The Royal Botanical Gardens and some Opera House - 11th April

Another day of blue skies and sight seeing. I headed out for a proper look around Sydney Opera House and the Royal Botanical Gardens with Sara and Ben, who've now arrived for their Sydney leg of their holiday.

As you can see, I've gone for some Artsy photo's.

The Royal Botanical Gardens were great to walk round and see aussie wildlife, well, wild. I spent a lot of my childhood wanting a cockatoo. What I got was a cockatiel, similar but not the same. I put the cockatoo thing down to watching Playschool when I was little. I got quite excited to see them just roaming around the park, like you might see pigeons back home, so had to spend a bit of time trying to get up close to them.

Then one of the other famous park residents, the fruit bats. These things hang from every branch in certain areas, including up near where the weddings been held. If you don't like bats, look away now...

The Ibis - like the hotel

We found a lovely spot out on the rocks of Mrs MacQuaries Point to get a seat overlooking the harbour, choosing not to sit at her chair.

After all the walking and sightseeing, Caz and I headed over to Hyde Park near the apartment, as word had it there were wild possums roaming around at night. A local told us that if we had some dry fruit on us they'd soon come out. We didn't have any with us funnily enough, but after a bit of a wait we found one or two all the same.

It was then to catch up with the rest of the gang and initiate Sara and Ben into the ways of the PBH. It was always going to be messy.

Sara, bless her, got quite drunk and started accosting other PBH punters. She doesn't remember these guys, and screaming at them that she "HATED THE FUCKING QUEEN!" A lot! It was very funny.

After a while she calmed down, and became nice Sara.

Really nice Sara...

...and going in for the kill. Actually I think there was a bet involved somewhere here.

Eventually it came time to leave the PBH, mainly because they wouldn't serve Sara any more drink. Something unheard of in Rach and Kev's entire time in Oz. No one has ever been refused service in the PBH until now.

We tried 2 further bars before eventually finding a place that was willing to let us in at 4 in the morning and serve us. I'm not sure getting Sara any more drink was a wise idea. She seemed happy with her Jack, still I thought it best to get her a glass of water as well. Then she had the bright idea that she could get the benefits of both if she combined them in one glass.

Jack, coke, Sara and water

It was time to go home.

That bridge - 10th April

With my hangover in check, I still decided to take it easy today. So I took a trip up to circular Quay and did the walk around the Rocks, and then headed up to walk across the bridge.

I decided against the Bridge Climb, though I'd heard it was great, and opted for the cheaper Pylon Look Out. You couldn't take your own camera up with you on the bridge climb. I got some pretty good views & pictures from the pylon.

For $9 it was a great. I spent a good hour looking out over Sydney Harbour in the bright sunshine. A great hangover cure. I then did the walk across the actual bridge and back. I avoided looking at the scary Luna Park. See picture below. How scary is that? I didn't even take this picture. I just couldn't bring myself to take a picture of it.

The day of the Hen and Stag - 9th August

Whilst the boys were off doing their thing, Crown Green Bowls and naked ladies, or something like that. Rachel chose the nice surroundings of the Opera House Bar for her hen party. Sipping champagne with views of the bridge on a sunny day.

We then moved on to Wagamamas and a pub on The Rocks with some old guys singing irish tunes, and giving the girls the eye. ;-)

Then an inevitabley we ended up in the legendary PBH, the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. It's on Rach and Kev's doorstep. It's great, but it will make your liver cry for home.

The last of the girls standing, there is me, Caz and Rach, ploughing through the Jack, knowing that at any moment the boys are likely to turn up in a much worse state than we are in. And is if by magic...

You can tell the level of a persons pissedness by the blurriness of the camera. It's still relatively early.

The jukebox was playing, talk turns to the wedding reception and the planned playlist.

We are either trying to remember the Macarena or Whigfield dance here. I can't remember which.

Leave it to the experts...

to remember all the moves.

and Steps?

May I ask the lady to dance?

The happy couple, soon to be parted.

Dave dancing to a bit of Pussycat Dolls knowing all the moves to Stick Wit U.

Enjoying himself a little too much I think...

It was nearing 4 when some people decided to take the next table to us, in the no smoking area, and smoke. Given the place was empty, Dave took umbrage. The photo below was taken post no-smoking conversation. How did it go Dave? I'll ask you politely to move, followed in the same sentence with something about kicking their heads in if they didn't. Mmmm. Needless to say we were the ones who moved.

And so at 6am, those of us still standing Me, Dave and Mike, finally called it a day, and started towards the exit. But then ordered ourselves one last Jack for the morning.

Still there is nothing like sitting on your balcony with a cup of tea, at 7 in the morning, watching the sun rise over Sydney, knowing your still drunk, and that your hangover is some way off yet.