Monday 26th March

As we were travelling to the airport we passed some of the modern buildings on the edge of Kowloon.

We have never seen so many taxis in one place as we saw here at the airport.

After a late take off due to problems with the flight plan we took a detour over Bangkok. This added nearly two hours to the normal thirteen.
We enjoyed some magnificient mountain views as we were passing over India.

We are now finally back at home in Wetherby after catching our train to Leeds just as it was about to depart from Kings Cross.

Sunday 25th March

This morning we took one of the ubiquitous red cabs down to the Star Ferry Pier and crossed onto Hong Kong island.

We took the tram up to Victoria Peak fairly early this morning so it wasn't too crowded.

The views were excellent, apart from the haze in the distance.

On our return to Kowloon we took a taxi to Mongkok to explore this area. Our first stop was Yuen Po Street Bird Garden where the locals bring their caged birds to sing together.

The cages are all traditional and quite beautiful.

In this park there are also many stalls that sell birds and bird related items.

There were even bags of live crickets to use as bird food.

Just round the corner we walked the length of Flower Market Road which was much longer than we expected and full of beautiful flowers, mainly from Holland and cheap compared with UK prices.

Further south is Gold Fish Market, a street full of shops selling tropical fish and anything you could need to care for them.

This area is more traditionally Chinese with very few English signs anywhere.

Friday 23rd March

As we were being driven to Sydney Airport, we took the opportunity to take a couple of photos that show the contrast between old and new in this city.

After a malfunction in the fuel filling system which kept the aeroplane on the ground at Sydney until an hour after normal departure time, we had a good flight to Hong Kong. We were picked up at the airport and had a tour of Kowloon as different passengers were dropped off at their hotels.

Saturday 24th March
The view from our hotel window is of Kowloon Harbour and is constantly changing with the different passing boats.

This morning we set off to the quayside to pick up the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island.

On the other side we walked up to the longest escalator in the world and rode it to the top. We lost count of the sets but we think about 20 to the top.

Unfortunately we had to climb down stairs to get back and counted over 500 steps and we were only half way down when we went to the Man Mo Temple which was built in 1847. The cone shapes are incense coils which burn very slowly.

Nearby is Cat Street known for its unusual shops which sell just about anything you might want in the way of jewellery to antiques, with quite a bit of junk thrown in.

A number of buildings are being refurbished in this part of the city and we were amazed to find that the scaffolding is made from bamboo attached together by what appears to be black sticky tape.

Not far away is St. John's Cathedral which is set in a quiet corner away from the very busy streets.

Every evening at 8pm, hundreds of people gather near the harbour in Kowloon to see a light, laser and sound show which is projected from the tall buildings on Hong Kong Island.

Thursday 22nd March

We began today by walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We were pleased to see a plaque saying that the bridge had been designed and constructed by Dorman, Long and Co Ltd of Middlesbrough, a firm for which my dad worked for for many years.

This terrace nearby was built in 1844 and is now a museum showing how working people have lived here over time.

The final touches are being put to the extension of the Museum of Contemporary Art here and we have seen it change as it is opposite our favourite restaurant. It is a shame that we are not here next week for the opening.

In the afternoon we took the ferry to Darling Harbour and once again enjoyed the water and trees that line the footpaths.

This time we took a journey on the monorail which links Darling Harbour with the city.

We enjoyed travelling around the city without being caught in the traffic below us.

Tomorrow we set off early in the morning for Hong Kong.

Wednesday 21st March

Today we decided to explore some of the city of Sydney.

As we walked into the centre these birdcages, hanging above an alleyway, caught our eye. We discovered later that they are an art instillation.

Our first stop was The Strand Arcade which was opened in 1892 with four levels of shops. It was restored in 1976 and is full of little designer shops that look very expensive but are local to Sydney.

The next block is covered by The Queen Victoria Building which was originally a market but is now a shopping arcade.

It has been described by Pierre Cardin as "the most beautiful shopping centre in the world". Hanging from the roof is this most unusual "Captain Cook" clock with rotating sections to show the month, day and time.

We escaped the bustle of the city by walking down the central avenue of Hyde Park and relaxing in the shade.

This city has many fine old buildings. This is St Mary's Cathedral.

We walked down through The Domain, a green space given to the people of the city, to the Art Gallery of NSW. One of the main exhibition spaces was taken up by artwork from sixth formers from all over the state.

Later we walked down to Mrs Macquarie's Point which gives one of the best views of the bay.

As we were returning through The Botanic Gardens some of the roosting bats began to wake and fly around.

Tuesday 20th March

This morning we met up with David and Raye Monkman, some friends from Wetherby, for lunch followed by a ferry ride to Darling Harbour.

We crossed the inlet on the footbridge and enjoyed delicious ice creams on the other side as it was a very hot day.

We followed the pathway bordered by fountains, water features, palm trees and green spaces.

At the far end we explored The Chinese Garden of Friendship which is an oasis of calm and beauty in the city.

In the late afternoon we caught the ferry back to Circular Quay which gave us a different view of the city.



Monday 19th March

This morning we walked down to the park where Sydney Harbour Bridge crosses the water. It is a train bridge as well as a road bridge and is 80 years old today.

In the afternoon we took a guided tour of the Opera House. The interior was designed by a different architect and does not reflect the shape of the roof. We were only allowed to take photographs in a few places.

Later we walked to the Sydney Botanic Gardens and, as well as plants, we saw a lot of wildlife in these extensive grounds.

This blue tongued lizard was trying to defend itself from the attention of half a dozen ibis.

The kookaburra seemed to be posing by the side of the path.

Hundreds of fruitbats roost in the park and fly over the city to feed each evening. We saw them fly overhead as we were walking to a restaurant near the harbour.

We have seen lots of rainbow lorikeets on our travels and this one took no notice of us as he was feeding on the flowers.

About twenty cockatoos were scrabbling in the newly laid bark mulch. We couldn't work out exactly what they were eating.

This is the view from the far end of the Botanic Gardens showing the less photographed side of The Sydney Opera House.