Day 8 Sydney

Up at 6 – I feel fairly well rested and not terribly sore – but I do have an ingrown nail on my left big toe that looks infected -I will have to keep a careful watch on it.

There sure are a lot of sunlight hours it does not get dark till after 9 and the sun is visible already. It looks to be overcast – I could really use some sun.

I am not exactly sure what our plans are for the day. I finished a few blog posts and I will get some work in this morning – just have to figure out which internet connection option to use. I have to get the things on chargers but everybody is still sleeping. Paying for do much for internet access is really starting to grate on me $30 for a 24 hour connection with a maximum data download of 1024mb download limit – expires with whatever comes first time or data cap or a time-based account:

Please select one of the following account options, and then click the Next button.
Please select the account option carefully. We are unable to partially refund an account.

2 hours time limit - valid for 365 days or until time runs out - cost $13.20

4 hours time limit - valid for 365 days or until time runs out - cost $26.40

6 hours time limit - valid for 365 days or until time runs out - cost $39.60

8 hours time limit - valid for 365 days or until time runs out - cost $52.80

10 hours time limit - valid for 365 days or until time runs out - cost $66.00


 

I guess I will start with the time based account – I just wonder how to stop the meter!

Sydney is quite a big city 4.5 million residents – the entire country is over 20 million – according to my guide book and cab driver.

We ended up with quite an event filled day. Pam talked to the concierge and got us about 100$ of free passes. We saw the Aquarium, the Wild Life park – both were awesome - also got to go up in the Sky tower – a great way to get your bearings – I have been twisted when it comes to directions in Sydney – it is very chaotic and all of the various harbors make the city very difficult for me to visualize. We also had a pass for an outside skywalk on the tower but it was booked for the next few days – not sure what we are going to do with the pass – anybody coming to Sydney before 10/30/2008?

We got some tremendous photos in the aquarium and the wild life park – I learned a lot of the native fauna – a good portion of the plants and animals (about 80%) are unique to Australia – due to it's isolation and the influences of the habitat the process of natural selection sure produced some very uniquely adapted species – the platypus, wallaby – and some very unique capabilities like being able to put an embryo in suspended hibernation for a year awaiting a wetter year before giving birth – or birds whose children stay and help raise their siblings as it takes more than a pair of birds to feed the newborns given the scarcity of food. We also saw the most deadly bird- the cassowary.

Pam also got the rental car situation taken care of (hopefully) – the agency is supposedly on 100 Williams – I guess we will find out tomorrow.

We did a lot of hiking – visited China Town and ate lunch there – very good food and economical – took the ferry back to the Circular Quay and ate dinner at One Alfred Street – it was great food but a little more pricey than our guide book lead us to believe. Allysha cried when Pam ordered the duck – if it wasn't so heart wrenching it might be funny.

Back to the Hotel, Aria is downstairs on the internet, I am blogging and working – Pam and Allysha are at the pool. We picked up Rice Bubbles (Crispies) and milk at the 7/11 – yes they have a few of them here – for breakfast – that is also what we had this morning – breakfast for 4 for 7$ - my kinda meal.

My portable GPS receiver was having a heck of a time locating satellites – must be from all of the high rises? We took so many pictures that we killed the battery on the primary camera and had to switch to the Nokia's. The sun eventually came out and it was a beautiful day.

I would have liked to take the ferry to Manly or the subway to Bondi Beach.

This city really seems to suit Aria – she is attracted to the culture – she wants to dance at the Opera House, I guess she is more of a city girl than Allysha. Again we were only here a couple of days – I could spend a couple of weeks exploring - but I am also looking forward to the drive to Bondi – Pam is going to do the driving so I can work (she just doesn't know it yet)!

I am also looking forward to Cairns and staying in the same room for 4 nights.

I wil use the rest of my internet time in the AM to post work, submit hours and post this blog entry.


 

Oh I noticed the flag at half mast – Pam asked a local – they thought it might be from a famous barrister who fought the asbestos companies and won?


 

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