Day Ten Sydney

What better way to start the day than with a pumpkin salad and flat white in the 'book'cafe across the road from the hotel.  Feet recharged and ready for the day ahead, set off to check out Central Station.  

Getting familiar now with the areas and reading the map, found it easily and worked out the next part of the journey, once we come back from Uluru. Walked through Thai Town and headed for Darling Harbour, planning to take a ferry to Manly Beach only to discover the ferry went from Circular Quay! Jumped on the first ferry that looked like it might be somewhere interesting to go and got off at Cockatoo Island. Thought it would be a romantic place, full of swooping cockatoos, we soon discovered it was the Alcatraz of Sydney! 

Criminals sent here in the 1800s living in horrendous conditions. 

500 people sleeping in quarters designed to house half that. The prison was shut down and changed into a home for wayward girls aged 5-18! (A touch of Cranley?).  World war 2 brought changes and it became an island for building war ships 

Great views all round, no cockatoos but lots of seagulls - not all friendly 

Delights for geologists: 

And delights for the less discerning: 

Managed to wing a bus home to save the feet. Back to the hotel. Going to eat locally (next door!) this evening. Plan to pack and get ready for pick up tomorrow at 7.15 am. 13972 steps today - wimps!! 

Tomorrow Uluru!