Friday 22 May
Opening night of Vivid Sydney and it was rainy and wet. We'd planned to meet up at Chatswood with Kaylene and Marion, but Marion changed her mind, so only Evan, Kaylene and I ended up going. Evan and I drove to Chatswood and had a bit of difficulty looking for parking, but eventually got lucky and found one on the street, quite close. to the Mall. We met up with Kaylene and joined the line at Mamaks for dinner.
For dinner with had Roti canai, chicken curry with rice, chicken satay sticks and nasi goreng. Very filling.
With our bellies sated, we started the Chatswood Vivid at the jellyfish at the train station.
Norbert the Nautilus was in the middle of the mall. So bright and colourful, this is my favourite so far.
The light projection on The Concourse facade was called The Nautilus and the Sea. It was like one huge aquarium tank
Sunday 24 May, Evan, Kaylene and I took the train out to Central and walked to Central Park to check out the light projections in the Brewery Yard. They had some food trucks and some interactive wall drawing, but not much else.
So we caught the bus to Chinatown. Evan was craving Karage chicken from the jap shop in the Chinatown foodcourt, but alas, it wasn't there anymore. So we had to order something else. I settled for Thai (the one that Lily buys her fish from) but bought Pad Thai and Vegetarian Spring Rolls. Evan had to settle for wonton noodles. Whilst eating who should we see ordering from one of the shops, but Ken. He had also had a craving for Karage chicken but settled for rice with bbq pork and char siu. After dinner Ken offered a lift to The Star, so we took him up on the offer and got a flashing light escort into the no go zone and got dropped right outside The Star.
They had interactive drums which when banged on produced lights on the trees. We banged until someone told us the game was over. There was also a Mission Control booth to control the lights above The Star, but the queue was too long. So we continued our walk around to the Maritime Museum. Kaylene and Evan too photos and I tried to as well, but my camera settings were playing up.
Walked around to Darling Harbour and caught the fountain light show. Unfortunately no fireworks, but we did manage to catch the show 3 times from 3 sides of the harbour.
Thursday 28 May. Shirley and Casey were kind enough to shout us to a Vivid Cruise including dinner and drink. So after work, around 6.30pm Evan and I caught the train to Town Hall and walked down to Darling Harbour. Just in time to catch the end of some fireworks and the fountain show.
Met up with Casey, Shirley, Jim and Tracey. The cruise was for 8.15pm, but everyone was already lining up. Tables were allocated and ours wasn't too bad, at least we got a window seat.
After a safety briefing, and how the buffet queue would work, the food was served. Lucky for us we were table 4, so didn't have long to wait. we were all starving. They had jasmine rice with mild chicken curry, fettuccine boscaiola, hokkien stir fried noodles, potato salad, green garden salad, antipasto platter, beetroot and orange salad, bread. For dessert they had carrot cake and chocolate mud cake.
The cruise started at 8.15pm and ended around 10.30pm. It went around the harbour into Sydney Cove and moored there for some time, before going around Fort Denison and back to Darling Harbour. After dinner we could go on top to take photos.
When the cruise ended, we said our goodbyes to the Thams and as it was only just after 10.30, we decided to check out Martin Place. Lots of interactive displays, but not many light projections on buildings.
Saturday 30 May, Lily, Evan and I headed out again, by train to Central and then walked to Sydney University. The walk there wasn't too bad. The Great Hall was lit up and it ran for a while before it started again.
Sea of Hands: a garden bed of hands of all colours. You could write a message and then plant your hand. Would have liked a red hand, but no more left, so settled for a green one instead.
Walking down Eastern Avenue, they had the Mirador lit up and smoking. Apparently has been in the Sculptures by the Sea. Trying to take photos, Evan was surrounded by kids.
There were two other light sculptures, the pyramid and the cubes which were indoor.
By this time it was past 9pm and we were hungry. Walked back to Central Park to check out the food stalls, but nothing appealed. So we walked to Chinatown. Ended up have a very late dinner at BBQ King. Congee, shredded pork with noodles, and rice with char siu and roast duck.
With our belly's full, and the night not quite over, we walked to Martin Place, took photos there then at 11.30pm walked down to Customs House to catch the end of the light projection show.
