March 21- 24, 2005 Melbourne
A beautiful, friendly, cosmopolitan city where we saw the sites, visited the market, ran in a race and took a day trip to see the "12 Apostles", a rock formation off the south coast.
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My daughter, Anne, atop the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior - Melbourne |
Just before lunch on March 21 - about 75 degrees and sunny. |
Sunset Monday 3/21 on the Yarra River |
Skyline after sunset |
Moon over Melbourne |
"Squash" as found at the market |
"Blue pumpkin"as found at market here |
All that's missing is the apple... |
Yes, we really did run a race. |
Some of the "12 Apostles" |
Some of the coast is so rugged it can only be seen from the air. |
Koala Bears in the wild |
Entrance to Loch Ard, site of a disastrous shipwreck in the 1870's. There were 2 survivors |
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March 25 - 28 Cairns
Great Barrier Reef - Rainforest
We took a 32 km trip on a large (400 passenger) catamaran to the reef, then had the chance to dive, snorkel and enjoy.
Long way from home. |
Look out for the crocs |
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Looking east at sunset |
Explanation |
Transport to the reef |
Jim and Annie at the Great Barrier Reef |
Under the sea |
Rain Forest Scene |
Where the Rainforest meets the sea |
You don't have to be crazy... |
Mossman Gorge |
The bats of Cairns |
Croc |
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March 29 - April 2 Sydney
Sydney is the biggest city in Australia and has two icons which seem to appear in nearly every photo - the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House. Both are spectacular. But Sydney is also the site of the Olympics, internationally famous surfing beaches and a financial capital. Although Australia is a vast continent and thinly populated, the cities are huge and thronged with people. Sydney was no exception.
Harbor Bridge |
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Opera House |
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Bridge and ferry |
Opera and Skyline by night |
Darling Harbor |
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The bridge dominates the waterfront |
Roo in Zoo |
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo in Park |
From the north side of the Harbor |
Bridge, Opera and Skyline at night |
Playing in the sand at Manly Beach |
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