Family Funday Sunday!
The public transport here in Australia is very reasonably priced compared to what we are used to in England. As an example: A train trip to Sydney which takes about 2 hours would cost a total of $27 for the whole family. Where we lived in England, an off peak train trip to London which took about 2 hours would set us back $140.
To make things even better the New South Wales Government have put together a scheme called Family Funday Sunday to get families out and about for a minmal amount of money. For $2.50 a head any group of adults and kids who have a family connection (Aunts, grandparents, cousins etc.) can travel anywhere in New South Wales all day Sunday using as many trains, buses and ferries as they want.
We took advantage of this last weekend and got on a train just after 8am and returned home 12 hours later having travelled all around Sydney. We arrived in Sydney Central and got a ferry to the famous surfing beach at Manly for ice-creams and then spent the rest of the day in Darling Harbour at the Australian Maritime Museum.
I didn't bring my camera but luckily the mobile phone came to the rescue until I ran its battery flat!
That is quite reasonable! What a funday you must have had.. but you must remember your camera next time! I love the Welcome wall!
If only mass transit systems would make it affordable, more people would use them and decrease our need for oil...but don't get me started on that! :)
Your photos are wonderful...and how cool is it to see your name on The Welcome Wall!!
Super cool! Train travel in France is quite expensive as well. I loved looking at your Sydney pic's. Dan and I visted the area for the first time two years ago and had a ball. The kids stayed in California with Mom and Dad. It was such a gift to spend two weeks on the East coast of Australia. That harbour is so pretty.
Mass transit in my neck of the woods is pretty amazing, too. It goes like this:
Kids! Get in the van!
Mad scramble to find shoes, socks, underwear, whatever.
All buckled in, pull out of the garage.
"Mom. I gotta go potty."
OK...LOVE the welcome wall! I want my name on a wall for moving to Japan! =^)
Your name came up at dinner tonight. Some friends invited us over for a wonderful dinner and we were talking about our respective blogs...and how each of us have lots of family members that read our blogs...but never leave comments. But we know they read them because they'll talk about what they've read. Anyway, I was telling them about the lovely friends I've "met" who comment on my blog...and how I'd love to go to Australia just to meet you! My husband said, "I just want to go to Australia, period!"
I love your posts & pictures about trips you take around Australia. I've always wanted to visit, but don't know if it'll ever be in the cards, so your posts give me a glimpse that I won't otherwise get.
How cool is that Welcome Wall!?! Amazing!