The Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge immediately comes to mind when one thinks of Sydney (where Aamir Khan wooed Preity Zinta recently in Dil Chahta Hai).
I spent close to 3 weeks in the month of May 2002 (Work n fun) and what striked me most about Australia is the colour Blue - The blue sky and the blue sea; they are really very very blue as of very FRESHLY painted.
I stayed at The Carlton hotel at Paramatta, a suburb of Sydney - it has quite a decent night life as far as open restaurants are concerned, lovely walk by the river ... Being located in the Southern hemisphere, May was cold with chilly winds.
How I enjoyed what and why ? ;--)
Had 5 days in all to checkout the hotspots (rest was work) and the office staff chipped in with suggestions. Ofcourse I started off by the Sydney Harbour.
Everyone wants to catch the Sydney Opera House first, which is situated at a walking distance from the Circular quay (where my River cat ferry terminated, it also has a railway station).
Walking left from the quay you can see the opera house - a glistening white structure (I could not see it on a full moon day !!). It is no doubt a magnificent architecture and a symbol of Australian pride and identity.
I spent an hour or 2 exploring it, clicking snaps - thats it, unless you want to checkout an opera or a musical. One can spend sometime at the numerous open cafes and checkout the buzzing life at the harbour.
Close to the Opera House are the Royal Botanical Gardens - nice place for a long walk with your girl, if she is not a botanist. Lots of greenery with artificial lakes, some birds.
Another visible icon of Sydney is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Built in 1932, it stands against the blue skyline. One can climb the Bridge with professionals for a
once-in-a-life-time-experience, if you can afford the AUD 200appx fee (I could not). More info on this at https://bridgeclimb.com
I visited the Circular Quay on a Sunday and as I walked towards the Rocks, it was impossible for me to ignore the buzz of life. Facing the sea on one side was a man with his team riding a unicycle and he was about to ride his unicycle on to a rope dangling between 2 poles.
Ahead was a man playing guitar for the people seated across the path in the gardens ..I joined those people lying myself down in the grass and enjoying the hot potato wedges and the sunshine.
There was a girl playing violin away from the guitar man and further away an orchestra was playing out in the open. And there was more which I could not capture ....The place was full of families and children and noise and yet it was very serene !!
The Rocks used to be the old sydney town which now still retains the old world charm due to its narrow cobbled streets and colonial buildings. But the best part is the market bazaar which displays various crafts and souvenirs. I happened to see a glass blower perform for the crowd for the first time in my life and prompto the bottle was getting its shape.
Another art which I enjoyed watching was spray painting - this guy in his late teens was creating a spectrum of colours on charts at an astonishing pace. I picked up a few souvenirs and enjoyed the most in this weekend market.
Further moving on their are small art galleries and other small shops with open cafes ...truly this place gives you an insight into the old world of Australia & is a tourist delight.
The next place I checked was the Sydney Observatory - the walk and the sun set view around the observatory situated on top of the hill is difficult to describe.
Next Day I spent at the Taronga Zoo - one needs to catch a ferry and then a cable car to reach the top of the island which is exactly opposite the Sydney harbour. This Zoo is magnificent and I highly recommend it even if you have seen the Singapore Zoo which is considered as one of the best in the world. Do not miss the Seal and the Bird show ..& check out on the animal feeding times.
Another ferry from Circular Quay takes you to Bondi Beach, you have to take a 10 minutes walk thru plenty of eating houses, souvenir shops to reach the world famous beach. Try Fish n Chips here ..the potato chips/wedges somehow have an amazing taste in Australia.
To enjoy Sydney Opera and Bridge view from the sea, take a ferry to Manly beach which takes you across these sites - a must for photographers.
Darling Harbour - What to write about this place - It has got more buzz then the Sydney Harbour. Darling Harbour is home to over 100 restaurants on the waterfront, it has an IMAX theatre, Sydney aquarium, Monorail ..close by are the museums(Australian National Maritime & Powerhouse museum), Japanese-chinese gardens..Paddy market.
Sydney Aquarium has plenty for everyone and the Chinese gardens are worth a visit - The museums are very educational, interactive and a must considering the state of museums in our country.
Do take a trip on the monorail & if its your lucky day you would be able to see Australia Heritage’s fleet in full glory with all its sails (australiaheritagefleet.com). There are plenty of cruise options to explore ..children will enjoy the most here - surely an amazing place for tourists( https://darlingharbour.com.au).
Apart from the above I explored the main city markets/buildings on foot and checked out another major attraction Sydney Tower & SkyTour. The tower takes you 250 meters above Sydney to behold breathtaking views of one of the most beautiful city. The Skytour takes you on an amazing virtual adventure through Australia’s cultural history and geography ...
There is Blue mountains which can be checked out and other tours(Hunter Valley) organised by private tour operators.
About Sydney
Sydney has several small bays or inlets making the harbour(Main, Darling Harbour) the focal point of the city. The Central Business District with Skyscrapers is nearby with 5-star hotels all lined up.
Local Transport
Sydney’s transportation hinges on railway and its well spread waterways - yes I enjoyed the waterways a lot. A Day tripper pass entitles you to unlimited travel on ferry, bus & railways for a day at a very nominal charge. The bus system is pretty decent but one needs to know the routes.
Most Sydney tourist attractions are either within or close to the central business district or at points around the harbour except perhaps the beaches.There is also the monorail and several explorer buses/ferries/cruises for the tourists which cover several tourist spots in a days visit.
Taxis are expensive avoid them & Buses can be confusing.
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