I have just spent 3 months living in Sydney with some family members. It meant I had some luxury's that are all to taken for granted when living at home which when traveling you start to miss. This includes; a loving family atmosphere, a space I could call mine (not just a bed and a locker in a shared dorm) and escape to if I needed quiet time, a decent hot shower, different dinners every night (in hostels limited storage means it's normal having the same food day in day out), a dog and cat to love (it helped me not miss Buster although I felt like I was cheating on him), free laundry and decent WiFi (catching up on my YouTube fix which is hard in hostels with rubbish WiFi and face timing people back home) to name a few.
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| Bud and Snoopy |
As well as enjoying these luxury's and probably slipping back into my lazy ways with complete mornings in bed and PJ days, I did actually go outside to explore what Sydney has to offer.This is what I got up to...
Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb and Pylon Lookout
A few days after arrival in Sydney my
sister turned 25. Normally it's the peak of British winter and spending it outside is not an option. However in Australia it is the peak of summer so Jen decided she wanted to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.
We decided to do the twilight climb in the hope of seeing the sunset as we reached the top of the famous bridge. Unfortunately the sky was too cloudy to witness this however we are still glad we did the twilight climb because the temperature was cooler than the daytime meaning we weren't uncomfortable sweaty messes. It also allowed for us to see Sydney in daylight (climbing up) aswell as lite up amoung the night sky (climbing down) which was awesome.
Throughout the climb you are given history on the making of the bridge by the tour guide as well as photo opportunities atop the bridge. We both really enjoyed it!
This is an expensive activity which if it wasn't for Jen's special occasion we wouldn't have done. For those who cannot justify the climb price I'd recommend the pylon lookout for $13. This has a museum with all the information giving on the guided climb aswell as an observatory deck with 360° views of the harbour.
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| View from the Pylon Lookout |
Surfing at Manly Beach
High on our to-do list for Australia was surfing. We booked a lesson with manly surf school. We arrived and climbed into wetsuits. Before we were allowed to enter the water it was safety first. We were taught about rip tides and how to spot them. It was then onto dry land (sand) training of how to stand and catch a wave on a surfboard. On sand it appears relatively easy. Into the water and I could barely stay on the board lying down. Needless to say I didn't catch a wave standing. It was great fun though and made me face up to going in the sea (I hate the salt water) even if I did heave when saltwater went in my mouth.
You can also have surfing lessons at the infamous Bondi beach but it is more expensive, more populated and I didn't get the hype of Bondi, there are much more beautiful beaches.
Sydney Opera House Tour
Probably one of the most famous architectural buildings in the world. At only $33 I would recommend this experience. You get to see 3 different theatres, history on the construction, facts and inside information as well as seeing for yourself inside the world famous UNESCO listed site.
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
Follow the coastal path from the world famous Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach. This 6km scenic walk includes several beaches aswel as a walk through the most scenic burial ground in the world.
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| Scenic burial ground |
Royal Botanic Garden
If you like plants and flowers or just want a nice green space to chill out this place is ideal. It covers a large area but there is a small hop-on-hop-off train for only $10 should you not want to walk.
Watsons Bay
A short ferry ride along the harbour and you will reach Watsons Bay. It is a cute little area with beaches, a coastal walk to a lighthouse, and views back towards the CBD.
Harbourside walk to Blues Point Reserve
From the CBD, walk over the Harbour Bridge and follow the harbourside path. It has such a different feel to it than the hustle and bustle of the CBD. You have good harbour views, a small theme park, moored boats at Lavender Bay before reaching McMahons Point and Blues Point Reserve with views back to the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
Parramatta Park
Here you can see thousands of fruit bats hanging among the trees. It was quite something to see. Despite fruit bats being big they are cute.
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| Tree of fruit bats |
Northern Beaches
Me and Jen were taken on a drive to the northern beaches. They are much less touristy and I think more picturesque. We even saw Palm Beach where Home and Away is filmed. If you have access to a car I'd recommend doing this.
Blue Mountains
2 hours out of the city is the Blue Mountains. It is such a beautiful place and I really enjoyed my visit here. You can find out what I got up to
here. If in the Sydney area it should definitely be visited even if just for a day.
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| Real or photoshop?! |
Sydney New Years Eve
I was lucky to be in Sydney for New Years Eve. It is recommended to arrive early to secure a good viewing point for the famous Sydney fireworks. We arrived at midday and began the 12 hour countdown. The weather was just right, the atmosphere was good and the long wait was worth it. The fireworks were incredible!
Australia Day
The national day of Australia is 26th January. The reason behind the day is marking the anniversary of the arrival of the first fleet of British ships in 1788. It also celebrates the diversity and landscape of Australia.
Everything comes to a standstill and celebrations begin. I saw a boat dancing parade on the harbour, a helicopter flypast, listened to live music, saw dragon boat racing and tallships before finishing the day watching the Darling Harbour fireworks.
Chinese New Year Lanterns
Situated around Circular Quay in celebration of the Chinese New Year were 12 lanterns, representing each animal of the Chinese New Year. These were really good and cool to look at.
Overall I really enjoyed my time in Sydney :)
Amester x
