Yesterday was busy as I rented a car and drove from Hobart down to the Tasman peninsula, home to two sights I really wanted to see: Port Arthur and the Tasmanian Devil Park. I was happy to get out of Hobart (capital of Tasmania). It's a small city, but it feels almost desolate compared to Sydney. If I'm going to be in a place with little energy and nothing to do, I'd much rather be out in nature! The Tasman peninsula, in the southeast, is spectacular....

The weekend in Sydney was pretty low key. It rained off and on most of the time (our lucky weather streak had to end some time). Went on the one-hour Opera House tour. The concert hall (the one with the tallest exterior "sail") is truly stunning. There are 5 separate theatres in the opera house, hosting some 6,000 people every night, making it the busiest opera house in the world. And it ain't cheap. A non-obstructed seat in the opera hall costs > $20...