Last Sydney Leg: two days

Our roundtrip ticket meant we began and ended the trip in Sydney. The first leg was a few days. The last leg, just two. We stayed at the Veriu Central, an art deco style hotel that is a quick walk from the Museum stop on the train in one direction, and Chinatown in the other. As with other trips, it was often a similar amount of time to take mass transit vs. walking. Unlike past trips, we opted for mass transit over walking. Sydney has a wonderful Tap On Tap Off system that has a daily cap of either $10 (weekends) or $16 (weekdays) (should double check the amounts). We maxed out most days in most cities.

After checking into our hotel at 1 pm, we changed and headed to the Sydney Harbor Bridge's pylon. This is about a tenth of the price of the Harbor Bridge climb, and a better option for someone with a bum leg. It also meant we could take lots of pictures. Everyone who has ever done the Harbor Climb swears it was the best experience of their lives (or at least of their trip), so I don't want to dissuade anyone, but we both knew it was not for us.

On our first leg to Sydney we met a man who suggested the Spit to Manly hike, followed by the ferry back to Circular Quay in downtown Sydney. It amazed us how far reaching mass transit it. Using Google Maps, we made it to the Spit Bridge, which we walked over, to the trail.

Like the Bondi to Cogee Walk we did during our first leg, this hugs the coastline and has varied terrains. It is 10k (6 miles) long. Passes less beaches, more "bush," as someone described it to us. At the halfway point the sun was getting lower in the sky and we lost the trail. We were at a parking lot at Tania Park. More misadventures in reading Google Maps and we made it to a bus stop just as a bus was appearing. We waved him down and he stopped for us. The ride took us to the wharf in Manly, where we took the sunset ride back to Circular Quay, otherwise known as the poor man's sunset dinner cruise (no dinner).

Dined in the Australia Hotel -- an historic landmark. Beautiful inside, but many, many stairs. They have a beautiful rooftop bar, but it was too many stairs for Don, plus too cold. He caught a chill on the ferry ride.

Mass transit to within a couple of blocks of our hotel. Sleep!

The next day started out rainy. We lingered over breakfast at the café next door to our hotel. Then lingered some more in museums. Most museums are free. The first one was the ANZAC war memorial. Australia New Zealand Army Corps. The Australians honor their soldiers in ways we don't do in the United States.

Then we walked a couple of more blocks to the Australia Museum. By the time we were annoyed by school groups and crowds doing like us to avoid the rain, the rain stopped and we walked to Circ Quay to catch the ferry to Manly. I feel like we are finally figuring out our way around Sydney -- just in time to leave. We walked around Manly before finding the trailhead. This end of the trail starts with a 2k walk on sidewalks along the main beach and through neighborhoods before becoming seriously off-road. There were times we wondered if we had lost the trail.

About to board.

Dinner at Yacht Club. 

Hunt for Penguins

Dark ferry ride back

Tram to hotel

Check out easy. Looking at ride share apps, that was cheaper than taking the train, so that's what we did. Seems counterintuitive.

Wish us luck on the 14 hour ride (probably more like 15 hours in the plane).

Penguin hunt.