We survived our Canberra digs with me being the only one who had a bad nights sleep. We stopped en route to the Old Parliament House for an early coffee which was ok. Parking karma today, right outside and not too pricey at $5. Then a debate whether to take the OAP concession for Graham or the family ticket for the three of us, even though Sammy is 28 it was allowable. Not sure which option was more embarrassing. The Old Parliament House was the centre of Australian politics for more than 60 years and replaced by the new Parliament House in 1988. Today the building is home to the Museum of Australian Democracy with a number of exhibitions not least of all the dressing up area for Sammy, perhaps we were right to take the family ticket. It was interesting to learn about Australian politics and the formation of their Federation in 1901. I still get very confused with the House of Representatives (Commons) and Senate Chambers (Lords) which operate more like the American system than ours. Must read more when I get home. We then drove up to the lookout at Mount Ainslie with a spectacular view back across Canberra. Quite bizarre really to see a whole city laid out specifically for Parliament. 
Only 300 kms to Sydney along the M31 again for most of the journey with a brief stop at the decidedly unexciting Goulburn for picnic lunch but a good coffee which was half price due to happy hour from 2-3pm, bonus . Not a bad drive into Sydney through a number of tunnels and no major rush hour hold ups but just a little slow along the north shore to Manly. Still nothing like driving in London. Joy of joys apartment very nice and only one block back from the seafront and a 10 minute walk to the ferry to Sydney. We are now going eco and ditching the car, mainly because the allocated parking space is so tight we will struggle to move it every day. Even better tonight Sammy is cooking again which is excellent as she is a much better cook than me.