We are up to sunshine and birdsong. After a quick online check to confirm that our travel plans have not changed, we have one last breakfast in our efficient little outdoor kitchen; scrambled eggs and coffee-press coffee (I am getting pretty good at this). I organize a bit to get everything into suitcases again so we can handle it all as we drop off the van and head into Sydney for a couple days.
It is quite the change from our little self-contained world we have been in the past couple weeks. We catch the commuter train into the city. I think we see maybe 12 other passengers the whole trip. We even manage a train change and find our way at Circular Quay right at the opera house and harbor bridge. We are a little early for hotel check in so we find a perfect bench with a perfect view and a delicious dip of ice cream to wait and soak it all in. We haven’t had lunch so I go wandering and find a little bakeshop with savory pies. I come out with a feta/spinach and a sausage in light flakey crusts. We watch the ferries come and go and the dots that are sailboats and private cruisers in the distance.
We have probably gotten enough sun, our tummies are full, and it is check in time so off we go. Kent did a spectacular job finding the hotel, The Rydges. It is right on George Street just one block up from the water front. The place is practically empty. It is so quiet it is spooky. At check-in the staff is great, “We have plenty of rooms. Let’s give you one with a view.” He does. It is lovely.
We drop off our plunder and relax a few in our luxurious digs then head out to explore. The narrow streets of The Rocks are lined with shops and restaurants typically mobbed by throngs of tourists but today only a few locals are moving around. The nearby international cruise terminal is shuttered and silent. It is an interesting way to experience the city. We make our way to the Opera House grounds, skirt the botanical gardens, and take in a view of the harbor bridge. The sun sets and we enjoy the city lights as we head back to our hotel.
I am pretty sure it is a first for us, we order full room service dinner, even a bottle of nice local Sauvignon Blanc which we enjoy in our private dining room with a view. Ahh, what luxury.