The land down under

Xin Nian Hao! That's Happy New Year in Mandarin. I'll spare everyone the drama of the actual flight to Australia- let's just say that after a 3 day delay due to snow in Shanghai we finally made it to Sydney. While it wasn't the sunny beach vacation we had hoped for (it rained nearly everyday) it was still a great trip.

Day 1: Arrive in Sydney; check into hotel; go for a walk to Darling Harbor. 5 minutes into the walk get stopped by a gaggle of Chinese tourists who ask to take pictures of Audrey. Sigh. We just can't seem to escape. Darling Harbor is a tourist trap with expensive seafood restaraunts, the Aquarium, and a lovely park/playground area and the kids loved it.

Day 2: Take train to main ferry wharf. Catch our first glimpse of the Opera House & Sydney harbor bridge as we take the ferry for a short ride to the Taronga zoo. Spend the day at the zoo dodging the rain. Cringe as we watch two Chinese tourists jump the low barrier and actually walk through the kangaroo enclosure. We are not surprised. Marvel at the views these lucky animals have as the zoo is built into a hill which overlooks Sydney.

View of opera house from the ferry

Grace thinking she is being really naughty by running outside and sticking her butt out in the rain.

Audrey snoozing under her lovely poncho.

Day 3: Finding Nemo. Hit the Sydney aquarium. It's pretty nice but the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is better.

Day 4: More rain. Go to Olympic Park and spend the day splashing around the indoor leisure pool where the actual 2000 Olympics were held. That night, watch the Chinese New Year block party from our window. Laugh about the fact that we are probably getting more Chinese culture this week in Sydney than we would have back in Shanghai!

Day 5: Opera house & Botanical gardens. I make a scene on the stairs of the opera house by shouting at two Chinese tourists who insist on touching Audrey and taking pictures with her without asking (those of you who know me well won't have trouble picturing this scenario). I truely don't understand their obsession with taking pictures of caucasion kids. Watch the giant bats roosting in the trees of the gardens. Eat dinner at a Tony Soprano place with only 6 things on the menu, cash only, and byo drinks (it was excellent).

Giant bats sleeping in the trees of the botanical gardens.

Audrey out for a stroll in the gardens (yes, she is finally walking).

Day 6 & 7: Head into the Blue Mountains outside of Sydney. Hike, take a ride on historic railroad, eat a lot of anything that isn't Chinese food.

A view of the "3 Sisters" in the Blue Mountains

Day 8: Back to Sydney. More rain but go to see one of the beaches anyway. Surf is really rough but it's still fun to play in the sand.

Grace literally climbing the walls...

Day 9: Hit the Australia Museum & another zoo right in the middle of the city. Head to airport for the red eye flight back. Good thing because Sydney is right up there with New York and London in terms of cost of living and we are pretty much out of money!

Cuddly Koala at Sydney Wildlife World.

All in all, we had a great trip although I can't really say that I feel like I've seen Australia since we mostly stuck to the city. Kind of like tourists who only go to New York City and then claim to have been to the USA. But a week of fresh air and tap water you can drink should be good enough to hold us over until we get back to the US this summer.