Australia – Day 02
Still flying…
Got to sleep some hours on the plane leaving me with only eight more hours to go. Started watching movies but took some breaks in between movies to play games with Matt. You had four multiplayer games that you could play with other passengers.
During the flight, we got a gourmet version of a pizza hot pocket for a. Snack and two hours before landing we got an omelet with bacon and potatoes.
After too many movies we can finally see land.
Past immigration and customs we headed out of the airport looking for transportation. We found that to take an Uber you need to wait for them in the priority pick-up area. Follow the signs throughout the airport.
After driving through traffic on a rainy morning, we arrived at our hotel The Ultimo.
The staff was extremely helpful and were very kind in letting us check in early.
We quickly left our bags and headed out to get cash and food. Next, to the hotel, we found multiple items and across is a mall with plenty of food options. We opted for Taiwanese beef noodle soup and crispy chicken.
With our full bellies and cash for emergencies, we started walking north to explore the city. Along the way, you can admire the mix of new and old architecture showing what parts of the city have been modernized.
Next, to Hyde Park, we visited Saint Mary’s Cathedral. Very beautiful cathedral both from the outside as well an inside. When visiting go to the crypt below the main floor, you will see more information about its history and wonderful floors.
The ticket to the crypt can be purchased at the store for $5 AUD
Along the way, we visited the Australian Museum. There is a lot to see; from extinct animals, a dinosaur exhibit, many birds, local Australian culture, etc. We spent two and a half hours going through the museum.
We continued to walk north toward Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. This is a good spot to see both the bridge and the opera house. To get there we walked through the Royal Botanic Gardens. This was a beautiful walk through very tall trees and beautiful landscape. We took many pictures along the path. The weather continued to switch between rain and glimpses of sunlight.
From here we tried to walk to the opera house but it proved to be too much for Matt. He was exhausted from all the walking and the long flight. We decided to head back to the hotel and eat somewhere along the way.
We decided to try the famous xiao long bao from Din Tai Fung restaurant. The shrimp and pork dumplings were the best, the regular pork ones were OK, they did not have enough soup inside.
