Finally we arrived in the greatest city in the world, Sydney!
After a short taxi ride and installment at our hostel in Kings Cross we bought curry, and beers, and wine, and went to a little park overlooking the Sydney Skyline. The weather was nice and warm and the curry tasted just like it did when I was there in 2001, fantastic!
After the little picknick we went down to Woolloomooloo and to Mattias and Fredrik’s old flat on Harmer Street. Took a picture and sent to Mattias. After this we continued to the Botanic Gardens and the Sydney Opera where we stopped for a glas of Sydney Opera Champagne (sparkling). Yum!
On our way home we also went up the Sydney Tower and had a wonderful view of Sydney from above. We were dead tired and for dinner we had a cheese sandwhich in the room and then we fell alsleep.
The next day was Parade Day but we started the day walking from Bondi eack to Coogee Beach. It’s a very nice walk and even though it was very windy it was still nice and warm. Once we arrived in Coogee we found a table in the beergarden of Coogee Bay Hotel and had lunch. Lovely! Chiquita loved it as well and wanted to do the walk again, but time was short and it couldn’t be squeezed in, unfortunately.
Then came the parade. We rented (boght) milk crates to stand on in order to see anything of the parade and we got a really good spot to stand at. The parade was ok, but a little long (for my liking). I also expected it to be more, more like Rio or something with lots of drag queens and stuff but it wasn’t really like that.
After the parade ended (we left 30 minutes prior to the ending in order to get ahead of the crowd) we went to the massive after party arena. We payed loads of money for the tickets and I was just about to get into the mood when Chiquita wanted to go home. When had been at the party for three hours and payed 300 AUS dollars for the tickets. That’s expensive! I missed Agnelli and Nelson thanks to Chiquita wanting to go home early. 🙁
Since we didn’t party all night the day before we were still in pretty good shape so of we went to Darling Harbour and the Sydney Aquarium. I think it is a bit overrated and the only thing interesting is to walk under the water with all the sharks and stuff, but still. We had lunch and a couple of beers at Darling Harbour as well and time flew by. This meant that the whole tour of Paddy’s Market didn’t go so well since it close at five pm and unfortunately we only had 10 minutes to wonder around in there, which isn’t nearly enough. Paddy’s Market is huge, packed with cheap stuff from China and what have you. It also has a food market which, if you come around closing time (as we did) you can get really good bargains since the sell out all the stuff.
On our way home we went to The Establishment but alas, it was closed.
We were really exhausted after a very long day and just bought curry take away and ate in the room.
The next day we went to Blue Mountains and watched the three sisters. We also went down the steepest railway track in the world and took a walk in the rain forest before heading back up again in a cable car.
Before blue mountains though we went to yet another sanctuary (our second) and got to pet kangaroos, see joeys, and crocodiles and other magical creatures of the Aussie wilderness.
The trip also included a visit to a vineyard and a boat trip from Paramatta to Circular Key. A bonus, since we had time to spare, was a tour of the Olympic Park. It was a really good day.
For dinner Chiquita had the best steak of the entire trip. Funnily enough it was at a place just next door to our hostel and the steak for a bargain, only 10 AUS dollars. Amazingly good rumpsteak! After this delicious meal we just wandered around Kings Cross before going to bed.
The last day was spent at Manley Beach. It was a beautiful day and we spent the entire day on the beach. In the evening Chiquita wanted to back to have yet another steak but grumpy me didn’t want that so instead we went to a little more upscale restaurant and had duck. Wow, that was the best duck I have ever had!
We had had five glorious days in Sydney but it was time to leave. I was really mature about it and didn’t cry at all. But inside, my heart wept. Sydney is truly the best place on earth!
