Day 44

Day 44 Sydney

our ride

Waiting for our ride

Today was a big adventure. We spent the morning cleaning and packing ready to go. We booked a taxi for 10:30 and amazingly we were ready just as the taxi pulled up. We went out to the airport and got there in no time. We went into the airport and checked in. Naturally enough they do not have airbridges so e had to go out onto the tarmac. I had my walking frame and they ushered all the cripples out first and there were 4 couples. The lift was brought out and we were allowed out to climb in and it was then lifted up to the top of the stairs. Maureen was taking pictures and the lady was saying that you are not allowed to take photos but Maureen said I would be upset if she did not get one of me, how right she was.

Lining up all the cripples

My lift

The plane was an E190 and is a small plane in comparison to the bali planes, but we were soon seated and ready to fly with a pretty full plane. At the other end we had an air bridge and they met us with a wheel chair. There was an old couple who needed one as well. Our guy pushed us to the top of the ramp and said goodbye. The old couple got pushed all the way out to the taxi ramp. They obviously thought Maureen was fit enough to do all the pushing. At the baggage carousel there were no luggage trolleys and our bag was first off. Maureen grabbed it and put it on my lap, then went over to get my walker.

Lindt Cafe

Afternoon tea

Out at the taxi rack, we soon had a car and off we went to our hotel. We have not been here before and now we know why we do not do it more. The room we have costs as much for a day than our favourite Bali room does for a week, but the service leaves a lot to be desired. We drew up at the Menzies and whilst I paid the driver Maureen got out expecting the concierge to help with bags, well she was still standing there when I staggered out. They eventually grabbed the bags and they only have stairs at the entry so I ^rd floor room busy but all we could get was one on the 11^th floor, the top floor. That did not go down too well as Maureen does not like heights. We were told we could be moved down to the third floor tomorrow so she said okay. We got a voucher for a free drink for today only.

 

was told to go further up the path to a ramp into the restaurant. I went there but it was not an automatic door, so I had to push it open and try and force my way through at the same time. There was no staff to help but I made my way in. We got to the reception desk and Maureen was told that not only was our 3

Over to the concierge to see if my gopher had arrived. They said they thought it had and went out the back to check, I don’t know how they could miss it, but there it was and I drove it out of the back room. The lifts we had to use were way down the far end of the hotel so off we went. Our room

 

is okay, but nothing to write home about. We settled in and waited for our bags and off we went to town. When we left Hervey Bay, it was shaping up for a low to mid 30’s day. We got into Sydney to 18 degrees. We were in our shorts and t-shirts so it was nice to feel cool, it soon wore off to just being cold. We walked down the street and found Maureen a cardigan. We went on further and went Martin Plaza and had a look in at Channel 7 and then across the road to the Lindt Café where the siege had taken place. We had a tasting platter and a cup of tea.

Maureen's xmas suggestions

After the tea, we walked further down the street and found the Myer’s shop. We had to negotiate a ramp and found some lifts. Into Myers and off we went in search of a coat for me. Well easier said than done. We went from one floor to the other and ended up in the toy department as there was nothing there for me. We decided we would go further down the road, that was when we realised we were trapped. We took the lift down to ground floor but all the entrances had escalators, no disabled access. We must have looked awfully frustrated or lost as a staff

Our room

Queen Victoria Building

member escorted us to the lifts and said to go down 1 floor. Sounded simple so in we went to the lift. We were on ground, the other buttons said basement 1 & 2 and the other said R1 & R2, what they meant we had no idea. We chose B1 and it went to the parking area. So we went to R1, again we went out and only escalators going up, so back into the lifts and we would try R2 and bingo, we went 1 floor up and there was an exit! We raced out before they closed the exits! Back on the streets and we found a store with a coat for me.

Great explorer

Town Hall

Again we wandered down the road into China Town. We found a small restaurant and ordered a meal. We waited and waited and waited. We were starting to eat our chop sticks when the waitress came over and apologised at the delay because “the machine in the kitchen is not working, but it is now”, we got a soup to say sorry and our dinner. On the way home we went through the Queen Victoria Building and what a lovely building it is.

Complimentary drinks

Tomorrow we have a day of exploring.