Although we had talked about the possibility of Ken working all over the globe including Australia, I don’t know that we really saw the potential reality of the “land down under”. But, here we are living short term in Sydney and making the most of our weekends to see as much as we can during our stay. The area in and around Sydney offers a great deal of scenery diversity with everything from vineyards to rainforests and mountains to beaches. Because of this, the activities available are just as diverse.
We spent time one weekend touring the Hunter Valley where some of Australia’s well known wines are made. The wine producers shared their love of wines and wine making with us while offering samples of some of their favorites. A fun surprise came when we caught sight of wild kangaroos hopping through the vineyards...not something found in other wine regions of the world.
The big adventure this past weekend involved lots of hiking. We took the train to the Blue Mountains where rocky, tree covered cliffs plunged down to a rainforest valley below. We started the hike taking in the view of the rocky outcrop called the Three Sisters (which we named after my mom and 2 of her sisters) followed by nearly 1000 stairs (my calf muscles still ache) leading us to a canopy of ferns surrounding the rainforest trails.
A hike the next day began with a ferry across the bay and then paths winding around a peninsula for great views looking back across the harbor to the Sydney skyline. We also completed the “must do” 30 minute walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge which gave lovely views of the city and the Sydney Opera House as well.
A nice highlight of our time involved catching up with some of our friends from our year in Switzerland. One of Ken’s IMD classmates, who is Australian, recently moved back to his homeland, and another peer came over from Singapore for work. The four of us made plans for dinner, and we had such fun catching up that the restaurant finally had to kick us out so they could go home. So here’s to unexpected adventures, new experiences and those along the way who add to the joy!
We spent time one weekend touring the Hunter Valley where some of Australia’s well known wines are made. The wine producers shared their love of wines and wine making with us while offering samples of some of their favorites. A fun surprise came when we caught sight of wild kangaroos hopping through the vineyards...not something found in other wine regions of the world.
The big adventure this past weekend involved lots of hiking. We took the train to the Blue Mountains where rocky, tree covered cliffs plunged down to a rainforest valley below. We started the hike taking in the view of the rocky outcrop called the Three Sisters (which we named after my mom and 2 of her sisters) followed by nearly 1000 stairs (my calf muscles still ache) leading us to a canopy of ferns surrounding the rainforest trails. 
A hike the next day began with a ferry across the bay and then paths winding around a peninsula for great views looking back across the harbor to the Sydney skyline. We also completed the “must do” 30 minute walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge which gave lovely views of the city and the Sydney Opera House as well.
A nice highlight of our time involved catching up with some of our friends from our year in Switzerland. One of Ken’s IMD classmates, who is Australian, recently moved back to his homeland, and another peer came over from Singapore for work. The four of us made plans for dinner, and we had such fun catching up that the restaurant finally had to kick us out so they could go home. So here’s to unexpected adventures, new experiences and those along the way who add to the joy!
1 comment:
Like it! ;-)
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