Friday, January 09, 2009

Travels with My Paduan

I haven't got a Friday Fuckwit this week. The week has been too busy and much fun in fact I've watched the news twice. Apart from the queuing which is a new phenomenon for Aussies other than buying band tickets for super groups or waiting in line at the bar. For some reason, this year above all, the city is packed. Absolutely jammed with tourists. We've queued for museums, aquariums, been squished in by Chinese and Japanese who seem to have no concept of that 'circle of personal space'. We've been inundated with Spaniards, Russians, Germans, in fact the only Aussie voices I've heard other than my own family this week have been at ticket booths. Even catching ferries thanks to the NSW Government offering a $17 family ticket to go anywhere and cancelling the hydrofoil we were herded into 'cattle pens' to await our ferry.

We've had an excursion a day this week - we've been to Manly on the ferry, had lunch at Bondi, travelled to the Hunter Valley and had a winery tour at McWilliams Wines, visited the Aquarium complete with new dugongs, cruised around the Olympic Park, taken a peek at the new Australian Wildlife Zoo, the fantastic Maritime Museum - where we spent three and a half hours wondering through battleship Vampire and inside a submarine on blisteringly hot day. We visited Featherdale Wildlife Park - by far the best native zoo in the state but I forgot my camera and then the Powerhouse Museum. Apparently our 'fast food' is amazing, our booze is cheap and the digs aren't too shabby. He's pretty much as I thought he would be with a few rough edges. It's interesting meeting fellow bloggers but I guess when they're not your age, takes a little getting used to. Still, we have history so we're getting on OK and the kids are stepping up to the plate and have a weekend of youngling fun promised.

Oporto Portuguese chicken has received the thumbs up and there's Bulmers on tap at Cargo Bar! And my lasagne has also received an accolade so I'm happy that he's happy. It's a lot of money to spend for just 2 weeks in the Antipodes. Although he's going through XBox live withdrawals and still finding it hard to stay awake and needs a bit of a 'power nap' before round 2.

One of our fave visits this week, besides the Maritime Museum which is wonderful, was the Powerhouse Museum - it resides in the old Pyrmont Power Station and has been around for ages but has undergone some renovation and is a 'touchy feely' museum based generally on science and technology, life and ecology. No stuffed owls or mummies, just everyday things from yesteryear and tomorrow but lots of hands on experimental stuff. Perfect for a young scientist and an old bag.

This time, there was a Star Wars Exhibition which linked the 'technology' mooted in the movie with it's modern day counterparts. And yes, we had to QUEUE. The exhibition had all the original models from the Star Wars movies, costumes, and loads of 'build your own robot', 'ride on a hovercraft', 'work out the centre of gravity' kind of exhibits for the kids big and small . . and yes . . D built and programmed a little R2D2 after waiting ages for a posi at the testing site!

The rest of the museum allows you to be electrocuted, experiment with steam, feel what it's like to travel in a space station and how hard you need to cycle to power an ambulance, it's really something. So, I leave you with some images from some of our excursions this week (my battery went flat in the Hunter which was a shame) If you have visitors in Sydney, young or old, the Maritime and Power House are well worth a look . . .

Climbing a gun turret on the "Vampire" at the Maritime Museum. . . it was 38 in the shade but the tour was well worth it.


Gunner D . . . Clearly impressed . . .


Atop the replica Endeavour which now takes tourists (who are prepared to climb the rigging) for $700 per 4 day trips. Beautifully restored, so much so I wasn't sure I was allowed to take photos below deck so the top deck will have to do.



Scale model of C3PO of course . . .



Empire Ice Walker from Hoth . . .


An 8 year old creates enough energy to drive a small train around a track . . .




Programming an R2D2 to behave . . .it's not easy . . .and yes, he had to queue!

Scale model of Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder w00t. . . .


Glimpse of the rest of the powerhouse . . this area based on transport, trains, planes and automobiles . . .



Looks fake doesn't it. . .this is the latest exhibit in the centre of the city. I didn't like it. Too artificial but if you've only got a couple of days in town I guess it's your only chance to learn about native animals . . .the Red Roos are very real.
'
He wants her posi in the tree but she's nursing a baby and not letting him anywhere near the penthouse . . .


