty much walked our group into exhaustion, around beaches, museums, gardens, opera houses.

What could possibly be left?

The Australian National Maritime Museum!
This museum had a collection of historic ships out in the back.  I wanted to see the ships.  So off we went to Darling Harbour.

The first ship on my list was a submarine built during the Cold War.  We walked the entire length of the sub, and learned how 68 men lived there for months at a time.

You see how I'm all stooped over in that picture?  I could hardly stand up.  And at one point, with people in front of me, people behind me, and another little hole to climb through, I felt myself begin to panic.  Claustrophobia!  Get me out!  Out!  Out!

I calmed down enough to make it outside without screaming.  Just barely.  I would not be allowed to live in a submarine, though.

After the submarine, we toured the gunship.

And then we climbed onto the replica of Captain Cook’s Endeavor.

Captain Cook sailed that ship with 90-something men from England to Australia back in the 1700s, and mapped out the eastern coast and claimed it for the United Kingdom. Those men, too, lived in very small, very tight, very cramped and inaccessible spaces....

Claustrophobia!

I got off of that ship earlier than the submarine.

And then what?  We were kind of museumed-out.  (My spell checker says that isn't a real word, but you know what I'm talking about, don't you, Reader?  After all, you're pretty much museumed-out by now, too, after reading about museums in Sydney.) 

So, museumed-out, we left without actually checking out the main exhibits. 

How should we leave?  By ferry!  Past Luna Park.

This ferry drove under the Famous Sydney Harbour Bridge.

See how the flag is all red there on the ferry?  Apparently the red flag is for the water, or something.

Now what?  Everyone asked me, thinking that I would have the answers.  I did not.  I was out of answers.  We had done everything on my list, except the bridge ($300 for the bridge climb -- no takers), and Bondi beach.

Bondi beach! 

The bus to the beach was right there.  So we bought tickets, and off we went!

Bondi beach is famous for a reason.  It has great surfing, it's only 40 minutes by bus from the Central Business District, and it's pretty!

See how pretty?

That was the last picture of me before I crashed.  While Jonathan and Tim explored the beach, I dumped the bag by Marcus and Dawn, and fell asleep on the grass.  I slept for a long time, until the grass scratching my arm woke me up.

No one had a swimsuit.  That didn't stop Marcus from going swimming.  And it didn't stop Jonathan from getting drenched.

But it stopped me.  I did not go into the water above my ankles. 

Because I was still tired.  After the sun set, and it was time for dinner, we suggested Marcus and Dawn find a nice place on their own, because I didn't have the stamina to stay out of my hotel bed.  They found a lovely restaurant on the harbor.  And I went to bed.  Content.

So long Sydney. 

Next week?  Tasmania.  Yes, we are still on school holidays here.