Life Down Under (Part 9): Sydney's Animals, Beaches, and Mountains!

- Aug. 27-29, 2022, Saturday to Monday.

- I realized that the latter part of my stay in Sydney leaned more on nature and the elements. These aren't things I particularly go for during my trips, but they do give a little breather from city life. I also consider nature spots when they're really that prominent and incredible.

- I met up with my friend Blessilda early Saturday morning to do some whale watching. Since the time the ferry departs the shore to the whale-watching spots and back are included in the tours, we decided to book a three-hour tour instead of a two-hour one. We booked our tickets online beforehand (click here). However, kiosks for inquiries and ticket purchases are also present at Circular Quay, where the ferries depart (light rail 2 or 3 to Circular Quay stop.) 

Yay to 18 years of friendship!

Leaving the dock, it was quite rainy.

When things still seemed fine. HAHA.

- At 9am, our ferry departed to the open seas. At first I thought that things would be fine since the waters were calm, even with the slight rain. Little did I know that the calm waters were just the part of the bay within the stone barriers that protect Sydney's harbors from the bigger open waves. Once we reached the Tasman Sea, I felt that our ferry was flying. The ferry would take a pause whenever we'd reach a whale-watching spot. However, the ferry would at times sail to approach the humpback whales. Now people were asked to go to the deck since it's easier to see the whales there, obviously. However whenever the ferry would sail closer to a whale, we were still outside with steel bars to hold on to. It felt like I was in a Bond film, but my scaredy self was also screaming its head off internally. No, no one fell off the ferry, thankfully. 

See that spout far away? That's another whale-watching ferry too, not ours.

Apparently, whale fins are distinct, just like how human fingerprints are. Scientists usually use whale tails to identify whales.

 

A full rainbow!!

Pretending things are fine HAHA. (Things were fine actually, the ride was just a bit bumpy.)

- Things paid off when the sun shone brightly between light showers, and the whales started showing themselves like the majestic creatures they were. I was thankful we had an expert guide who could see whales from miles away (for the life of me, I don't know how he does that, but he was always right.) He did explain a bit about how whales approaching the surface would cause the water to momentarily change color. I think that since our guide was at the upper deck, it was easier for him to spot the whales from far away. 

Two whales!

This curious one was gently rocking our boat. I was scared for my dear life. HAHA.

- I was also a bit annoyed by the people with their giant cameras. We had a few....enthusiasts? (not sure if they're professional photographers or photography enthusiasts) who had fancy camera equipment like larger-than-life lenses. Since they were braver and stood at the edge of the ferry's balcony, it was hard for many of us to take photos; some of us were afraid to go to the edge of the ferry because we didn't weren't sure if we could keep our balance. I'm sure they took lots of * nice photos * (sense my tone please,) but I'm happy I had nice photos of my own too (this latter clause is sincere.) The usual "prize shots" for whale watching are the whales jumping and diving (which I wasn't able to get as it happened too sudden and fast,) and the easier to photograph whale tail.

Tail shot.

Another one, but from the side.

My goodness we survived the open sea.

- Our three-hour tour was worth every dollar since we got to see so many whales and the sun shone for the most part of the tour despite the not-so-nice weather forecast. We had lunch near the quay, and because we felt like it, rode another ferry to Taronga Zoo. (The quay has a digital timetable to see what time the next Taronga Zoo ferry will be, and from which terminal the ferry would sail.) The ferry ride was a lot smoother since it was within the harbour area. It only took a few minutes to get to the Taronga Zoo side. One would need an Opal card to ride the commuter ferries just like the city's trains or light rails. After reaching the Taronga Zoo stop, one would need to catch a 238 bus straight to the zoo. The buses are conveniently located outside the terminal. Cable car rides near the ferry wharf can also conveniently take people to the top of the zoo. Which reminds me, the zoo was built on a hill.

Main entrance.

Koalas!

Help meeeeeeeee!! (Also, that's a fake gorilla.)

Harbor view from Taronga Zoo.

Chimpanzee.

Simba and Nala.

- The Taronga Zoo opened in 1906, though it has roots in 1884 with earlier zoo incarnations in Sydney. It is known not only for its varied species of endemic and foreign species, but also for successfully breeding many animals as well.

Elephants!

I thought their tiger looked majestic.

Pygmy hippo.

A seal that couldn't care less.

Alpacas omg they're so cute!!

My first time (I think?) to see a kangaro with a baby in its tummy!

- Blessilda and I had a nice dinner that night in Chinatown, before calling it a day. I hurriedly went back to my hostel too since I needed time to prepare for my next adventure the next day. From the Tasman Sea, I headed towards the Blue Mountains!

