Day Eight - Saturday 24th April 2004

Well today is shopping day, (I'm sure a couple of the female cadets came just for this day). It's almost an hour drive to the Sydney CBD from Richmond and when you stop at McDonald's on the way it makes it that much longer (see picture later).

First stop (after we eventually found a free car park), was the Australian National Maritime Museum. Now no offence to any naval types but it just doesn't interest me as much as an aviation museum (but then that's probably the same vice-versa). I still enjoyed what I saw of it this time though, we started off with the tour of the destroyer HMAS Vampire and then went into the submarine HMAS Onslow. It was alot better this time around the ships with a tour guide to explain things and also to tell little stories. Like for instance I never knew that during the Second World War quite alot of ships had an exposed bridge roof (as in no roof). This was to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft, as radar wasn't everywhere in those days. In the wardroom it even had a picture of the Vampire in the days when it had no roof. Would not of been a nice place during a storm, just thinking about crossing the Atlantic like that makes me shiver.

Next the submarine. To work on a submarine (especially the Onslow) you would have to be a midget. It is soooo tight and cramped down there that it would be pretty hard for two people to pass each other in the hallway going opposite directions. It was cool to look through the periscope again though.

After the ship tours I took two cadets to the Town Hall to meet up with relatives, while the rest continued through the museum. The first relative was 10 minutes early but the second was almost an hour late. No even Kristi (funkyfairy) wasn't that late meeting me there.

So with the two cadets gone I then had my own personal guide of Sydney once again. Off to get some lunch first then away to the model shop. The model shop didn't have any model trains I wanted, but I did buy some Star Wars lego and then to Dimocks to look at Star Wars novels. But all the novels they had I already have, so I bought a Formula One book for Dummies (which is really interesting).

After that we walked down the waterfront area to watch some crazy dude juggle stuff on a bike on a pole. An apple, a largish knife and a pole on fire was the juggling items for today. Also as the apple was going around he kept taking bites out of it (must be hungry work). Afterwards we found the bike was bolted to the poll, so that took away quite a bit of the danger element. Then I did the touristy thing and took a snap shot of the Sydney Opera House, which I never got around to looking at last time. Then walked around to the Opera House and got a few of the big metal thing across the harbour (Sydney harbour Bridge).

We then walked around some random places which I don't recall (trying to stay in the shade, although Kristi was cold and wearing a jacket ), and ended up at the Centrepoint Tower (300m tall). Here I meet up with my group again and Kristi went to take the train home (I think). Mate, some of those cadets sure can shop. The view from the top was cool and I was able to see the PacificBlue flight we came in on a week earlier from the tower. Also with the better camera I was able to take some better shots than last time around.

After here we headed back to the vans and then back towards base and tea, to prepare for tomorrow. Our final full day in country and the whole reason we came across in the first place was almost here.

Picture 30 - We should all know who he is by now.

Picture 31 - Toll both, novel for us Kiwis where tolls on roads are illegal (maybe not for too much longer though).

Picture 32 - The touristy thing, Sydney Opera House.

Picture 33 - Myself and Kristi, she doesn't like this pic. But I'm sure deep down she doesn't like either version.

Picture 34 - The Centrepoint Tower.

Picture 35 - The sun setting on a great day in town.

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