Day 14 Australian Adventure (Syndey)

Last day 😭. So sad. Throughout the night and into the morning there were heavy rains; we weren't sure what we would be able to do. Cleaned up the Airbnb, did some laundry, and by 10:00 am, in typical Aussie style, the sun burned through the clouds and turned into a gorgeous day. We caught the ferry to Circular Quay one last time. Walked down Pitt Street to look in the various shops, and bookstores. So many people. Sydney is a very busy city. Met Raluca (another one of my freelance clients) for lunch at the Glass Brassier Cafe on the second floor of the Hilton Hotel. Another wonderful visit with one of the locals. After lunch, we went to the Queen Victoria Building. A very large Christmas tree that disappears into the ceiling is the first thing you see. As you climb through the levels of the QVB the tree continues up making use of the atrium space clear to the top. Large clocks are suspended from the ceiling on both sides of the tree and we noted the stairwells are suspended as well. Beautiful architecture and stained glass windows surround the many merchant shops and restaurants. Walked 20 minutes back to the Quay and visited the glass floor model of the city inside the Customs House. Took a final stroll inside the opera house. Caught the ferry back to Mossman Bay and hiked the stairs back up to the street one last time. Checked out of our Airbnb and thanked Nick and Antoinette for the pleasure of staying in their beautiful flat. We highly recommend staying there to anyone who sees a trip to Sydney in their future. Left at 4:30 pm and got to the airport, 30 km away, at 6:15 pm. Plenty of time to check in for our international flight back to the states. There is more security to leave Australia than coming in. We went through three security checkpoints: Scan your passport; get your picture taken. Scan your carry on; wait in the main terminal until your flight is called. Proceed through another security point and wait to board until your zone is called. The red-eye flight is a bit more challenging physically as sleep is hard to come by in a tiny space. We crossed the international date line, and arrived at our layover in Hawaii half a day earlier than when we left Sydney. Strong tailwinds put us in an hour earlier, which was great. When we got to Seattle it was the same day and time that we left Sydney. Things we learned while in Australia: You may not see all the dangerous animals and creatures you hear and read about. No sightings of sharks, crocs, snakes, or gigantic spiders, even in the rainforest. School children in Sydney, public, private, and Catholic are required to wear school uniforms. Restaurants serve smaller portions at higher prices. Gas is expensive, $1.25 per liter which is approximately $3.50 per gallon. Because roads are so narrow, you benefit from owning a smaller car. Traffic is wayyyy heavier than Seattle. It's easy to get lost if you miss a turn or exit. Listen to the locals (they really do know best). Don't forget your sunners, hats, bug spray for the mozzies, and 50+ sunscreen (which is the majority of what the stores stock). We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would love to come back. We already miss our Aussie mates and hope to see them again someday! Cheers.