Sydney - Australia

            
Aurora attracting lots of attention on her berth at Circular Quay - Sydney - 1 March 2011.


G'Day All,

What a wonderful City Sydney is! I love it! The Sydney Harbour Bridge, the world-famous Opera House and the constant bustle of the harbour itself, make Sydney one of the most beautiful cities in the world. A wealth of adventure awaits you from the cosmopolitan city centre to the protected mysterious coves, miles of beautiful beaches and the Blue Mountains. This is the third Blog I have posted on SYDNEY - so you can go back to February 2009 when I was on Arcadia's Inaugural Grand Voyage call to Sydney and see more, also February 2010 - Arcadia's Round World Cruise call.

Housekeeping Staff Geraldine and Marjorie enjoy the view of the Opera House from Promenade Deck.

The World Famous Sydney Opera House - if looks like it is floating in the harbour!

Assistant Managers Kylie and Heather see that all is in order for our arrival at Circular Quay. This is always such excitement both with ship's company and passengers when we arrive in Sydney - there is no other City quite like it and I guess you realise that we are really on the other side of the world now! Sydney is also the BIG half way point on the Grand Voyages and Round World Cruises and there is a sense that 'we've come this far - and it will be homeward bound when we leave '.

Two Gangways from Ocean Terminal into our Promenade Deck connect us to Australia. See the magnificent Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background - known as the coat hanger to the locals! The Bridge was completed in 1932.

From our berth you can easily stroll up into the City Centre or sit and watch the world go by as thousands of people hop on and off the ferries - which are like the London Underground to the locals.

P&O Cruises House Flag along with our dress flags from forward to aft adding to the sense of occasion. On P&O Cruises we arrive in style!

One of the local ferries which come and go all day in the harbour. It is a nice thing to do to take ferry across to Manley and enjoy the beach there.

Many interesting tower blocks..........

Thank you Frank for taking me over to Glendinnings - my uniform supplier! They supply the Australian Navy and you can shop world wide on their web site. They make the best cotton tropical shirts in the world.

I enjoyed a browse in the Music Shop  in town.......................

Magnificent majestic architecture mixed with old and new.......

Big wide streets...........

The Queen Victoria Building which has been renovated at enormous expense..........

A good eye for detail.........

I took a ride on the mono rail - they built this for one special occasion and never took it down!

A fantastic water feature by the Post Office Building.

Looking down from the water feature............wide open spaces - all spotless.

Hunter Street - I took this photograph as it reminded me of my neighbours Brian and Claire.

The public parks are in full bloom.

Cafe life goes on - it is great to take a walk from the ship - and see the Opera House up close - I do this every time I visit here and it is always a 'wonder'...........and every time you spot some detail that you have not noticed before.

See the luxury homes across the harbour..........one day..................

The Sydney Opera House from many different angles...............

Sometime they have weddings here.........

The Grand Steps - with Aurora in the background.

more angles............

So much glass to clean.....................a window cleaners dream job!

This part is a Fine Dining Restaurant.

The sun was trying to break through - however it was a very pleasant day for sightseeing - no rain - we have been lucky with the weather so far on this Grand Voyage.

Aurora 'takes a bow' at the Opera House!

The Orient Hotel - a traditional meeting point for sailors and refreshments!

P&O Cruises - with you all the way - taking you where you have never been before........

The Passenger Terminal which has a number of nice Restaurants in it. They are not too pleased when the ships come in as it blocks their view of the Opera House and Harbour - but it is super for us!

Our first day in Sydney was quiet on passenger movement as the end of this sector was on the second day. We loaded all our stores on the first day so Victor and his team were working flat out. The one place I did not get to in the afternoon was the Sydney Tower at Centre Point. From here I am told you can enjoy breathtaking views from of the City and beyond, taking the elevator 1,000 feet to the top of the golden tower - on a clear day you can see the Blue Mountains! Never mind - it is always good to have something else to look forward to another time - with Sydney - like Rome and Florence - you always want to return!

As we have so many repeat passengers on board this Grand Voyage most have been to Sydney before and it is a very social time for them meeting up with friends whom they have met on a previous cruise, or visiting relations who have moved out to Australia. We also operate great shore excursions from Sydney - you can chose from City Highlights, Opera House, Bondi Beach, Classic Cycle Tour, Seaplane Experience, Harbour Cruise, Blue Mountains, Harbour Bridge Climb, Manly Beach, Outback Experience (visit a unique 150 acre Sheep Station) or enjoy a Night at the Opera - Carmen. Add to all of this the wonderful shopping, Restaurants and Nightlife - you are spoilt for choice!

For some reason I could not load up photographs for a couple of days - so my thanks to Suzanne in our Southampton Office for assisting me with this blog. I have Graham's report which I will post next on 'Sydney & More'. As I write here we are alongside in Tauranga on a sunny morning which is another new port for me to visit - exhausting with all these new ports of call as I feel I must set foot ashore and capture the atmosphere so as I can share it with you. Also what is the point of coming all this way and not doing so! It is a long way to here when you are sitting in your reclining chair back home...........

Hello to John and Winifred - I hope you got home safely - we miss you around the ship - also Netta and John. Hello to MJ - your Mum and Dad are a having a ball!

Since our midnight sail out from Sydney on the Wednesday - we enjoyed two smooth sea days crossing the Tasman Sea before cruising for a day in Fjord land which was like a mixture of Norway and South America put together. Then on Sunday we visited Dunedin, Monday it was Wellington and Tuesday Napier. So there is lots to write about!

Hope you are well and I am sure spring must be in the air back in the UK?

Bye for now,

James.

Don't sail out further than you can row back!

Danish Proverb