Beautiful Sydney, Australia

Australia. A place I once thought was too far away to travel to, yet since I was 8 years old I have had a desire to visit Australia that I was never able to shake off. I owe the start of this desire to The Rescuers Down Under; my favourite movie growing up that I must have seen a hundred times. It was on my bucket list for many years. Finally, with my 30th birthday rolling around, I decided to mark the big occasion by being in Australia for it.

First Impressions

I touched down in Sydney about 15.5 hours later, and one of the things I noticed instantly  was how similar to Vancouver it is. Both are beautiful, and very scenic and photogenic waterfront cities, but there is one major difference; Sydney has no mountains by its ocean unlike Vancouver. However, I’m sure Sydney has way better weather year round! 

When I went searching for a desperately needed coffee, I was not able to find coffee that I know it to be; percolated from a coffee machine. However the best equivalent is called a Flat White. I’ve never heard of this before, but the beverage has been around in Australia for years. It is very delicious, and I enjoyed all of them while there. I also noticed that coffee was not produced in mass amounts like it was back home, which did seem to cause more time waiting in line at some cafes.

Additionally, Sydney has a ton of options for places to go for food and drinks. You can click here and here for a breakdown of various options to consider trying, depending on what you fancy.

Accommodations

I took the train from the airport to Sydney Central Station and walked the short distance to Sydney Central YHA Hostel, where I was staying. I found it to be affordable, in a convenient central location, and well reviewed by fellow travellers. It is also fairly accessible for those with mobility issues, although the biggest obstacle is probably the stairs (as it is in a heritage building and I had to ask for help with my suitcase). As a gentle reminder, with any place you’re interested in staying at, I encourage you to call ahead to ensure any question(s) you may have are answered, and that they’re able to meet any of your need(s).

The Sights

From walking around Sydney, I soon came to realize that the downtown area also reminded me of Vancouver. The downtown core had typical features; skyscrapers, as well as modern and older architectural buildings that you can check out. It also has a business centre, so some of the people seemed quite preoccupied, which can come across as less friendly but really they could just be really busy. So this was not a deterrent, as I know Aussies to be easy-going, friendly, and fun. During my time in Australia, there was nothing less than amazing people.

I explored Darling Harbour, which is a fairly short distance from the hostel, and utilized Sydney’s Hop On – Hop Off Bus. I love these buses because of its convenience in taking me to many places, and the freedom I have to see these places at my own pace because tickets are valid for 24 or 48 hours. I took it to areas such as Hyde Park, Campbell’s Cove, The Rocks, and Circular Quay. I also went to Bondi Beach and explored the surrounding area. It was suggested by some that I do the BridgeClimb, but when I was looking into it, I found it to be expensive, and with a lot of restrictions (for obvious reasons which I understand but still). You can trek up any of these to take in the splendid views that the city has to offer, which is what I prefer to do when I travel.

I walked the stretch from Millers Point, underneath the Harbour Bridge, to the Sydney Opera House. After checking out the stunning Opera House, I hopped on the ferry and went to Many Beach. This ferry was awesome, and allowed for easy access and convenience. Manly Beach was breathtakingly beautiful with warm water and feel good sand beneath my feet.

Sydney Harbour National Park is a nice place to explore, especially if you enjoy nature. The entrance is close enough to Manly Beach but as I got more into the park, I found it became more daunting to continue, even going at my pace. My goal was to make it to Fairfax Lookout, but I didn’t make it. It was just too far, and unfortunately there was no other alternate options for getting around unless you had a vehicle. Although Australia does have Cycleways in other areas, there were no bicycle pathways that I found at the park, so the accessibility lacked for those who have a mobility issue like myself. But if walking long distances is not an issue for you, then there are plenty of walkways and walking tours you can consider taking.

Speaking of Getting Around

There are lots of places that are more accessible for those with mobility issues, and their transportation services can take you all over New South Wales. For more information on transportation accessibility, please click here. 

This concludes my two glorious days visiting Sydney! It was time for me to hop on a plane and travel west across Australia to Perth for the next leg of the trip. Follow me along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!