Traveling down under was exhausting—an hour and a half from Baltimore to Charlotte, followed by five hours from Charlotte to Los Angeles, after which came the real killer of 14 hours and 20 minutes in the air from L.A. to Sydney—which means that we collapsed Saturday night, and our visit to Australia didn't truly begin until we we woke the morning of September 14, 2003.
But the sights made it all seem worthwhile.
 The Sydney Harbour Bridge as seen in the morning sun from our window at the Sydney Harbour Marriott |
The Sydney Opera House in the early morning through a perfectly placed pair of palm trees |
Looking into the mouth of the Sydney Harbour at the ferry terminal and the City Centre beyond |
 The art deco Museum of Contemporsary Art as seen from on board a ferry entering Sydney Harbour |
The picturesque Luna Park closed in the '70s after a fatal fire on one of its rides |
Though unused for three decades, the waterside entrance to Luna Park still beckons |
 The view from the rotating restaurant 300 meters atop the Sydney Tower was magnificent—but the food was far from magnificent |
Boar meets bore as Scott pets Il Porcellino in front of Sydney Hospital |
The Art Gallery of New South Wales, constructed in 1880 |
 One of the more civilized things— |
—about visiting the Art Gallery of New South Wales— |
—is that they don't mind— |
 —if you use your camera— |
—to take photos— |
—of your favorite paintings |
 The main entrance of Sydney's Taronga Zoo— |
—which Irene and I did not use to enter, because we arrived via ferry— |
—and used the waterside skyway tram entrance (note Sydney Harbour in the distance) |
 Irene and I were excited to meet our first koalas— |
—however, the koalas— |
—didn't seem quite as excited as we were |
 Outside of Sydney, we discovered "Scott's Creek"— |
—but we have no idea what it is or why it's always near a sewer! |
The dazzling Great Barrier Reef exhibit at the Sydney Aquarium |
 Irene poses in front of the Chinese Garden, given in 1988 by Guangzhou (Sydney's sister city) to commemorate Australia's bicentenary |
The peaceful scene inside the 10-hectare Chinse Garden |
Scott pauses from draggin' his feet around beside a Chinese dragon |
 Irene points out the law on the streets of Sydney |
At Manley Beach, surfers dare the waves of the Tasman Sea— but I stay on dry land |
Visiting the Blue Moutains on a day trip to Katoomba, we admired the Three Sisters |
 The Three Sisters, as seen from within the Scenic Skyway crossing the Jamison Valley |
Looking straight down from the Scenic Skyway cable car, we can see our own shadow 200 meters below |
Irene in the quaint town of Leura in the Blue Mountains |
 Sydney's most famous stretch of sand— Bondi Beach |
Scott's feet wet from the incoming waves of Bondi Bay |
Irene at peace surrounded by flowers in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens |
 And what visit to Sydney would be complete— |
—without more visits— |
—to the famous Sydney Opera House? |