Landing in Sydney felt strange. Signs were in English, the airport was clean and the people were well dressed. We were back in a first world country and it felt like home. A little too much like home. Our trip is far from over but being in Sydney felt like we reached a travel hump of sorts. That being said, we were excited to explore comfortably and eat some familiar food.
First order of business was to settle into a new hemisphere. We had gone from the balmy 80 degree weather of Southeast Asia to the beginning of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Our first day was filled with laundry and shopping. That evening, dressed in our new outfits, we met Danny's former boss and friend for dinner. The boys had a good time catching up and it was nice to get insider tips from a local.
We spent the next five days exploring Sydney. We saw the famous Opera House from every angle. We walked across the Sydney Harbor Bridge to see the North side. We strolled the Royal Botanical Gardens and the streets of the Rock District. We walked Darling Harbour, Surrey Hill and Redfern.
One day, we took the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly. The 30 minute ferry ride is an adventure on its own with great views of the Opera House, bridge and Sydney skyline. Once in Manly we walked along the beach, climbed a small hill and enjoyed a bottle of wine while watching the surfers.
The next day, we rode the bus to Coogee Beach to walk the famous Coogee to Bondi Beach walk. The 2 hour walk takes you along the coast past small beaches and a large cemetery. We stopped along the way to watch the waves crash up on the rocks (where Danny got himself soaking wet). Again, we had a bottle of wine on a rock above the ocean but this time, with cheese, salami and crackers! It had been months since we last had cheese and it was absolutely delightful. When we arrived at Bondi Beach we were dazzled by a colorful sky filled with kites. It was the Sydney Kite Festival and it was a beautiful site.
Our trip to Sydney was short but nice. We are well rested and well fed. We enjoyed the Western food and the wine. We met some nice people and it felt like a pit stop at home. But we're off again to the beautiful scenery of New Zealand!
