GOOD BYE SYDNEY, GOOD BYE AUSTRALIA.

It's time to say good bye to Sydney and Australia after spending a marvelous 2 weeks holiday in Brisbane and Sydney.

Check-in process was a bit slow - waited for half an hour behind 8 passengers.

 Our flight, a  Malaysia Airlines A330-300.

First time I saw a Sichuan Airlines. They must have started their Chongqing - Sydney services lately. 

A Virgin B767-300ER

A B787 of Jet Star.

Good bye Sydney!

It's an 8 hours and 30 minutes flight all the way to Kuala Lumpur.

A full flight. 

Just about leaving Australian air space after 4 hours +.

Passing through Indonesia air space. We were lucky to have the "perfect weather" all the way and landed Kuala Lumpur "on time".

28TH MOUNT KINABALU CLIMBATHON 2014

Dai Matsumoto of Japan, the last year first runner up clocked 4:11:25 to win the Champion title of the Elite Men category in the Summit Race of the 28th Mount Kinabalu Climbathon held last weekend. He beat last year's champion, a local, Daved Simpat, who had to settle for the second place this time with 4:19:53. The third place was won by a Nepalese army personal who participating the event for the first time.

Dai Matsumoto(center)with Daved Simpaqt on left and Shrestha on right.

For the Elite women category summit race, the champion was Ruth Charlotte Croth, from Zealand clocking a time of  5:01:39 while the second was won by Claire Louise of Great Britain finishing at 5:37:52 and the third place was won by a Malaysian, Kuilin Binti Gongot with a time of 6:00:20.

 Ruth Charlotte Croth.

Apart from the 2 major challenges, the Men Open was won by Collins Kipkorir Kimosop of Kenya while the Lady Open was also won by a Kenyan, Carolyne Jepkosgei Mitei. The men and women veteran events were won by Stephane Roger of France and Muidah Bolintings of Malaysia respectively.

This Mount Kinabalu Climbathon is a yearly event. Since 1987, hundreds of International runners and Malaysian took the challenge each year.  

TARONGA ZOO - SYDNEY

Taronga Zoo, the home of  2600 animals of 340 species is managed by Zoological parks board of New South Wales. We spent half a day there. I was not interested to see all the animals but visiting this zoo brought back fond memory some 32 years ago.   

On the way, we drove pass some old parts of the City.

Crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

A picture with my son to remember the day.

Slapping a crocodile - this replica looked real !

Can you spot the croc in the pond?

 

Refreshment at the Zoo's cafeteria - quarter roasted chicken with chips. 

A pair of Sumatra tigers, the smallest surviving species in the world. 

Lions corner.

Gorilla - the silver back.

The fingers looked similar to human's!

The Wombat, an Australian animal.

Very cute Australian Echidnas, eggs laying mammals. They are also known as spiny anteaters. 

A Tasmanian devil. The wild ones can only be found in the island of Tasmania. 

Andean Condor, the only south American birds in the zoo.

 

This zoo has a breeding program for the red panda.

 

 The Giraffe range.

From the zoo, we could enjoy the picturesque surrounding views of the Sydney Harbour.

Guests could come to the Zoo by ferry from Circular Quay.

 

 

The sky safari, providing aerial views of the zoo and the harbour. We took a ride before leaving the zoo. The scenery was awesome. The fee to ride the cable car was included in the zoo's general admissions ticket. 

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE - OPERA HOUSE AND DARLING HARBOUR

The next day, we continued our tour to Sydney Harbour bridge, Opera House and Darling Harbour.

Circular Quay ferry terminal.

 The Sydney Harbour Bridge in the distance.

 Walkway leading to the Opera House.

People enjoying the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House at the open air cafe terrace.

 The amazing skywriting over Circular Quay!

I noticed that there were people on top of the bridge and I realized that they were climbers. I was told that the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb tour had been very popular. If you want to join the tour, the price is may be AUD250 or more per person. The tour would be conducted by trained experts and each participant would be be provided with a bridge suit, communication equipment, safety harness, lanyards and headlamp.     

 Climbers relaxing with the world under their feet. 

 A picture to remember.

The Jet boating tour could be exciting.

 Boats moving in and out of the jetties every 10 minutes or so.

 Waiting at the jetty to our next destination - Darling Harbour. 

 Passing the Opera House.

The ferry made several brief stops before arriving Darling Harbour. The first stop was this Luna Park - a popular amusement park in Sydney. 

The other brief stops were Balmain East and McMahon Point. 

Approaching Darling Harbour jetty.

Darling Harbour is one of the world's great water front tourism destinations. Throughout the year, it hosts a series of colourful festivals that celebrate Australian's cultural diversity.

Starship Sydney, the largest glass boat for Sydney Harbour cruise offering guests 360 degree panoramic views.

Water taxis services in Darling Harbour. 

 The pyrment bridge, a wide pedestrian-only swing bridge.

The National Maritime Museum.

Two old war ships docked at the museum - an Australian destroyer, HMAS Vampire withdrawn from service in 1986 and a submarine, HMAS Onslow also retired in the 90s

It's my first time seeing a lightship (floating lighthouse). It was built in 1916 and used as a navigational aids when lighthouses could not be built. This on retired in 1985.

As we cruised back to Circular Quay, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera house came into view .

 Good-bye, Opera House!

 It's sunset time as we were on our way to our accommodation in Rockdale suburb near Sydney airport.

Dinner was at an Aussie outback bar. The menu consisted of mainly meat dishes but they also served healthy food like the avocado chicken breast special.