I want to be a Syndeysider!
Trip Start
Feb 21, 2012
1
24
46
Trip End
Jul 05, 2012
What I did
Sydney Botanical Gardens
Sydney Sky tower
Paddys market
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Have spent over a week in Sydney and done sooo much! I arrived via a long overnight bus from Byron Bay, and checked into BIG hostel near Central Station, a very good location! I then went wandering rather than crash out, and got to know Sydney quite quickly and easily. Did a free walking tour which lasted about 3 and a half hours! I must have walked about 4-5 hours that day... and every other day thinking about it!
So before I got to Sydney I decided that I would book 2 day tours one to Hunter Valley (wine tasting, of course!) and to Blue Mountains. After a slight mix up with the tour company I managed to do both tours and absolutely loved it! Didn't get tooo drunk on the wine tour, which was good and met some lovely Brits that day - we had a right laugh!
Blue Mountains was amazing! Saw Katoomba, Wentworth Falls, Three Sisters and did the world's steepest railway ride! at 51 degrees, it was pretty steep, but very short journey, but it was worth it. It was a windy day so good thing I wrapped up warm.
I went up the Sky Tower and saw the lovely views of Sydney. The Botanical Gardens was quite big but it was lovely to walk around there, culminating at the Sydney Opera House, which I admit is probably better to see further away than close up! I also walked the Harbour Bridge at sunset, decided not to do the bridge climb, mainly cos it was sooo expensive, very windy and basically I'm a big wuss especially with heights in that way!
The whole time I was in Sydney I admit I was pretty cold, weird as it was quite sunny but there was a definite chill in the air, quite windy! So I bought a much needed hoodie and another pair of jeans to keep me warm - it'll come in handy for when I am in New Zealand!
The highlight of Syndey was the gorgeous friends I stayed with for most the trip. I stayed with Hina and Ajay first in Newtown, which is pretty central, not far from Surrey Hills. They had a gorgeous flat, and I had my own bedroom and bathroom with a bathtub! AMAZING!!!! I know it seems pretty trivial but as a traveller constantly sharing dorms and bathrooms with randomers, it was a luxury to have a room and bathroom to myself. They were so hospitable, made me feel right at home, they took me out to dinner, we went to see 'The Avengers' together, which was a very good film, loved it, was so funny!
Hina luckily had a day off work and took my to Bondi Beach, which was nice to just chill out and have lunch by the sea. She also took me shopping for the much needed items I needed for the cold weather.
After a trip to Paddington's Market (apparently the posh bit of Sydney on Oxford Road), they drove me to Susan's townhouse. Stayed with Susan and her partner Daniel, for a few days and they again were so lovely and hospitable, felt quite humble to be staying with such lovely people in Sydney!
We took the ferry over and went to Manly Beach with Susan and Daniel and they also took me out to dinner and cooked meals at home for me - that was such a refreshing change to have a proper home cooked meal, instead of beans on toast and pasta!
All in all, I had an amazing time in Sydney - absolutely loved the vibe of the city, bit like London I thought. Quite trendy, cosmopolitan and lots to see and do. I loved roaming the streets, getting lost (which isn't easy to do as it was not that difficult to find your way!) and people watching.
I felt like a true Sydneysider to, getting the train in the morning to get to the city and finding my way around the place - by the end of the week I knew where I was going and felt confident finding places on my own without a map - so easy!
It made me think about whether I would like to live here.... I decided that I would love it! : )
