Set alarm for 7am - hectic hour getting everyone out of bed, dressed, breakfasted & car packed. Ready to leave by 8.20. Said farewell to the Blackburns, and set off for Sydney. Lovely clear bright day - easy drive up the highway to the car hire depot - dealt with final paperwork, and were driven to Departures. Long queue at check-in, until the Quantas staff started pulling passengers for certain flights pout of the queue. Straight through passport &am...

Leisurely start to the day. After breakfast / coffee / chatting, D&L drove to Berry. Pretty little town - nosed around a few shops for a while, found a good vintage / 2nd hand shop - bought a book each for the kids (The Borrowers for M / Artimis Fowl for J). Hid in a coffee shop for 20 mins to avoid downpour, then headed back to Kiama. Food shopping for tonight's cottage pie & veggies, and a few "stock" items to replenish the cupboards. Back to Jambe...

Early start for drive to Sutherland (southern Sydney suburb) to park car & catch the train into Sydney Central station. Walked through Hyde Park & Botanical gardens - saw Flying Foxes (flying, frying, crying, sighing, … etc!) - to Opera House. Then on to Circular Quay to catch ferry to Taranga Zoo. Iconic views of Bridge & Opera House from the ferry! Then onto the skytrain to fly over the zoo, to the entrance. Spent the next couple of hou...

Quiet morning - D spent a couple of hours sorting out photos & journal whilst L went with Kate to look for clothes for kids - bought M a top & a skirt. After lunch, Kate went to Uni, so we took Millie for a walk at Jerrara Arboretum & Wetland (by the dam). She very enthusiastically hunted all sorts of unseen creatures in the undergrowth, and at one point found an Echidna - thankfully at a time when she was ON the lead! Kids took it in turns to...

Ben, Ellis & Ollie were given the day off school, to come with us to Jervis Bay. Took about an hour to drive to Husskison, mostly in drizzly rain, until about 5 minutes before we got to town, when it started to pour down! Parked at he sea front, and went for a coffee. Café owner very helpful & informative about options for activities if the weather didn't clear up. Wandered around town for 10 mins, then down to the beach - and suddenly there were do...