Lucky for us there is a bus stop right in front of our apartment. And, a double dose of good luck, the 2:45 bus was running late so we were actually able to get on it! When the driver saw me digging through my hastily packed bag for the fare he just waved us on.
Here's the thing about Sydney buses: They are clean, reliable and everyone uses them. Our kids love riding on the bus!
The bus took us straight to the Taronga Zoo Warf where we walked right onto a ferry headed for Circular Quay. Perfect timing. You'd have thought we planned it!
The kids were thrilled to ride the ferry. So much fun!
Once in Circular Quay we headed for the Opera House and the Botanic Gardens. There we boarded this cute little red train for a guided tour of the gardens.
We were all amazed to learn that 100s of bats live in the gardens (and are actually becoming a nuisance). The huge bats were easily visible hanging upside down from the trees!
We walked around The Rocks area and picked up a few souvenirs for my niece back in the U.S. Then we stopped at a great pizza place for a quick dinner. After Copenhagen ice-cream we were all pretty tired and ready to make the trek back home. We strolled back to Circular Quay only to find that we had missed the last ferry back to Taronga Zoo.
No worries, there are two other ferry stops in our suburb so we hopped on the 6 pm ferry. When we got off we thought we'd easily find a bus to bring us back to our door. That's where we went wrong! No buses run on Sunday evenings, apparently! So we started walking. And walking. And walking.
As we approached each bus stop my daughter would eagerly race ahead to check the schedule. But each time she was met with disappointment. And we walked on.
When we were only a couple kilometers from home she burst into tears declaring that she could go no further. Her high heeled light up sandals had rubbed a giant blister on her toe.
Our luck, it seems, had run out. It was now dark. The little buddy was restless and cranky in the stroller, and the little princess was plopped on the footpath in tears.
Daddy to the rescue. He ran all the way back to our apartment and came back with the car to pick us up. Our hero!
All in all it was a fun day. We'll get the hang of this public transportation thing- eventually.
4 comments:
It's all about the ferries! We love taking the ferry-- it never gets old.
Next time you're ready for another public transportation adventure-- we are a 10 minute ferry from Circular Quay.
We're looking forward to meeting you guys sometime.
I'll be sure to leave my high heeled light up sandals in California when we come to visit... on second thought, you'll be pros getting around town this time next year!
Oh I can totally relate. I've definitely made a mental note to self to check schedules before assuming I'll be able to easily find a ride back! I guess there's always taxis right?
Usually when you think of busses you think of the bright yellow ones that you used to be forced to ride on the way to school but not anymore. Although busses are still primarily focused on bringing transportation to a large number of people at a time, they are now shifting their attention to building busses made for luxury and style. They are comfortable and fun to ride and drive.
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