Sydney and our final days in Australia

Even in the rain, Sydney is fun.
Can't believe how busy we've been; yesterday was tea with Wayne and Marie (our exchange partners parents) and their sister and brother-in-law Peter, and Gwenda. They were in Sydney to get onto a different cruise ship and go to some of the same islands we just returned from. After that we had a great walk around the Paddington Market and Darling Harbour. I love the Maritime Museum with the WWII submarine and war ship. Plus we toured the Endeavour Replica! The next day we had lunch with Mark Cotter and his lovely wife, Alison. Mark and I met on a 6 week Contiki Camping Tour around Europe in 1992. We hadn't seen each other for 23 years!! He makes dentures right in the heart of Sydney (literally a block from where the main ferry terminal is in the CBD and he just happens to be the president of the Bondi Beach North Surf Life Saving Club. Very cool to have a tour of their brand new life saving club! 

Touring a sub at the Sydney Maritime Museum 

Then toured a war ship

And finally my favourite: The Endeavor (a replica of the 16th century original)

The Endeavour: Such a beautiful ship!



Mark and Suzie (it had been 23 years since we'd visited!:

Suzie and Wayne at Bondi Beach

The new North Bondi Beach Surf Life Saving Club

Who's missing sunglasses here?

Wayne and Suzie's favourite outdoor salt water pool!

Then it was another tour of the city center and we finally met up with Kelli Rogers. So glad to finally meet her husband Brett and their son Griffin (the cutest kid ever!). Kelli and I both taught at a Christian Brothers College in Melbourne during the year 2000. We've kept in touch over the years, so she drove down from her home in Brisbane to spend some time with us. Plus she flew over to Perth in November for a weekend too. Lucky me!!

Noah, Suzie, and Kelli

Brett, Wayne, Ellise, and Griffin

My Beautiful Kelli!

During our last few days we discovered the coolest touring company ever. They have several designated locations around Sydney, and preset tour start times. Then who ever shows up can join in the walking tour. And if you enjoyed the tour you leave an appropriate tip. What a gold mine for the tour guides. It was raining lightly and we still had about 15 people walking around The Rocks and enjoying the tour. What a great way to see the sights!

Then before we knew it, it was time to work our 'suitcase magic'! That is an attempt to stuff, then balance the weight, and still be able to zip up all our stuff into 6 suitcases and get ourselves to Vietnam- our final destination before coming back to Canada! And off we go...