JOURNEYS THROUGH OZ
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The Sydney Opera House
The ferry ride from Sydney to Manly Beach was beautiful and most often very relaxing, especially after a day of surfing. On stormy days, it was thrilling to stand on the windswept deck and be showered by chilly seaspray.
The Sydney Harbor Bridge
Although I crossed this feat of architecture numerous times by bus, I never made the trek over the top, as many tourists do. This day, the soft clouds accuntuated its steely silhouette.
Manly Beach
Although it was the Australian winter, I frequented the beach on sunny days. This was my first experience at an Australian beach. Love at first sight.
Opera House at sunset
Perhaps the building is over-photographed, but the structure seems to morph with every angle and light
Jervis Bay seal dive
The seal dive was the supposed climax to a SCUBA certification course. Unfortunately, the water was too choppy at the dive site where the seals played, but the day and location was gorgeous, and we managed to squeeze in a dive at a different site, sans seals.
Cape Tribulation, Queensland
09/17/04 - "I'm in the tropical rainforest of Australia. How amazing! Swam in the warm ocean water, went on a crocodile cruise and rainforst hike. It's unbelievable how gorgeous everthing is! Indescribable, really - even pictures seem inadequate. I could spend a year studying one square foot...so green so diverse, so lush..."
Magnetic Island, Queensland
09/22/04 - "...took an excellent swim - the water was warm, calm, clear...gazing at the mountains, anchored sailboats, palm trees. Floating in the water clears the mind..."
Whitehaven Beach, sailing the Whitsunday Islands
09/25/04 - "Whitehaven beach was gorgeous. Fine, bone-white sands, crystal-blue waters...took a long walk to the swirling sands...at one point the deep, soft sand came up mid-calf..."
The Town of 1770, Queensland
09/27/04 - "...1770 wouldn't have been the same without the scooter tour. We saw lots of kangaroos and stopped at a beach for an incredible sunset...night ride back was thrilling! The stars are mesmerizing here. It's strange to look up and not recognize the constellations...there are millions but the only one I've learned is the Southern Cross...
The wreck, Fraser Island, Queensland
10/04/04 - "...traveled up the coast in our 4WD to a shipwreck near Indian Heads. Standing on the high cliffs, we saw a tiger shark, manta ray, sea turtles and tons of fish cruise by down below..."
North Era Beach, camping in NSW
Hitchhiking and trekking over rocky cliffs with a surfboard and rucksacks, we located this surf destination. The seas were treacherous, however, spewing geysers of foam meters into the air as they crashed against the rocks.
Sydney Botanical Gardens
A lush refuge in the center of the city.
    11/18/04 - "The day in the gardens and city was one of the best yet. Walked around the gardens, ate lunch on Mrs. Macquarie's chair, read Whitman in the shade..."