- The mountain range was so called because the mountains appear blue when seen from afar. To get there from Sydney, one would need to to to Sydney Central Station and hope on a train to Katoomba Station (use your Opal card). In my case, there was a train service interruption due to the ongoing labor protests. The station was kind enough to provide a free bus service that goes to Penrith train station, and ride the train from there to Katoomba. Total travel time is around 2 hours. From the station, the first thing most people do is ride a bus 686 to Echo Point Lookout. The lookout has a breathtaing view of the Blue Mountains and the various rock formations of the area. The most famous of these is the "Three Sisters," which is a rock formation with three....peaks? The legend of the Three Sisters is said to either originate from the indigenous people (specifically, the Gundungurra people) from way back, or as recent as the 1930s by a girl named Patricia Stone who made up a story about the rock formations.  

If you squint hard enough, you can see the bluish mountains behind the clouds. The Three Sisters are at the bottom left.

Of course, there's me.

I think the bluish mountains at the back are clearer here.

- Echo Point has many trains that people can explore, but since I didn't have much time, I decided to take the bus again (same bus, 686) to Scenic World. (Use your Opal card with the bus as well.) As the name suggests, it offers scenic views of the Blue Mountains. Originally a mining site in the 1880s, the Hammon Family purchased the area and turned it into a tourist facility in 1945. The same family owns Scenic World today. Upon buying an entrance ticket, one can go down the steepest "railway" (which is more of a lift), the cable car, or the Skyway (a cable car that glides above the canopy and rock formations.) Below the mountain, accessible through the cable car or the rail, there are trails that take guests around the old mining site.

Inside the steep railway/lift.

Again you'll see the Three Sisters (left) and the mountains at the far back that have appeared bluish.

This is the railway.

An old version....with less safety precautions.

The cars that miners used to transport coal.

Riding on a horse in the mines.

Old mining caves.

Mining tools.

At the scenic walkway.

The cable car.

- I rode the 686 bus from Scenic World to the train station, and explored some of the nearby shops before riding the train back to the city. I wanted to grab a bite, but since the nearby cafes were closed, I just decided to proceed to my next agenda - Bondi Beach. To get to Bondi Beach, just hop on a train to Bondi Junction, then from the train station, catch a 333 bus to the beach. 

- I had a meal at McDonald's upon getting there since it was the first restaurant I saw that didn't have too many people. I was starving since it was my lunch - at 4PM. I later had a stroll along the cemented walkways of the beach, and went up the elevated walkways along the (very low and safe) cliffs. There, the iconic crescent shape of Bondi Beach can be seen!

The cliffs.

See its distinct crescent shape?

A pool beside the beach, go figure. This pool belongs to the Bondi Icebergs Club. It is a swimming club that has been operating since 1929.

Cliff farther away from the beach.

Sandstone formation.

Had to take a photo with the beach too, right?

- As there was not much to do in Bondi Beach as I wasn't keen on doing anything beach-related, I left after appreciating the eroded sandstone formations and the view of the beach. It was around sunset the moment I arrived in the city and had an early dinner. I had such a long day that I felt the need to take some time to just lie down in my hostel bed.

- On my last morning in Sydney, I went back to the Maritime Museum to see the other ships I had not visited during my first day. (Talk about going back to where it all began.) I'm just so glad that their Filipina staff told me that I could come back without paying extra, since I visited a few days prior.

View of the many ships of the museum.

With HMB Endeavor, which I visited the other day.

Inside Tall Ship Duyfken, although this is a replica. It was a small Dutch cargo ship, and it known as the first European ship to reach Australia. Oh, and look at the Sydney Tower at the back too.

A few of the many spices it retrieved from the spice islands (i.e. Indonesia.) Not surprising, as Indonesia at that time was ruled by the Dutch (and the Duyfken was a Dutch ship).

Duyfken.

Now, inside the HMAS Vampire, an Australian navy ship from the 1950s.

Endless halls.

Attack!

Yes captain!

Bow of HMAS Vampire, and the Maritime Museum.

Medical facilities in a navy ship.

A torpedo!

- Later that morning, I met my friend Mark, officially, after meeting each other in the middle of Sydney by chance a few days back. We had a Malaysian lunch at Ikhwan Cafe, a highly rated restaurant located near the Maritime Museum. 

Hi Mark, and hurray to our official meetup in Sydney HAHA.

- After lunch I went to the airport, by train to conclude my adventuers in Sydney. The flight back to Melbourne was a difficult one, because I felt that I left so many people behind. I realized that I knew too many people in Sydney - some I didn't even have time to meet. It was, I think, more difficult than leaving Manila because I know I'm going back to Manila in a few months. As for Sydney, I'm not sure when I'll have the chance to go back. It was a wonderful 5 (4.5?) days in Sydney and I hope to go back some day!