Day 1 - Trip to Australia

We left for the airport at 6:30pm on Sunday, December 21st. We were taking an overnight flight to Sydney. The kids were really excited to embark on our Australian adventure & they were also excited to have their friends joining us. The Rockett’s, Dave also works for GM China, decided to come along after hearing about the trip & looking for a place to go for the 2 week break. They have 3 children, Matthew 12, Adam 11, & Renee 6.


Justin, Renee, Amanda - Denise in the back


Dave, Ron, Tanner, Adam & Matthew (white shirt)

We were hoping that the kids would get a bit of rest on the flight as we were landing in the morning & heading out to do some sight seeing. Happy to report, the kids did great!!! Justin & Amanda slept pretty well & our usual non-flight sleeper Tanner managed to get about 2 hours rest. Even with little sleep the kids kept up once we landed.
The flight was 11 hours long, the food was disgusting but the ride was smooth. The weather in Sydney was a nice change from Shanghai – warm, blue skies & NO funky smells around!!
After checking into our hotel we headed to Darling Harbour to look around & get a bite to eat. The area was beautiful with lots of shops & places to eat. After taking in the sites for a bit, we decided to head to Target to SHOP!!!



However, once arriving & taking a look around, I was greatly disappointed….. It was not like the good ‘ol USA Target. The clothing selection was not all that good, they did not have a HABA section (which meant I could not stock up on the toiletries I am running low on) & the toy section was very slim. What a HUGE disappointment :( I guess I will be waiting until I get to the USA this summer – I might just set up all our meetings/playdates at Target as I may be there our whole trip home!!!
For dinner we had reservations at Phillips Foote (a restaurant known for their good steaks), a recommendation from a friend who used to live in Sydney. At this restaurant you grill your own steaks – kind of like a buffet because you pick your meat, then salad, potatoes, bread, sides – but then you have to grill your own steak. Ron did an excellent job at grilling.
The day was long but the kids did great, even after the disappointment at Target! Tomorrow will be a full day of exploring!