Adz in Oz: Past The Half Way Mark

It's been exactly 6 months since we set foot on Australian soil and we can't believe how quick time has flown. I have scheduled my return flight for mid August which means ill be back home in less than 6 months and I'm sure they will go as quick as the first 6.

Tom is looking at adjusting his flight so he can go back via Hong Kong to visit his brother which will hopefully work out.

So tomorrow we begin the next chapter of the adventure where we will head 10 hours north west of Sydney to start a week long ranch training course which will teach us the skills we need to become a station hand / jackaroo.

We are hoping that the job they offer you at the end of it is a decent one where we can both work on the same ranch/farm without having to split up. We were told they do manage to find jobs for two friends in the same place but they can't guarantee anything so we will have to keep fingers crossed on that one.

The jobs can be anywhere as well so we really aren't sure what to expect or how things will pan out.

The course is in a town called Brewarrina near the NSW/QLD state border but we could be offered a job anywhere apparently! Depends on where their contacts are and who is needing workers.

I had to buy a new phone today as my old one that I lost never got found. Really annoying but the new phone is so much better and only cost a bit more than what I paid for the other one. I think I can hold on to my number which is convenient.

Its Toms last day at work today so when he gets back we'll carry on packing stuff up and get ready to leave the flat in the early hours of tomorrow morning. Everything's been arranged with the guy we've been living with and it's worked out really well to be honest.

This past week I've been going back and forth to the city to do a bit of last minute sightseeing and enjoying city life before we head to the back'o beyond.

Here's a summary with pictures of what we've been up to...

Its not always sunny y'no!

We took the ferry to Manly on what started out as a nice day which quickly turned very dull and grey.

It was nice to finally get the ferry somewhere. We took the surf board but never actually went on it.

Instead we relaxed on the beach (a little bit cold I might add) and then made sand sculptures which of course turned very competitive.

Which turtle do you think is the best? And which turtle belongs to who? Hmmm

Turtle A

Or Turtle B

Was funny to see the Mardi Gras decorations out in full force.

I went to the city to take some pictures and sightsee. This is the Anzac War Memorial in Hyde Park.

Hyde Park Trees

Archibald Fountain

Little did I know, a storm of apocalyptic style scale was heading to the city from the south. I was walking through the park, turned around and saw this! This storm had already wreaked havoc in the eastern suburbs and had people running for cover as it approached the city.

It turned out to be so fierce and menacing that it randomly made the lunchtime news back home. I don't know if any of you saw it. Nothing was damaged or interrupted but it had a lot of potential!

Here's a few cool pics from onlookers. (I don't own these images)

After getting soaked right through while running to the subway for cover I made my way to the strand arcade to dry off and had a nice hot chocolate. Very quaint little arcade indeed.

I wondered around town until it got dark and decided to head over the harbour bridge and take some pictures of the illuminated city from Milsons point. I will get around to putting the high quality pics from my DSLR on here at some point but here's a couple from the ipad.

Circular Quay at night with a cruise liner at the terminal

Looking across the harbour from Lunar Park

And here's some city pictures from another day of sightseeing - this time with slightly better weather...

Skyline from Mrs McQuaries Chair

Botanical gardens

Bennelong Point

Jorn Utzons concept for the Opera House

Preparations for the Australia premiere of Pompeii

Cool street art at circular quay

Down by The Rocks

Dawes Point

Dramatic sunsets at Bondi Junction

Most recently we took a trip back to Watsons Bay - one of our favourite places which has a nice little beach and a great vantage point of the city. And it is next to part of the National Park too.

Walking around The Gap at Sydney Harbour National Park. The Gap is called so as it is the gap between the land which forms the entrance to the Harbour from the Tasman Sea.

Looking across the Gap entrance to the other half of the Sydney Harbour National Park

The view after coming through the gap, looking towards the harbour with the start of the city skyline on the right.

History Lesson!

This view of the land and water is what greeted the crewmen of the First Fleet as they sailed in to claim the land as their own. The headland at the Gap was eventually heavily fortified and served as a primary defence location during threats of invasion from the French and the Spanish. Most of the gun battlements have been scrapped and taken away but some remain and serve as interesting reminders.