Sydney – the Blue Mountains and Wollongong
We made two trips to see the sights of Sydney, plus side visits up into the Blue Mountains and down to the beach at Wollongong. As a city, Sydney is very impressive, the magnificence of the harbour area guarantees the place an honourable mention in any list of vibrant city experiences. Add this to the extensive shopping and dining possibilities and the very creditable public facilities and the place looks like a winner.
The public transport system is worth a special mention, money spent during preparation for the Olympics has been well invested, the double deck trains are fast and reliable, although it was a bit depressing to see the amount of mindless graffiti and minor damage caused by kids with nothing better to do.
Our relations live in Camden, to the south of Sydney, a place built on the backs of miners involved in the still very extensive Australian coal mining industry, the country’s most valuable export . Camden has another claim to fame, it was founded by John MacArthur, a conspirator in the second mutiny involving the infamous Captain Bligh.
Although the weather was dodgy during our first visit, things improved for the second trip, the photos are here.