Sydney-Bondi beach and Opera House

Sunday in Sydney was a full day.  In the morning, we took a bus to Bondi beach.  Rather, we took 3 buses.  The public transportation in Sydney is very safe and clean (and expensive), but we found the bus system much harder to use than in Hong Kong.  I had looked up directions beforehand and knew exactly where we needed to change buses.  The problem was, the bus stops aren't marked.  In Hong Kong, there is a display above the driver that scrolls the name of the next bus stop and each stop on the street is clearly marked with the name.  In Sydney, we couldn't find anything telling us what each stop was.  You definitely needed to know where you were going.  Luckily, Tom has an international data plan and could follow along on Google Maps.  The one thing Sydney did have over Hong Kong is the bus drivers were very friendly.  Many people asked the driver if they were on the right bus when they got on.  I wouldn't even think of asking a bus driver in Hong Kong a question (at least not in English).

Waiting at the bus stop

We didn't see any double decker buses in Sydney, but they did have double length buses with an accordion middle to help it get around turns.  Tommy was excited to get to ride one.

Bondi beach is one of the most popular beaches in Australia.  It was a beautiful beach, but the weather was hot.  Also, the waves were strong.  There were lots of surfers to watch, but the kids were only able to go into the water if they had a parent holding on to them tightly.  The kids also had a great time playing in the sand.  

The iconic Bondi Beach

Tom taking the kids into the waves

Tommy building a city in the sand

Charlotte buried in the sand

Mommy's turn to be buried

Along the Bondi to Coogee walk.  We didn't do the whole thing, but it has amazing views.

View from the restaurant where we had lunch.  Good place to watch the surfers.

After lunch, we took a bus down to the Harbour to see the Sydney Opera House.  It is an amazing building.  The Waterfront is lined with restaurants and shops taking advantage of the view.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to see a show while we were there.  The Opera House has many kids shows in December and January (their summer), but our trip in February coincides with the start of the school year when they take a break from a lot of the kids programs.  It was fun to see it anyway.  What a fun day!

In front of the Harbour Bridge

Beautiful day to see the Opera House and the Sydney skyline.

 After an ice cream cone (there are ice cream shops everywhere in Australia!), we took a ferry back to our apartment.  The boat ride was a great way to get a good view of the city.  We also passed right under the Harbour Bridge.  We ordered dinner when we got home and went to bed.

Charlotte and Tommy with the ferry in the background

View of the Opera House from the ferry