Grey Nurse Shark at the aquarium. . the ladies swim 'real slow' so as not to attract the aggressive attention of the men . . they bring new meaning to LOVE BITE!


Two dugongs are the latest attraction but they only come up for air very rarely. They're really beautiful but difficult to photograph . .


Yeh well, everyone has to go there I guess and I can't work out why!


Saturday 3rd Jan - late pickup and Featherdale - forgot camera
Sunday 4th Jan - The Rocks, Circular Quay Manly Beach
Monday 5th Jan - Bondi
Tuesday 6th Jan - Maritime Museum
Wednesday 7th Jan - Hunter Valley McWilliams Wine Tour
Thursday 8th Jan - Power House Museum
Friday 9th Jan - Aquarium and Wildlife World - drive around Olympic Park
Saturday 10th - Effy Bus - Dune rolling and BBQ with the younglings
Sunday 11th Jan - off on his own
Monday 12th Jan - Jenolan Caves, Blue Mountains, Mean Fiddler with the Younglings
Tuesday 13th Jan - Featherdale/Go Carting (afternoon)
Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th Canberra - War Memorial, Australia Museum and stuff
Friday 15th - MBF Tennis
Saturday 16th - Paintball and youngling shindig in the evening
Sunday - R & R and Home

Oh, and all this walking . . I'm losing weight and my glutes are firming . . EGGSELLENT! The Paduan however, is missing his XBox, eating loads of junk, cannot out drink me and is craving some youngling adventure . . .this weekend . . .Facebook will tell all! Heheheh. . I have a bet he can't cut the mustard.

25 comments:

Ces Adorio said...

What an adventure packed week. Excellent itenerary and no swear words. :)Very interesting about the year old's energy level. I believe it.

The Chinese and Japanese tourists have no concept of personal space because they are stacked up on top of each other like sardines back home. They are also infamous for blocking the airport halls and automated walkways by just standing there or huddling or taking photographs of airport signs.

Ces Adorio said...

I mean 8-year old's.

Anonymous said...

Empire Ice Walker from Hoth . . .

Tut tut.... That my dear is an AT-AT Walker, or to give it its full title an All Terrain Armoured Transport. Empire Ice walker indeed! Pffff.

Anonymous said...

Yeah it's an AT-AT alright, you didn't read the labels/pay attention during t5he films.

As for outdrinking me I think it's clear who outdrank who when I was kicking the shit out of a Guitar Hero song upside down while you couldn't figure out what side you were on ...

Check and mate to me.

Anonymous said...

Luckily we didn't queue for anything. The big tourist wave must have just started. And it's not just the Chinese and Japs who hold things up, it's just about any nationality. Not to mention those obsessive photo-takers slowly lining up a shot right in front of where you're walking (nothing personal, natch). Photo-mania seems to have increased dramtically since digitals came in.

That looks like a pretty good itinerary. Featherdale's excellent, isn't it? Didn't know about the Oz Wildlife Zoo, that's not in our aged Rough Guide!

Ooh, I just adore koalas. What a pathetic softie I am.

Anonymous said...

Wow that is some going! Even I struggled to fit that much stuff in on my trips to Australia. I have friends in the Northern Suburbs of Sydney and would recommend the Bridge Climb if you can get tickets - the views from there are breathtaking!!

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

I'm exhausted just reading that - you sure have a lot of energy - I usually do a couple of touristy spots then send the visitors off by themselves to explore while i have a nap

Anonymous said...

What an adventure!

What a great hostess!

Enjoy week Two!

Unknown said...

Cool photos, I love the old Star wars episodes.

Unknown said...

jackmcmad has already berated you for me, sweet. empire ice walker indeed...

Miles McClagan said...

I got electrocuted at a science fair, and I don't mean amusing ho ho ho the eedjits hair is standing up I mean if it was Batman the screen would say Kazap...

Anonymous said...

Do we really have to wait another week until we get Baino back? I hope that house guest of yours appreciates that his gain, is our loss! ;-)

Missing you!

Megan said...

Thanks for the update! Sounds like a blast. Yay Star Wars!

Baino said...

