I visited Syndey during my round-the-world trip in 2009 and stayed with my good friends Alex and Dorota. I’d spent the previous two months travelling around India and South Asia, so Sydney was like an oasis of normality in a sea of culture shocks. Sydney is such a developed city, and so much like many English towns, that it was like going home. I wasn’t sure i’d like Sydey before I arrived, as the thought of travelling half way around the world to visit, well, Sunny England, never really appealed. However, Sydney is a really fantastic city with so much life, great bars, things to do and fantastic weather, its well worth a trip – especially straight from the madness of South Asia.
Travelling around Sydney was a breeze. Despite Sydney being a major conurbation with around 3m residents, it is very easy to travel around. The underground metro system has many lines and is very efficient – double decked trains in most places! There are many train stations, a tram and even a sky train. Taxi’s are western and hassle free – which is a welcome break from Indonesian taxi’s beeping and shouting at you, and general ripping you off. Getting from the airport into central Sydney is a breeze on the train – so much closer, cheaper and easier than many modern cities including sadly London.
When you arrive from the airport into the centre, one of your first glimpses of the city will be of Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. They really are quite a sight. Of course, there are many things to see in Sydney besides the famous Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The old town is fascinating, depicting life for the convicts who were shipped to Australia to build Sydney in the 1800′s. There are many beautiful buildings and skyscrappers with restaurants on the top – including the shangri-la – which is open tothe public at night for cocktails overlooking Sydney Bay. There are several beautiful beaches including Manly island and Bondi beach, plus the Blue mountains, which are a great escape from the city for some adventure walking and fresh air.
Sydney photos
