Rob and I have enjoyed a final round of celebratory lunches and dinners. Tim has been fêted with wonderful gifts from friends: books, cards, Essendon sports gear, and a T-shirt from his favorite burger joint on earth.
But it's sweet, because we'll certainly be back.
We spent our one sunny afternoon climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Not too challenging -- Tim could likely have scaled the outside. Spectacular views of the many inlets and residential areas, and a tremendous sunset.
Tim and I flew back with an hour's weather delay, while Rob opted for the train. Unfortunately, a derailment the day before turned Rob's train trip into a really, really long bus journey. This may well be the tipping point for creating an avid flyer!
Sydneysiders are notoriously derisory about Melbourne weather. "I couldn't live there," is the constant refrain, and it always makes me want to airlift the complainers to Duluth in January. It was only fitting that our five-day visit to Sydney coincide with record low temperatures and relentless rainfall.
Indoor pursuits supplanted Bondi Beach, so we spent several hours at the aquarium. Tim and Rob cavorted, and Rob was impressed by the sharks. I was tempted to pass this scene off as a Great Barrier Reef shot, but the exit sign gives me away.
We're off to Sydney. We're excited for the aquarium and the bridge climb, but Tim's planned surfing lesson may be marred by rain. So much for the incessant boasting about the superior Sydney weather!
I took this picture of Tim during our trip to the Northern Territory. It reminds me that even during fabulous trips there's always time to kill, planned or unplanned. Tim's been a star about finding ways to amuse himself.
While I was diving, Tim was snorkelling up top with the underwater camera. He took some terrific pictures of fish and green sea turtles, as well as a few of the coral landscape.
Part of the appeal of Heron Island is all you can see right there, without heading out on an excursion. Whether you're on a reef walk at low tide, checking out the bird and plant life, or swimming out over the coral, there's always something to do.
Snorkeling off the beach, Tim and I watched as these small sharks chased fish. Tim had more than a few close encounters with large rays.
As much fun as we had on the semi-sub, Tim and I headed out on a boat to snorkel and dive.
Tim's favorite sight was all the brightly colored fish. I liked seeing the whitetip reef sharks basking on the bottom.
Undaunted by earlier seasickness, Tim and I braved a ride on the semi-sub. We saw fish and coral and a couple of sharks, but the greatest pleasure was seeing the green sea turtles fly past.
