Australia Day 2 - NuSkin, Sydney Harbour, Opera House, Ferry, Bondi Beach

Although we are on vacation life goes on as normal for the majority of the Hall family.  The kids are great at getting themselves up and ready for school in the morning, serving themselves breakfast and then getting dressed in their school uniforms and ready to head out the door.  Even though it rained in the night and is overcast this morning, the wearing of hats is mandatory everyday for school children in Australia. Look how cute these cousins look dressed and ready for school! 

(reminds me of how cute Jack and Harriet looked when they visited

Aubrye's school on their Australian trip two years ago!)

With the kids gone to school and Matt taking over duties of Taylor and the household, we three 

travelers are off and running!  Because the skies seem a bit threatening of rain we swing by the

offices of NuSkin to pick up some Aussie sized umbrellas and have a general look around 

at the main reason the Halls have been in the country for so long.  Matt is nothing short of

a rock star here in certain Australian and Pan Pacific business circles 

 as he has rocked the world of multi-level product marketing and distribution in the region.  

Me and Carrie NuSkin Sydney Offices 

The NuSkin offices are actually closed this Monday, 

but Carrie's status as wife of rock star Matt quickly

gains us access through the locked doors

Sue shows her business smarts as she quickly goes

from working in the warehouse...

...to running the company from her corner office! 

(okay, Matt's corner office) 

local time and home-offices Provo time 

Heading to downtown Sydney we cross the Harbour bridge again, this time

approaching it from the other side - on our way to explore some of the most

well-known sights in the area!  

We head first to the Circular Quay (pronounced "key", duh!) waterfront

area which is basically a circular wharf with shops, restaurants, pedestrian walkways

and access to harbour ferries, trams, spectacular views of the bridge and a 

straight shot to the iconic Sydney Opera House. 

looming before us, the clouds seem to mimic it's unique shapes and hues 

Me and the Opera House, somewhere right near where Oprah stood, I'm sure.

This building is so amazing with its many angles and different surface textures, 

one could stay and take pictures all day and none of them would be the same. 

There is also a nice photo op with the bridge here 

We walk on beyond the Opera House and explore some of the

 Royal Botanic Gardens from the walkway which wraps around it at the harbour

more nice views of the Opera House 

Pete's awesome sisters 

On our way back over to catch a ferry across the Harbour Sue and I spend a moment getting to know more of the locals.... 

We catch a ferry that takes us out of the Circular Quay and across the harbour, under the bridge to the 

northern side where we disembark and go in search of some lunch.  

On the pier of the dock is the famous "Luna Park" amusement park with its distinctive maniacal happy face that greets all of the lucky children who get to visit there. 

 The ferry ride starts out with some great views of the 

Opera House from the harbour, the downtown Sydney skyline, 

and of the underside of the bridge. 

two years ago Pete and the twins took a ferry ride across the same harbour - they

came straight off the plane so they look a bit more tired this day

Luna Park...

welcomes you! (bwah ha ha ha ha!!) 

more photo ops - view of Opera House from other side of the bridge 

there are some beautiful open lawns in the park area under the bridge pylons 

before long we find and settle on Stir Crazy Thai for some lunch 

self portrait of the ladies who lunch 

cold can of coke, chilled water, chicken curry with vegetables and rice - the perfect lunch

after a most satisfying lunch we stroll around the quaint neighborhood - 

lovely bouquet of umbrellas for sale at this flower shop

Opera House view from under bridge

Before long we say farewell and hop on the ferry that takes us back across

the harbour.  Luna Park looks a bit disappointed as another potential victim slips away...

After returning to our point of origin we take the opportunity to explore the neighborhood next to the Harbour known as The Rocks.  This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Sydney, and is named after the sandstone rocks that the original settlements were built from. The area still has many of the curved narrow alleys, cobblestone streets, original structures and rustic charm reminiscent of it's early days.

There are historical markers, small cafes and pubs, quaint row houses, 

historic walks and a street market on Saturdays which showcase The Rocks

varied architecture, local culture, and diverse neighborhood population.  

View of the bridge from The Rocks 

makes one wonder how many lives that cat actually has left....

The Rocks is also well known for it's numerous classy craft and souvenir shops -

  I purchase several gifts here including a delicate
Christmas tree ornament of the Harbour Bridge carved in wood - 

but no Kangaroo Scrotum bottle opener or cigarette lighter.

A portion of the Bridge Walk also passes over this section of The Rocks - 

in a few more days that will be us in our jumpsuits and cable tethers! 

For our final tourist destination of the day we drive from the Harbour over to what is

probably the most famous beach in Sydney and Australia, beautiful Bondi Beach. (Long I)

Although in all the photos I have seen of Bondi there are scores and scores of beautiful

Australians sunning themselves on the sand and playing in the waves, today it is nearly empty,

with the board riders in the surf easily outnumbering the shell seekers on the shore. 

Although we've carried our over sized NuSkin umbrellas with us all day long as a talisman against

the rain our luck runs out when we tempt fate and leave them in the car at Bondi.

A few drops soon turn into a steady fall of rain which quickly becomes a heavy downpour. 

We fetch the umbrellas from the car and stick to our explorations 

but are soon nearly as wet as if we had waded in the ocean.  

Tidal pools of Bondi 

Along the car park wall are some sanctioned spray paint works of art, many of

them promoting the good name of the local's favorite beach - we check them out

on our way to the car in our last little bit of sightseeing on this long lovely day of discovery.