The long trip down under part 3

[Cannavar]

We arrived in Sydney during the early hours of the 11th Dec. We'd missed the 10th altogether...not sure where it went or who'd misplaced it but either way it was weird not to have existed for a day.

DS2 had a far better flight that we could have hoped for and slept for most of it. He seems better in himself with about 3 hours of the flight still to go but then for some reason went down hill again?!?! The attendants of United were of the usual high standard but the plane had no seat back TVs. Yep...a 14 hours flight over the Pacific and nothing but a dodgy projection system which happened to be directly in front of DS1 who was sat in the middle row of seats at the bulk head. As it was, with such a long sleep we really wouldn't have used them anyway.

The first and very important thing we notice on touching down...its raining! Yes, all the way to Sydney and its "cold" and wet!

We head through a polite and welcoming passport control and collect our bags. DW was carrying DS2 while I had 4 large bags cases and 4 carry ons to somehow drag through to arrivals. Now I should point out here that we had watched a LOT of Border Control, the programme on Living about the Sydney Customs. This had done nothing but scare us and show that they pretty much like to rummage through most bags! They check soooo many its amazing. So we head in the hall and pray that we get lucky and are sent through. DW gets excited when she sees a sign up announcing that they are actually filming this very day! Apparently you have to tell them when they point the camera at you that you don't want to be on TV... if you don't its pretty much too late and your on Living lol So we wheel our bags forward and the officer (who did look familiar!) looks at our form where we have declared some food and asks what we have. We explain we have some Thorntons chocolate advent calenders and some Mickey lollies from DL. He asks DS1 if he brought his football boots with him (they don't allow them due to the mud! ) he says no and as a sort of test to see how genuine we are he asks him what team he supports...Bournemouth beams my son. A short pause and there follows a pretty good Dorset accent from him..."Oh, I can't read and I can't write but I sure can drive a tractor! I know Bournemouth well! You guys can go through..." LOL I couldn't stop laughing. No bag checks for us!

We made it through to arrivals and it was with great relief that I spotted my brother in law (he's 6'7"! ) in the waiting throng. My Sister (5'3" lol) was at the front of the group. She carried my nephew who we'd never met as he was born in Oz. After plenty of hugs we made out way to the hire care centre where big sis got the keys to the 8 seater she'd booked to get us all back to her house! We use our best Tetris skills to fit all the bags in and then DW suddenly realises... we haven't got DS2s Mickey bag! It had his fav toys and DS in (thats Nintendo DS, we don't put the boys in the carry on luggage! ) I run back and realise I have NO idea who to talk too. I can't walk back through arrivals. I go round to the Quantus desk and a very nice lady radios the baggage company and sends me round to see them. After a 30 min wait Mickey arrives! I was amazed, no forms needed filling in, nothing! We'd left him in the baggage hall and they just went and picked it up for me.

As we were not as tired as we thought we'd be my sister thought we could pop into Sydney on the way past for some lunch and to see the opera house. It had stopped raining but was still overcast.

Here we are in a picture taken by BiL. As you can see, its overcast, we are tired and DS2 has stolen my nephews push chair! lol



Here are some of our pics we took including the bridge, opera house and botanical gardens...









We arrived at my sisters late in the afternoon. Just enough time for me to pop to the local Kmart and buy a push chair for the princely sum of £10! lol there was a sale on but even so...thats cheap! My sister lives about an hour and 15 mins north of Sydney in a house that has its own jetty and nice views. The drive is long as EVERYONE sticks to the speed limit! Speeding is a BIG no no in Oz. Every advert break there are public service announcements and over the Xmas period it was double demerits (points) for anyone caught!

It was really nice to have our own room and the boys had theirs. For the first 2 nights though DS2 slept in with us just so we could keep an eye on him.

Our first full day in Oz it absolutely chucked it down. There was nothing we could do and all my sisters plans went out of the window and instead we headed to the local shopping mall LOL. Still, to be honest it was just what we needed. After all our trials we relaxed and let someone else worry about driving and food, it was great!

Tomorrow we fly to Townsville and get a boat out to Magnetic island!

[juless77]

WOW what a journey do you know if you managed to get filmed

[Guest]

What a journey... off to read the next installment.

[Guest]

Aww, all the pics bring back memories! I can't believe they didn't have seat back TVs on a 14 hour flight, but at least United were good apart from that. I think i am going to try flying via the US when i go in Dec.

I love that show about Australian customs on Living - Nothing to Declare. I always get stopped and searched when i go over, i must look suspicious! Maybe i'll get on TV next time. *lol*

[Fairy+4]

What a journey, Sydney looks heavenly, i'd love to go at some point.

[mrsdtob]

You made it to Oz Fab pics of the Opera House and Bridge! Looking forward to reading more later to see what you get up to

[Tartan Tigger]

Great pics. I'd love to go to Sydney.

[Guest]

Fab photos and remind me of my trip there. Glad you all made it to Sydney

[Karma]

That was good about the Mickey bag at the airport!

£10 is v. cheap for a pushchair. Whn my DD got ill in London the cheapest one was £65!

[Strommie]

Very long trip but Sydney looks fantastic.