Bye Bye Sydney, Goodbye

Our bags are packed and we are spending the last few hours prior to our departure in that slightly nervous state of anticipation. We have lost our ‘travelling calluses’ and there is a faint frission of unknowing about our future life in Turkey.

Macadamia plantation

We’ve spent the last few weeks saying goodbye to all our wonderful friends in Ballina. We reacquainted ourselves with Australian rainforest at the idyllic macadamia plantation of our friends Dave and Helen. After the barren landscapes of Turkey and Greece, the lush abundance of the local rainforests is overwhelming.

Rainforest tree

We’ve also spent a lot of time on the river at Ballina. The Richmond river is a beautiful environment that we have sailed and raced on in the past. It was great to renew our connection to that river.

Lunch!

The birdlife was fantastic, we shot this photo of our favourite pelican. This one has just caught a snake or eel.

The sailing was also idyllic on the river, and we whiled away hours just watching the parade of sailing dinghy’s as they raced up and down in front of us.

Idling by the river

Local sailing action

It was reassuring to find a temporary home for us at my mother’s house. It provided a psychological sanctuary as much as physical domicile to our vagabond existence.

Moonrise at Ballina

Moody night shot

But our time of exile from Pavlov had to come to an end, and finally it did. We packed up and moved down to Sydney for a few final days, to repeat the rounds of goodbye’s and farewells.

I have not called Sydney home for over 30 years now, but it was interesting to look at some of the history hidden within a thoroughly modern city. The old Australian Workers Union building sandwiched between modernity recalled Megan’s strong union and socialist background.

Australian workers union building

That old fire truck is not a museum piece, it is still on active duty.

Old ladder engine

The rococo indulgence of the State Theatre still tantalizes the senses.

State Theatre, Sydney

  

Sydney is also family, Megan’s children in particular. We spent some wonderful time with Michael and his friend Raphael, who was visiting from Germany. Michael has grown into a strong and beautiful young man and we both cherish our relationship with him.

Pensive with phone

Caught in the act... Smiling

Michael, Megan and Raphael

The Queen Mary was docked at Circular Quay when we went down to the harbour to take a ferry to Manly.

Queen Mary in residence

The ferry also took us past those Sydney icons, the Opera House, Luna Park and Fort Dennison.

Sydney Opera House

Iconic Luna Park

Fort Dension

We spent a very pleasant night with Pam and Michael, Megan’s old friends, who spend their lives building and living in various mansions. The latest domicile is on the water at Fairlight near Manly, and it was truly stunning.

 

Nightfall at Fairlight

View through the heads

Megan and Pam

Wandering around the foreshore, we saw more Aussie icons, a cockatoo and a bottle brush.

Cockatoo in residence

Bottlebrush flower

But the Heads and their passage to open sea beckoned, as did some magnificent sailing vessels on Sydney Harbour.

View out through the Heads

Tall ship on Sydney Harbour

So it was back to the city, to get ready for our final leap.

Circular Quay from the ferry

Our final family visits were firstly to see Leah, Megan’s niece and her husband Mark. They have two gorgeous children, Olivia and Claudia.

 

Olivia and Claudia

Mark, Leah and family

Last stop was a dinner with David, Megan’s older brother, his wife Carolene and some old family friends, Val Kirychenko and friend Pat.

Pat, David and Val

Carolene

Finally, even the Admiral had had enough of goodbyes, so off we went!

Herself