Sydney
Much to my chagrin, this trip to Australia isn’t for vacation, but given it is my first time here, I figured it was worth dedicating at least a little ink to. I am without my faithful travel buddy as well, something she is not thrilled about since Australia is high on her list of places to visit. I did try to sell it as an opportunity to check the place out so I knew what places to see when we came together, but I don’t think she really bought it.
The flight over was on Qantas on an A380, my first experience with both the carrier and the aircraft. Aside from the length (about 15 hours), all was good and we touched down in Sydney around 6:30am, just it time to see the sun rise. The early arrival works out in my favor as passport control is pretty much empty and I sail right through.
From the airport, the metro train connects right into downtown Sydney, and having not been to a big city yet where that option doesn’t prove far quicker are more cost effective, I hop on for the 15 minute ride to the central business district where my hotel is. Since Ang is not with me, my accommodation choices extend a bit further that Sheraton’s, and I come up with a place called the Great Southern Hotel, which ends up being about 2 blocks from the main train terminal. It’s way too early for check-in, so I leave my bag and decide to explore downtown a little.
The first thing I notice about Sydney is that it is much colder than I had expected. It’s going into winter of course, but somehow I still pictured it being fairly warm and pleasant. It turns out that the temperature this time of year is really not much different than Seattle, and while that means I’m still quite comfortable in a light coat, the locals have broken out the wool coats and knit caps. Logically I can get my head around it, but still, in my vision of Australia I never imagined they even owned such things.
The next shock to my system is the cost of things here. It’s probably less noticeable if you have lived here all along, but with the weakness of the US Dollar of late, prices have far more in common with Europe than North America. After checking in, I stop at donair stand for lunch, with the only real difference between the meal I had here and the one a week ago in Cairo being the 1,000% increase in price (oh, and this one came with fries).
With nothing on the agenda for the day, I spend the rest of it wandering through town, seeing the sights like the Opera House, the bridge over the harbor, and the old town. Of the parts I see, it is a very pleasant and walkable city. People seem generally healthier (for a Wednesday afternoon there are a tremendous amount of them out running or exercising in the parks) and in far less of a hurry to get anywhere than the US (it only takes me a couple times jaywalking by myself before I realize that regardless of how little traffic there is, locals are fine just waiting for the lights).
Down around the harbor, there is a bit of a buzz with preparations going on for the arrival of the 16 year old Australian girl returning from her solo sail around the world. I recall a small bit of coverage back home about it, but here it is BIG deal. Unfortunately, I’ll be gone by the time she arrives, as it appears there will be quite the celebration.
By the time I get back to the hotel and get some dinner, it is a little after 8pm. I try focusing on a little work, but all the jet lag from the past week is taking its toll, and by 8:30 I am out like a light.