Yesterday’s view of the Opera House β€ I think it might be red in preparation for Australia Day later this week. Apparently, there will be a huge concert and light show, but we won’t even try to make it, as the crowds tend to be intense. Still, I’m happy I got to see it last night.
I know images taken from the airplane window are such a cliche, but
a) I have not flown in a while, so it feels new and special again, and
b) the views were just spectacular!
I was recently flying from LA to Denver and back. Both times the sky was perfectly clear, with magnificent views of the desert, mountains, and rivers. What was fascinating is that while we were flying over mostly empty swaths of land, I could always spot the tiniest ribbon of a road snaking its way west. And at one point, I even thought I could spot the Zion Canion and the great arches, which, according to the flight path, isn’t out of the question. π
Seeing the terrain from above and how clearly it was shaped by ancient rivers made me think this would make for the most amazing (and engaging) geography lesson (a’la Magic School Bus)!
I love how you never know they are there, until suddenly in early November, they all bloom at the same time. They dot nearly every street in my suburb, and under each one there’s a thick purple carpet. They look spectacular! BUT. They are notoriously hard to capture in a photo – they are usually obscured or tucked in tightly between other trees, or not very lush.
I noticed this one on my way to daycare dropoff, and I simply had to stop and take a picture. With an overcast sky and dead, orange grass underneath it looked absolutely glorious!
Aaaaaand we are out of lockdown here in Sydney (for over a week now!). First order of business was going to the beach, and so we did! Twice. On the same weekend! (yes, I’m very excited).
The weather was very windy, but sunny with blue skies and no clouds. The waves were spectacular as ever. We picked a quiet beach, because we’d still prefer to social distance, and we weren’t disappointed – not many people decided to brave the strong winds.
For us it was totally worth it – the kids were squealing with joy and totally in their element! And for once they were entertaining themselves π
Last year, I decided to take my Mum on a whale watching trip for her birthday (experiences over material gifts, and all thatπ ). Neither of us is passionate about sailing and being out on the water in general, but we had a fantastic time nonetheless. Here’s what I learned from this adventure π
There are different kinds of whale watching trips – pay attention to the type and size of the boat. We went on an inflatable speed boat, seating around 20 people. This is pretty small for a tourist boat, and it makes for quite an intimate experience.
The trip out to the ocean and back takes a little bit and can get boring. This is where being on a speed boat really paid off because it’s one of the fastest ways to get out to sea. It’s also the most fun!
Whale watching involves a lot of sitting on a boat in the middle of the ocean (for me, this is far enough so that you can’t see the shore). The smaller the boat, the more sensitive it is to ocean swell, even mild one. Be prepared for seasickness. π
I wouldn’t count on taking amazing pictures. π The photos in advertising materials are always the best of the best shots taken over the years, so adjust your expectations. While you’ll most likely spot whales on your trip, it will not be a full breach, but something a bit less spectacular. But make no mistake – seeing even a small part of these majestic animals up close is breathtaking. You don’t want to miss it because you were tinkering with your camera.
These images were captured by our captain. You don’t want to see my feeble attempts π
And just like that Autumn has arrived. Back in Poland, I usually freaked out at that point, my mind already racing to dark, cold, short winter days. And even though that’s not the case in Australia, the reflex remains.