A Fabulous Friday

We started off our day going to Somersby waterfall about 20 minutes away from Avoca. ‘We’ includes Murray, Jeanette, Maria, Ian, Katie and myself. It was fun to have the locals around because it felt like we were just a typical Aussie family on a weekend outing. The hike was fairly easy again, as the paths were nicely laid out and lead to the top waterfall. Even though we’ve been to several waterfalls in Oz, I still am in awe of the beauty and perfect sound of the roar below the falling water. Murray brought his very new, very expensive professional camera and tripod, so he was setting it up and taking pictures.

We walked down stairs of rock to Bottom Falls which was beautiful as well. After a while of taking pictures and climbing the slippery rocks along the water, we headed back up and drove a little while to an Aboriginal Engravings site. Murray had remembered the place as he went years ago, and we walked a few hundred meters to see the very unique, authentic site. There were hand carvings of animals in the rock that dated back 200 years ago. It was neat to see original images from true Aboriginals, instead of the images produced on souvenirs today.

On the way back to Avoca, we stopped at a fish and chip place for lunch. I’ve had more fish and chips this past week than I have all semester here! They’re so delicious so of course, I’m not complaining here. :)

Engraving site: carved kangaroo

We got back, showered and got ready for our big night out on the town. Off to Sydney we went with everyone in the family, to see the 2012 Vivid Light show in Sydney. We had been waiting all these months to see the light show because it’s only on for a few weeks on the year. Katie and I were psyched that it was on May 25-June 11, so it was perfect timing that we were so close to Sydney! A two hour drive later, we arrived in Sydney around 6:30 and got pretty hyper about driving across the Harbour Bridge. Murray parked by the botanical gardens and we walked down to the water’s edge which overlooked the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge from a distance. For dinner we had packed some sandwiches and snacks to enjoy as we watched the lights on the Opera House. Well, after waiting, and waiting, and some more waiting, there were no colorful lights to be seen.

I didn’t really care because…WE WERE IN SYDNEY, a few hundred meters away from iconic structures and overlooking the beautiful night skyline of the city. What could be better?!

A few nights ago we had watched the 2011 New Year’s fireworks in Sydney, and even on television, we were blown away. They are truly the best fireworks I’ve ever seen and everyone in the room agreed. They lasted over 30 minutes and were the most intricate and intense flashes of light in the sky. I can’t even imagine being there in person, because it was sensory overload just watching it a year later on TV.

Where we were standing, we figured is where everyone would pile in to watch the fireworks and we felt connected to the people of the city. After an hour of waiting to see the lights, we ended up going to Darling Harbour because the other part of the light show was there. It was fun to go back through the city and we were amazed that Katie and I knew the streets and could find our way from downtown Sydney to Darling Harbour. We parked around Chinatown which is where our hotel was four months prior, and we felt a familiar atmosphere as we walked to the harbour. I’m so glad we ended up going there, because it was the perfect full circle of our trip. Our first night in Australia, we went to Darling Harbour, and one of our last nights here, we were there. Of course, we got gelato at the same place and sat on the steps overlooking the water.

There were no impressive lights around the harbour, but a hotel nearby had some fun colors lit up along it. Again, I didn’t mind that we were missing out on the famous light show. Our last try was going below the Harbour Bridge and seeing the Opera House across the water from the front side. There were a few images lit on the side of the sails, but it wasn’t anything picture worthy. In past years, the whole building was lit up in different colors and funky moving lights, but this year there was barely anything going on. It felt so good to be with my second family here and just enjoying Sydney’s energy one last time.

We ended the evening with some desserts such as lamingtons (chocolate cake with coconut shavings, and aussie chocolate-Cadburry aero mint and snack flavored). Nicole, Katie and I were in the backseat and had fun just jammin’ to music that we recognized and being the enthused, hyper kids we usually are. It was truly a wonderful night and chance to say goodbye and ‘see ya later’ to one of my favorite cities in the world.