Haha Ces, I'm all sworn out I think! The Irish have a colourful turn of phrase. Tell me about the Chinese then we have a huge Chinese community in Sydney and the Paduan seems to be a China magnet. The entire Ferry ride on Sunday he had two of them chewing his ear off!

Jack I was posting ever so quicky, my net was being a bastard so I took a guess . .sorry I know it's unforgivable. I got the planet right!

Brave words Paduan! You were sober unless half a dozen light beers floats yer boat! I'm just not very good at Guitar Hero and you did one upside down song and went where? TO BED! Ha! $10 says you can't keep up with me next Saturday night!

Nick Featherdale is much better we're going to go back to get some photos. The new Wildlife World is very 'artificial' and nowhere near the range of native species. It's pretty new and next to the Aquarium at Darling Harbour, can't miss it. Glad you got home safe and sound! Yep, the crowds are definitely massing this week. (I was one of those people with a digital camera I'm afraid!)

Ok Ok RyanIam. . I had the massive shits posting this. My PC was slow, I had a major wobbly and so . . .forgive me?

Aww poor Miley . . there's also a thing where you put your hands on different kinds of metal pads and it calibrates how much electricity you're charging. I'm about 57 watts, D was about 80 something! (I should stick a light bulb in his gob)

Aww thanks Stephie, I'll be visiting this weekend promise. My internet has really been atrocious and my laptop skills are hopeless, plus time's been at a premium . . .absence makes the heart grow fonder? I hope! Or is it out of sight, out of mind?

Megan I won't forget AT-AT Walker in a hurry!

Hi Taffy's Mum and welcome aboard the Baino Bus (likely to be some odd posts of travels with a 20 year old over the next week then I'll be back to normal!) Dammit, I forgot the bridge climb is at 8am on Monday morning . . Jenolan will have to wait until Friday.

Quickie I'm exhausted but he's out with Adam today and going to wonder the city on his own tomorrow so some time to relax. I've really enjoyed it tho. Despite the driving, takes so long to get everywhere.

Thanks GM . . .we will. Off to Canberra on Wednesday so more walking! I've lost 4 kilos (dunno where from mind you!)

Ropi you'd love the power house. Very scientific and mathsy. It actually was a really good exhibition. I have so many photos that I couldn't upload them all here.

laughingwolf said...

neat-o, baino :O lol

thought for sure you'd do the friday fuckwit: oz woman kills husband by lighting accelerant she'd poured on hub's genitals, a fire which got out of control and killed him....

Anonymous said...

Wow! Looks like you two are having a blast.

Anon, no one can out drink you, dude! :)

a. said...

I watched a travel show about the drunkest place on New Years, and of course it was Vegas. There were a bunch of Australians there and they were asked for a uniquely australian word and they all yelled out, Fuckwitt!! and I thought of you. :)

Melissa said...

What fun!! Eli would *love* the Star Wars exhibit and I would love anything with the animals. :) Love how the momma koala is defending her nesting spot in the tree! Get good rest and have more fun ...

Anonymous said...

Heheh... PWNED by an xbox. Y'know if someone told me that somewhere, some crazy person actually MARRIED an xbox, I'd believe them.

Bulmers on tap?! Class!

Bulmers + Hot weather = Happy Days.

i beati said...

omg you are a human dynamo with that schedule. what memories !!Sandy

Miladysa said...

I'm tired out just reading this!

Great adventures Baino - thanks for sharing them with us.

Have a great time during the week ahead :D

Unknown said...

Probably yeah, I would love it.
Luke, I am your father!
Luka, Io sono tu padre!
Luke, yo estoy tu padre!
Luke, én vagyok az apád!
hehehe

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you are having FUN!! Love the aquarium pics, and the koala domestic squabble! LOL!

But, my, doesn't Bondi Beach have a lot of prohibitions and warnings? And not one 'Sharks may eat you' warning among the lot of them!

kj said...

no offense, but someday i am going to bop several japanese tourists with their own cameras-right hard on their heads! and then i'm going to say, "wake up dammit!"

well, that felt good...

TCL said...

Go you good thing! A museum that electrocute you. Those 'roos have the right idea napping in the heat.

Looks like a whirlwind tour. Sorry about my absence lately but just getting settled down in my new environment in Buenos Aires.