Our First Sydney Adventure

I am a few months behind (such a surprise!) because we have been so busy!

We decided that seeing as it was the last day of the Wallace and Gromit World of Inventions exhibition at the Sydney Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo, it was a good excuse to go on our first all family adventure in our new city.

The exhibition was principally an avenue to promote design and copyright, and not so much of Wallace and Gromit as I had hoped, but there was enough on display to keep the kids (and us) happy for quite a while. MOTH and I loved seeing the miniature sets, as we are big fans of the Wallace and Gromit movies, and Aardman in general. MOTH is also passionate about movie making and all aspects that entails, so it was nice to get up close to the models - I love watching the artists (there is probably another, proper, more technical title for them, but they are artists!) as they rearrange the figures; getting things to look 'real', such as water, or porridge! in stop-motion.

The Powehouse Museum was amazing too. We didn't take too long to look around as the day was getting late and we still had to go on the Monorail (before it closes forever! and from where one can see 'China', did you know?) and reach the Opera House (which we didn't make it to - well not quite. Turned out it was a bit far for little feet to walk in one day; but we will be there again soon...).

Sadly our cameras on the day (mixture of phones and iPod) didn't take photos I am very happy with. So just imagine I have run them through instagram or some such programme and made them deliberately grainy/overexposed etc... no? Didn't work for me either....

We're ready! First time for kids on double decker train; it couldn't come fast enough!

Is it here YET?? 

Finally decided on 'Upstairs' 

First time on a train! Very excited!

I think she finally settled on 'patting' Gromit, instead of her original pose that looked like she was picking his nose...

I think this was from A Matter of Loaf and Death. MOTH took pic, I was trying to find a toddler in a dark auditorium by this stage!

Tried to use Wee Man for idea of scale and proportion (he is not very big himself mind...)

But he insists of posing in his own unique way...

And I had a heck of a time with phone camera, flashes, reflections and jostling toddlers!

I loved the detail in this scene. Especially loved the Smug fridge!

Another photo for 'scale'!

Mini cloches! Love!!

Seriously, how cool is Gromit?

There were plenty of activities too.... we only got photos of some of them - as it happens, two adults to four active children is not a good enough ratio...

 One of the most popular activities was teaching about the invention of Karaoke... it was in a booth, but could be heard for some distance..... I think my kids we possibly a little too enthusastic about the sounds of their own voices, but if you can't let them try it out somewhere NOT in your home, where can you?
 

Then off to the regular exhibits.

Train love.... 

I want to 'drive the ship'! and I can do it myself!

Boys dream!

In his element!

 

And to top it off, there was a Wiggles exhibition too.

Hard to get a photo when one kid (mine, of course) won't stop WIGGLING! What did I expect?

Quick shot of Opera House (close as kids could make it!) as the sun goes down, before heading home. Kids totally worn out!