I told you that Martin and Chris let me into their home sight unseen.   Martin even took a day off work when I arrived on the continent.  Well, both Martin and Chris had to work on day two, leaving me alone in a foreign land.  I planned to go into Sydney by myself and explore the city.   Chris called her friend Anthony Edge, whom everyone calls "Edgy".   Edgy works nights and Chris asked if he would show me around town.   Edgy quickly agreed. 

Edgy came by in the morning and we drove downtown together.      He couldn't have been a better host.

A Tour of Sydney

As a lifetime resident of the area, he knew the city well.  The first stop was "The Rocks", an historic district of Sydney adjacent to the harbor with many old buildings. 

We decided the quickest (and cheapest) way to see as much of the city as possible was by taking the ferry.  The Darling Harbor ferry stays close to shore and gave a good view of the dockside buildings. 

The next ferry we boarded was the Manley ferry which circles all of Sydney Harbor, taking us from downtown Sydney, past the entrance to the Pacific Ocean, ending up at Manley.  The town of Manley spans a narrow peninsula between the harbor and the ocean.  We ate lunch (fish and chips, of course), had a walk down the beach, and sat in a Manley pub for a quick pint.  In Australia, one can walk into a pub full of strangers and very quickly get to know several people inside.  We began talking to a fellow named Yogi, who had just returned from several months working in the Outback ("Beyond the Black Bush", as he called it.)

We headed back across the harbor and saw some terrific views of the city, including the famous Sydney Opera House.

Next we walked along the docks and through the gardens behind the opera house.  Then through side streets, back to the car.  Just exploring.

Hanging Out with the Hosts

Edgy works nights, so we had to head back to Martin and Chris' place by sundown.  The three of us stayed up late having dinner and talking. 

I invited them to drive to Melbourne with me tomorrow, but they had already purchased an airplane ticket to get to the wedding.  They'll leave much later than I will and arrive after an hour flight.

They have been terrific hosts.