2 On The Road Blog

After 12 years of full-time rving, we've sold our truck and trailer but we're still traveling. Email us at wowpegasus@hotmail.com if you would like to contact us.




Friday, October 28, 2022

Sydney to Hobart

Artwork at Sydney domestic airport


Bye bye New South Wales

Hello Tasmania

Another tarmac deplaning at Hobart's airport

Our car for the Tasmania part of our trip, a Suzuki Swift from Avis.  This one we called Vi.

Interesting name for a restaurant in Sorell.

 

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Harbour Cruise and Customs House

Customs House.  Customs agent were responsible for all imports and exports, excise on locally manufactured goods, immigration control, control of narcotic substances and morally corrupt goods such as books and films.  This building housed these agents from 1845 to 1988 when they were moved to another location.  Ownership of the building was transferred to the City of Sydney in 1994.  This building has undergone renovations and now houses exhibitions and private functions in addition to being the home of the City of Sydney Library. 


We came to the Custom House to see the 14' × 31' scale model of Sydney's city center viewed through the glass floor.  It was neat to look at but impossible to take a photo of as the glare from the ceiling skylights obscured the view.

 




From the Custom House we crossed the street and passed under the Cahill Expressway to get to Circular Quay.

Our 90-minute tour took us around Sydney Harbour. 

We had booked the premium cruise so we each were allowed to have a drink and they brought out an Australian cheese and charcuterie board for us to share. 

I knew from reading the website that we had to download an app onto our phones to access the tour narrative.  We didn't see anyone else with earbuds in so maybe they didn't know.  So, it was just a boat ride for them.   Anyway, we heard about many of the sites we passed by. 

Fort Dennison, former fortress & prison island turned museum with a landmark circular tower & a daily gun firing.

The Luna Park amusement park opened in the 1930's and was named after the Luna Park of Coney Island fame.  Check out the history section on its website - https://www.lunaparksydney.com/our-history

Headed toward Darling Harbour.  We were originally going to board at Darling Harbour but that cruise time was cancelled.  


Sydney Harbour Bridge South East Pylon Museum and Lookout

From Cumberland Street you have to go up the bridge stairs to access the bridge level.... or do as we did, take the elevator.  Once on bridge level, we walked the walkway along the side of the road to the southeast bridge pylon.  The walkway was separated from the road by a wall.  The pylon holds a museum, and you can go up to an observation level to look around.







You might have to click on these photos to read them.



 













Sorry the photos aren't in a better chronological order but there's lots of interesting information about the bridge still to come, so read on.
















OMG!!













































Click on next photo for a description of each of these items. 



This is a dial Gauge.  It was used to measure the bridge movements during load testing in 1932.



Models depicting the hazardous working conditions during bridge construction.



The biggest cost of all.  I wonder how many wouldn't have died if they had been wearing modern safety equipment. 









Finally, we made it to the lookout.  Notice the plexiglass covering half of this marker?  It extended a foot over the top of the parapet. The parapet was capped with copper that had markings showing degrees of a compass.  It looks like this plexiglass was put up because people had scratched stuff into the copper.  What a shame!  But the plexiglass was also inscribed with lines that pointed to different spots of interest in the area.  I didn't get a good photo of them due to the rain drops.

We were on a balcony, and we took photos as we walked around.  This is the view starting at the Opera House.

Circular Quay, where the ferry, tour and cruise boats docked, downtown, The Rocks in the foreground and a sliver of the road that goes over the bridge.

The Rocks... hmm I wonder if we can see the YHA where we were staying.

My sister has a much better camera on her phone, and she was able to take this photo of the patio on top of the building.

The road and the rest of the buildings of downtown.  Darling Harbour is on the right.

This photo shows more of Darling Harbour, the train tracks that run across the bridge, and the southwest pylon. 

The southwest pylon, train tracks and road with a slice of Sydney Harbour

Looking out over the top of the bridge.

Sydney Harbor to the East of the bridge.  The Opera House is just out of view on the right.