We awoke fairly early and enjoyed the usual extensive breakfast. The plan is to meet George Illingworth at the Circular Quay ferry terminal and take the famous Manly ferry across the harbour. However, the temperature has dropped to 20c and there is light cloud so its not the ideal day for swimming and sitting on the beach.
Before heading off the LLW has some work to do and Wedlake Bell, in their wisdom, have chosen this moment to introduce a new security sign-in procedure to access the Citrix system. The instructions to install this additional level of security were ambiguous, to say the least, and various objects were thrown! However, after much head scratching and a little support from the in house IT department i.e. yours truly, calm was restored and the system accessed.
As I write to you, dear reader, frantic tapping of the laptop keyboard is under way and I'm just relieved that I am not at the other end of the emails being sent!
Work finished we walked down to Circular Quay which is quite a hard walk with a fair few ups and downs and much stopping at junctions to wait for the little green man to appear! However, we were on time and George was there waiting for us. Arriving in Manly, the weather was no better and the extended management committee decided a coffee would help review the options. Ray had cunningly done some research and located a cycle hire shop very close to the ferry terminal. The staff were very helpful and produced a leaflet with several recommended routes, including the most popular route to North Point at the entrance to Sydney Harbour. The LLW was assured that the climbs were short and not very steep which did turn out to be rather inaccurate. Perhaps they were not long but they were pretty steep in places. However all was successfully negotiated and we were rewarded by wonderful views across the harbour and out to the Pacific Ocean. We also cycled around the grounds of the International College of Management the main building of which was apparently used for Gatsby's mansion in the film The Great Gatsby.
Returning was mainly downhill and then we cycled parallel to the beach negotiating large crowds and enjoying great views of the surfing. All agreed that the cycle ride had been an ideal way of seeing the area and getting some exercise on a day not suited to beach life.
The cycles were then returned and we looked for somewhere to eat. Eventually we decided upon the Bavarian beerhaus, which George had already tested. Very good burgers and excellent Weissbier was just the thing.
Back to Sydney and we said our goodbyes; the LLW and I heading back to our hotel whilst George went off in search of some Australiana for Christmas presents.
Dinner was at Cockle Bay just down the road from out hotel and part of Darling Harbour. We were entertained by lots of fireworks and large crowds of visitors of every nationality imaginable.
Before heading off the LLW has some work to do and Wedlake Bell, in their wisdom, have chosen this moment to introduce a new security sign-in procedure to access the Citrix system. The instructions to install this additional level of security were ambiguous, to say the least, and various objects were thrown! However, after much head scratching and a little support from the in house IT department i.e. yours truly, calm was restored and the system accessed.
As I write to you, dear reader, frantic tapping of the laptop keyboard is under way and I'm just relieved that I am not at the other end of the emails being sent!
Work finished we walked down to Circular Quay which is quite a hard walk with a fair few ups and downs and much stopping at junctions to wait for the little green man to appear! However, we were on time and George was there waiting for us. Arriving in Manly, the weather was no better and the extended management committee decided a coffee would help review the options. Ray had cunningly done some research and located a cycle hire shop very close to the ferry terminal. The staff were very helpful and produced a leaflet with several recommended routes, including the most popular route to North Point at the entrance to Sydney Harbour. The LLW was assured that the climbs were short and not very steep which did turn out to be rather inaccurate. Perhaps they were not long but they were pretty steep in places. However all was successfully negotiated and we were rewarded by wonderful views across the harbour and out to the Pacific Ocean. We also cycled around the grounds of the International College of Management the main building of which was apparently used for Gatsby's mansion in the film The Great Gatsby.
Returning was mainly downhill and then we cycled parallel to the beach negotiating large crowds and enjoying great views of the surfing. All agreed that the cycle ride had been an ideal way of seeing the area and getting some exercise on a day not suited to beach life.
The cycles were then returned and we looked for somewhere to eat. Eventually we decided upon the Bavarian beerhaus, which George had already tested. Very good burgers and excellent Weissbier was just the thing.
Back to Sydney and we said our goodbyes; the LLW and I heading back to our hotel whilst George went off in search of some Australiana for Christmas presents.
Dinner was at Cockle Bay just down the road from out hotel and part of Darling Harbour. We were entertained by lots of fireworks and large crowds of visitors of every nationality imaginable.
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