East Coast Australia with Kid: Part 2
Editor’s Note: This is the 2nd in a series from John “traveler, father & wit” Ryan. He’s taking the family from Melbourne up along Australia’s eastern coast. Have kid, will travel is John’s motto. Read his first post here.
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| Archibald Fountain in Sydney’s Hyde Park |
With an afternoon and night in Sydney under our belt, our holiday hasn’t been without its ‘challenges’. At the airport in Melbourne, we realised we’d left our little pusher at home, so young Seamus spent a long time in his parents soon-tired arms. The flight up was a stressful event. People without kids have little idea how stressful and embarrassing it can be when your little one cries… especially in an enclosed space (such as an airline cabin).
So I spent much of the 90-minute flight up the back near the toilet, trying to calm and amuse our poor little bub. Still, the Sydney flight was brief enough. It was when we were walking through the Sydney airport terminal and the little explorer headed towards a new car on display in the terminal that things went rapidly downhill. No matter how closely you watch a toddler, they can always manage to find the tiniest bit of danger. And the exposed spotlight illuminating the car display, burning hot, was like a magnet to Seamus’ index finger.
After a mad dash to the airport pharmacy, some amateur first aid, and a tearful luggage collection, we were in a cab to the hotel. It was mid-afternoon, so we thought we’d check out the city department stores for a cheap stroller. No luck, but we did spend a couple of hours playing in Hyde Park. For visitors to a new city, the open air of a large park can be a surprise. Hyde Park is absolutely charming, and it was fun spending the late afternoon marvelling at the ornate Archibald Fountain, chasing the birds and playing on the grass.
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| Sydney Tower & Skywalk? Next Time… |
We’ve been using Sydney as a stopover rather than a destination in itself, so there wasn’t much time for sightseeing. A pity, because Sydney really is one of the most stunning cities in the world, blessed with the most perfect harbour setting and some world-class infrastructure. Having been many times before, it was a shame not to have time to get onto a ferry and out to Manly, and to wander along the beautiful beach at Bondi. Next time…
We did manage to organise a babysitter last night and spent our only Sydney evening out on the town! We love eating out at fancy places (each year my wife, Elissa, and I celebrate our anniversary at a nice restaurant), but hadn’t really tasted Sydney’s delights. We tried to book a table at Tetsuya’s – known as Sydney’s best restaurant – but couldn’t get in. Est, also highly regarded, was happy to have us though. A lovely evening, great wine. And a short stroll back to the hotel.
We’re all packed now, and I’m off to collect the hire car for our first leg up the coast to Forster.
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