Today was a chilled out day as we bade farewell to central Sydney. We wandered through the unique market stalls at The Rocks (an area just across the SOH and below the Sydney Harbour Bridge) trying different food samples and looking at pretty pieces of jewellery. We even came across some gimmick stuffed kangaroo balls (I kid you not)! Lunch was al fresco gourmet foods from the stalls which we took down to the water's edge an ate whilst watching street performers...

What a difference the sunshine makes! After a week of heavy downpours with flash floods in parts of the city and almost 20cm of rain falling in a matter of 2 days, we finally got a break in the clouds and headed straight for the coast and the most iconic beach of all: Bondi Beach. There were plenty of surfers and joggers about in the central part of the beach. I went walkabout to the end of the beach, where I watched a group of brave/foolhardy local boys jumping...

After 2 days of torrential downpours and a mild case of cabin fever, we headed off to the Blue Mountains - so called because the millions of eucalyptus tree give off a blue vapour in the heat of the sun. I wasn't feeling too well so slept for most of the journey there, but perked up once we reached the small town of Katoomba. Close by is the "resort style" place called Scenic World where they run cable cars and trains up/down/across the Jamison Valley. For $35 ...

3 things to do when it's raining cats & dogs in Sydney: eat in Westfields, go to the Gallery New South Wales and walk the wet streets. At the Gallery, I went to the Archibald Prize Exhibition - it's kind of like the equivalent of the UK's BP Portrait Awards. Quite a good collection of short listed paintings and definitely worth the extra $10 entry. I times it so that my trip coincided with the free curator's guided trip. Ordered tea and cake and went outsid...

We approached Sydney Harbour by ferry from Rydalmere. For me, that has to be one of the best ways to see the city - a slow meander along the river past mangrove trees, the Olympic Park, Cockatoo Island and then watching the city skyline get closer and closer until you're finally underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge and almost in reach of the Sydney Opera House. We walked around the SOH - Wendy bought tickets for a show on Saturday but I didn't want to part with...