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Well, Saturday night I headed out of Sydney and Australia to The Cook Islands. I will come back to my overall feelings of Oz at the end of the post.

The past few days have been leisurely as well as practical as I have tried to see a little of Sydney and its people. A couple of ventures up to Manly Beach, the competitor to Bondi and regarded by locals as the best that Sydney has to offer, which was lovely. The Ferry takes you to the back door of the peninsular and an avenue of shops leads you to the beach front. Bleached blonde sand goes well with the naturally blonde locals (as well as lots of stunning brunettes). Earlier in the week it was quite empty, but you still got a feel that the locals know what they have on their doorstep. A large group of Mum’s and Toddlers are gathered on the grass by the side of the promenade looking out to sea with their flasks of coffee for elevenses. The autumn breeze chills the air sufficently to make the sun really comfortable. Surfers are carrying their boards down to the water, while others sit astride their boards just offshore waiting for that special moment.

After a stop-start walk back and forth across the front, I end up in a bar for my twelveses (wine and a salad). Great way to spend a few hours before returning to the Ferry for the slow trip back.

Todays trip to Manly was almost identical. Walk, beach, surfers, eat. On the way back something really amazing happened. As I past a street musician, a young girl of about 20 I guess, started to sing ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’. It stopped me in my tracks and I had to listen to the whole rendition. It was excellent and fitting of my tour to Oz. In Sydney I had not expected to find what I had found. I emptied my change into her Guitar case.

The harbour was buzzing with weekend sailors with their bright white kites full with wind, tacking from side to side and dancing with the many ferries that cut routes in the deep blue water.

Earlier in the week, I took the ferry around to Darling Harbour, which is a really popular part of Sydney for tourists and locals alike. Lots of things to do and lots of restaurants and bars. In the daytime it is a really pleasant stroll down the boardwalks and in the evening the Restaurants come to life. Friday night I met up with neighbours Marie, Steve and Jemma and chewed over my sabbatical as well as Jemma’s time out in Sydney. We all agreed with separate reasons why returning to Sydney had so many positive attractions.

So what else have I been doing. Preparation for Rarotonga… On Wednesday, I bought a Camera that I could use underwater for snorkelling. On Thursday night I trapped it behind the door of my Hotel Room safe and shattered the screen. Back out again on Friday to buy another identical model (much to the amusement of the salesman at the department store where I bought them).

My hotel was in the Rocks area of Sydney which is the oldest settlement and the side streets still show signs of the old days, with a modern twist. It did remind in places of Dickensian London, with small alleyways fitting of the back streets of St Paul’s.

So it’s the end of Sydney and Australia (for now at least) and I have a feeling of regret that I am moving on. Although I have had moments of lull along the way and at times it has been a little lonely being a sole traveller, it has ended with a real positive feeling for Australia, its people and its way of life. It maybe helps that in the last month, we have had sunshine and nice blue sky on most days, which picks you up and then having a low expectation of the final leg which really came through with the goods? Would I come back?…absolutely! Do I need a Yellow Brick Road to guide me?…well, I know my way from Perth. It sort of went…

Into Perth a quiet, civilised and laid back commercial hamlet with due mention to Fremantle and especially Rottnest which gave me a pick up…

Then heading to the Red Centre which in 3 days gave me a feel for how remote you can be on this Island. My colleague campers were good fun and helped to pass the many kilometres away…

Then out to Brisbane, the place to work and live with a River, a Wheel and a South Bank…

A bit of a zig zag back to Melbourne which had all those things Australian, beer and weather as cold as the UK, recovered through the beautiful Great Ocean Road drive and the Koala’s and the Roo’s of the Grampians…

And finally there was Sydney. Everyone will have an opinion, but my experience of Sydney is that the wizard of Oz is alive and kicking right here. I wanted more time to ‘Stand and stare’ here, but I will return if, full of care.