Sydney, Home & Away & Much Embarrassment

After ridding ourselves of the bourgeois luxury that was the campervan on a very rainy Saturday back in Auckland, we flew the 5 hours to Sydney, where we spent three days seeing the sights and both came away very impressed by the place, in no small part, no doubt, helped by the clear blue skies and warm weather. Best of all, on the Sunday after arriving we managed to get involved with filming for a TV commercial at the Sydney Opera house. We are now fully signed up talent in the latest worldwide Australia tourist promotional advert. Yey!! Fame at last!

On Tuesday, we were back on the bike. A short hop through Sydney and onto the Manly ferry, north en route to Palm Beach (where they film Home & Away) accompanied by more sun and warm weather.

Our plan is to follow the coast and so far most of the terrain has been benign, flat roads so making for lots of officially certified Denyze approved nice cycling. We chatted to a local cyclist chap, who very kindly has provided us with an excellent route up the coast, staying off the main highway as much as possible and using local ferries where necessary.

Amusingly for Den, we got to a campsite a couple of nights ago and jumped off the bike outside the reception, where a woman was working at a computer behind a desk. I strode up to the door and attempted to slide it open, it budged a little, but wouldn't open. So I tried it again, a bit more forcefully and the door slid open. I was in!! "A bit sticky!", I remarked to the lady behind the desk, "Actually, it was locked" she replied. I looked at the door. Attached to it were the remains of the catch, screws and plugs that had allowed it to lock. Opppps!!! Apparently she had closed half an hour before and was just cashing up. Luckily she accepted my grovelling apology and allowed us to stay the night without letting our tyres down. I have resolved to be more respectful of sticky doors in the future.