Sydney, Australia

We headed down to Sydney in July 2006. We flew in a United plane that was circa 1973 with the big pulldown movie screen in the front of the plane showing a discolored version of Ice Age...twice. Not the best way to go.

Sydney is Ashley's favorite city! It is a city that just suits his personality: it has adventure, it is laid back, and everyone is your friend.

• Taronga Zoo-I love the zoo! Any zoo in any part of the world! The Taronga Zoo overlooks the Sydney Harbour and has a view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. At least, the zebras have that view! And in this zoo, I got to walk through an area with roaming wallabees, pet a snake, and watch Koala bears sleep. You can actually pay around $20 to hang out with the Koalas and feed them, but we passed on that!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The Rocks- The Rocks is my favorite part of Sydney.

The Rocks nestles right up to the western part of the Sydney cove. It is a great place to eat, shop, and walk around. There are various street performers and artists. It has one of the best outdoor markets I have ever been to! Australia is famous for its pearls and opals, so plan to bring some extra cash and bargain with a dealer in the market for some fun jewelry!

And, there is live music in a bunch of the pubs and restaurants, you can't help but peek in and take a listen.

We were lucky enough to be in Sydney for The Rocks Aroma Coffee Festival. Ashley was in heaven! There is always a great festival to check out and you should always check the schedule of festivals in Sydney to check out some adventures! Most festivals are FREE to attend.

• Didjeridoo's-An instrument native to Australia. It is one of Ashley's favorite musical instruments and a trip to Sydney is not complete without a trip to Didj Beat Didjeridoo's. You can get your very own private lesson in how to play a didjeridoo, or "didj" for short. They are pretty amazing, and it's a fun activity you can do for FREE...that is until you buy a didjeridoo. We have two, so you can come practice your didj playing when you come over to our house. I think Ashley might want to start a Didj band...

• Darling Harbour-

Snore...boring. Darling Harbour wasn't worth the bus trip across Sydney to check it out. There is a Chinatown with a huge shopping area where you can by a lot of cheap junk.

• Gelato-We've been to Italy, but the gelato we had in Sydney was the best we have ever tasted!

• Dinner by the Harbour--

When you are NOT hungry, take a walk by the various restaurants that line the shore of Sydney. Check out the menus and prices. It is easy to get dinner at a reasonable price if you have the time to look over the menus and settle on the best deal. Check the sunset schedule for Sydney, and you can have yourself a romantic, not-expensive dinner on the Sydney Harbour.

Surviving an Overseas Flight

I am not a great flyer. I don't enjoy sitting in an airplane. I have a tendency to get airsick.

So, if anyone knows how to survive...it's me. Truly, Ashley has taught me how to travel better. Here are our tricks and tips on how to survive the long overseas flight:

• Drink water every chance you get. Every time you're in the airport grabbing a meal or being offered a drink in the airplane, ASK FOR WATER in addition to whatever else you are drinking. It is common for overseas travelers to get severly dehydrated, so drink lots and lots of water.

• Pack your carry-on survival kit. This includes clothing items to change into once the airplane has reached a cruising altitude (i.e. pajama pants, compression socks, a fleece). And don't forget to have a freezer bag with the clothing items you will want as soon as you land (i.e. clean underwear, clean socks, clean shirt) so that you don't feel like you are wearing the airplane.

• Sleep doesn't just happen. First, look at what time of day you are landing and plan your sleep on the airplane so that you can, as best as you can, adjust to the new time zone. Pack a sandwich bag in your carry-on that has: earplugs, headphones, a sleep mask. Ashley and I also include a sleep aid in that kit, such as Tylenol PM or Ambien--Check with your doctor before just taking either.

• IBuprofen is my lifesaver. It serves three purposes: 1) IBuprofen is an anti-inflammatory and helps keep the swelling in my feet down, 2) IBuprofen is a blood-thinner and helps prevent clots from forming while sitting for an extended period of time, and 3) IBuprofen helps relieve the pain in my neck and back from sitting in the plane. **Do not take IBuprofen with an empty or upset stomach and ask your doctor before taking any medication.

• Keep the blood moving. Traveling is hard on the body. I can be sore all over my body for a couple days after landing. It is less likely that you will be sore if you keep the blood moving by periodically getting up and walking around the plane and doing plane exercises in your seat.

• Consider packing some snacks like trail mix, a Snickers bar, or granola bars. If you, like me, get nauseated at the smell of airplane food, snacks are necessary. Like I said, my tummy gets uneasy, so I bring a sleeve of Saltine crackers. They help to settle my stomach and are a great snack to tie me over.