Flying High

Having an absolute blast in Sydney!!!

We had a wonderful flight, arrived by train to the Marriott and were surprised with a room upgrade and access to the Executive Lounge - thanks to one of Gary's many Gold travel type cards. Great perks, downside is you have to travel a lot to gain the status - that I don't think is all that fun for these executive types.

Took off for Hyde Park (no apparently the OTHER Hyde Park) and saw St. Marys Cathedral:

Apparently I might not be ENTIRELY all Jacarunda'ed out:

Then off on a trek through the Botanical Gardens to get a shot of the Sydney Opera House. The Botanical Gardens is HUGE! And thus a huge walk, but it was worth it. Parrots were grazing in the grass in flocks:

And then, there it was!

You will probably be seeing the Sydney Opera House ad nauseum because I cannot stop taking photos of it:

One of my panoramas (to really appreciate you will need to click on the photo):

After our photo shoot - Gary taking FIVE - count 'em FIVE photos of the Opera House and me taking, oh, maybe around 200 with my panorama (like the one above - they are 6 - 7 photos apiece) we headed back to the Marriott of sore feet. Gary says our photo taking habits average into two normal people taking photographs - but I'm thinkin' ... FIVE?

Got ready and headed to Wicked playing at the Capitol Theatre - a beautiful theatre! It was SPECTACULAR! I loved every minute of it. It got out late, so my - "I brought a tripod and I'm damn well going to get night photos of the Opera House" mantra was weakening and we decided we could do it tomorrow night.

It is now Saturday and my eyes popped open at 4:22. Couldn't go back to sleep and had to chuckle that it was 5:22 Brisbane time. Kept waking Gary up so snuck into the bathroom to call downstairs (on those weird phones in the bathrooms) and asked when the Executive Lounge was opening (wireless Internet and not waking up Gary was my goal). He told me 6:30, but to try my key card (only certain ones will let you on the 30th floor where it is) in the door and if it didn't open, he would come open it up for me ... which he did. I SO LOVE Marriott Hotels!!

I have now incurred the wrath of the staff setting up for breakfast in here since I was sitting here when they unlocked the door - but don't really care. Gary just called and said "You've been gone an hour and a half ... where are you?" Ooops - goal number two not working so well. I told him. Apparently his first guess was that I was wandering the streets of Sydney alone ... silly fellow.

So I will finish up this blog, get out the the Executive Lounge workers hair, go back to my room and start what is sure to be an absolutely fantastic Saturday!!!

Note: the guy that let me in told me they only light up the Opera House for special occasions ... as Kimberly would note: *cries a little*.

Later!!!