Around Sydney

I spent about a week in Sydney while I was in Australia.

railcars — The rail car I slept in at the Sydney Railway YHA hostel.

I stayed in the Railway Station YHA, which I definitely recommend. It was cheap, clean, and nice.

me and shari on train — Shari and I on the train.

Some of that time was just for sight-seeing. Some of that time was to visit my fabulous friend Shari, who flew up from Melbourne to see me.

Sydney was harder to get around than I expected, since the buses do not have posted routes inside them and they don’t announce stops. Getting around South Korea was actually easier since the stops were announced, and the routes were posted on bus stops and inside buses.

I did like the train system though. That was quick and efficient, and the stops are announced on the trains.

cockatoo — A Cockatoo at Central Station begging for food.

I did all the usual stuff, like visiting the shops in The Rocks and going to the Sydney Aquarium. It was lots of fun.

city — A look at the old and new buildings that make up Sydney.

I also saw all the famous sights, like the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House.

at the hostel — Me in the common room of the Railway Station YHA.

Of course I love plants as much as I love fish (which is a lot.) So, the very best part was the Royal Botanical Gardens.

plant wall — Plant wall at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney.

I tried the Big Bus Tour since a roommate at the hostel gave me her ticket for her second day. It was actually really awesome to just sit for a day and listen to the headphones talk about the history of Sydney, but it’s better to use the train to get to the tourist spots.

shari and friend — Shari and her friend when we got vegan Chinese by the opera house.

I tried all kinds of food. Some of the best Chinese dumplings I have ever had, avocado toast, and some German pastries to name a few. There are some very good restaurants in Sydney.

Chinese Food — Noodles at my friend Mel’s favorite Chinese place in China Town.

I loved Sydney. The mix of old and new is very cool. You’ll see a Cathedral from colonial days next to a brand new building; all glass and plants.

Plus, I met a lot of cool people. An Egyptian immigrant named Sayeed helped me when I was lost. A French girl on vacation gave me advice on things she liked to see. And several ozzies took the time to sit down with me and tell me about their country and what it is like to live there.

avacado toast — Avocado Toast at a cafe in Newtown.

We have talked about moving to another country when Rich gets out of the military. We have thought a lot about Canada, Mexico, France, and Thailand. But honestly, Australia was the best I have seen so far. I think it’s at the top of the list now.