After a few delays, we arrived safe and sound Down Under. The flight was fairly uneventful, save for the turbulence we hit about four hours out from Sydney, and the half hour circling pattern we had before we landed. Customs was a breeze, and we had the cutest little beagle sniff our luggage. Everyone’s luggage arrived, so we were off to a great start. We also received several compliments from other passengers and the flight crew about how well-behaved the delegation was on the flight, so we were very pleased.
We met our delegation manager, Lauren, and were off to see the sights of Sydney. Our first stop was the cricket stadium and field. We were able to tour the facility, then hit the world’s largest practice facility to learn the basics of the game. Throwing, or bowling as they call it, is not the easiest thing to do! Hitting is a little easier, because the ball bounces before you hit it, and the bat is wider than our bats. The delegates even got some good fielding practice by trying to catch pitches from the pitching machine.
We then headed to lunch on a cruise ship that cruised Sydney Harbor. This is such a neat experience because we have the opportunity to see Sydney from the water. When I did this cruise in the past, There were many people on the boat with us. Today we had the luxury of having the entire boat to ourselves! It was an unbelievable experience! The weather was perfect, too.
After the cruise we explored the famous Opera House. We even got to sing in the main performance hall. We sang the National Anthem, a challenging number, but never sung with more heart. It’s interesting that almost all of the Opera House is constructed with Australian materials. We also learned that it has recently gained World Heritage Landmark designation.
We quickly checked into the hotel and headed out again for dinner. We ate at a cute little restaurant on the wharf. We were seated upstairs and had a great view of the bridge while we ate.
It’s obvious that it is winter here, as it was dark by 5:30. It’s also funny to see everyone wearing coats and scarves when it’s 70 degrees.
Everyone was pretty tired by the end of the day, and it was a long one. Everyone had gotten some sleep on the plane, but even so, the body time is a little off. Some were asleep by 8:30.
The ability to call is a little awkward at this hotel. We’ll see if we can remedy the situation. If not, we’ll hope for better at the next one.
Tomorrow it’s off to the beach!
We met our delegation manager, Lauren, and were off to see the sights of Sydney. Our first stop was the cricket stadium and field. We were able to tour the facility, then hit the world’s largest practice facility to learn the basics of the game. Throwing, or bowling as they call it, is not the easiest thing to do! Hitting is a little easier, because the ball bounces before you hit it, and the bat is wider than our bats. The delegates even got some good fielding practice by trying to catch pitches from the pitching machine.
We then headed to lunch on a cruise ship that cruised Sydney Harbor. This is such a neat experience because we have the opportunity to see Sydney from the water. When I did this cruise in the past, There were many people on the boat with us. Today we had the luxury of having the entire boat to ourselves! It was an unbelievable experience! The weather was perfect, too.
After the cruise we explored the famous Opera House. We even got to sing in the main performance hall. We sang the National Anthem, a challenging number, but never sung with more heart. It’s interesting that almost all of the Opera House is constructed with Australian materials. We also learned that it has recently gained World Heritage Landmark designation.
We quickly checked into the hotel and headed out again for dinner. We ate at a cute little restaurant on the wharf. We were seated upstairs and had a great view of the bridge while we ate.
It’s obvious that it is winter here, as it was dark by 5:30. It’s also funny to see everyone wearing coats and scarves when it’s 70 degrees.
Everyone was pretty tired by the end of the day, and it was a long one. Everyone had gotten some sleep on the plane, but even so, the body time is a little off. Some were asleep by 8:30.
The ability to call is a little awkward at this hotel. We’ll see if we can remedy the situation. If not, we’ll hope for better at the next one.
Tomorrow it’s off to the beach!
thanks so much for the pictures look like a great time
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