AusTour 11: Sydney Day Two

Our first full day in Sydney we were out and ready to go by 9. As someone had said on the phone the day before when we were booking attractions, ‘if you’ve got see Sydney cards, you’ve probably got places to be.’ This was true, at 9am that morning we were heading to a 2 hour walking tour of Sydney that didn’t exist. The phone went to some security service, and we never actually found the booth. Regardless of that setback we went towards the Opera House looking for a tour. We successfully acquired a tour, led by a very amicable Sue around, in and outside the Opera House. Because we missed the 10am Sydney tour we luckily got into the opera part of the opera house (surprisingly the smaller side) before a 12pm performance. In all we got to see 3 of the theatres including the biggest two. Both of the big theatres were amazing, size-wise, technology-wise, whatever-wise. We weren’t aloud to take pictures though so you’ll have to see it for yourself. Following the tour there was some time for picture taking around the Opera House. On the tour Sue had explained all about the history of the Opera House and its design (which I couldn’t possible recount here)—the whole structure really is amazing. During some more down time we went into the Botanical Gardens for a quick look (there were bats roosting in the trees) before heading to the Rocks for a Rocks walking tour. It was a walking tour but it was also the most action packed history lesson anyone could have ever conceived. The history of the rocks was pretty much like the smelliest, dirties, hardest fought story ever told. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but the area of the Rocks has evolved a lot in history…from a bunch of rocks over a harbor, to a town where the shit flows down the rocks from your upstairs neighbors through your house, to a historical site known and preserved as the Rocks. Oh and I can now tell you whose on the A$20 bill now too. Following that, and with knowledge falling out of our ears, we practically ran to the scenic cruise of the harbor (with complimentary free drink). The cruise was good because we quietly sailed by the front of the opera house for a view from the harbor, and under the bridge and out to islands and other lands whose descriptions couldn’t possibly have fit in my head (There was something about a ship wreck, a fort, and the prime ministers house). The sun was setting as we glided past the opera house for the second time, giving it a slightly red glow.

As the sun was going down we raced to the sky tower practically in the middle of Sydney to get a look at Sydney before, during and after sunset. The sky tower is the tallest free standing structure in the southern hemisphere, rising 328 meters with observation deck up top (as well as restaurants) and Oztrek down bottom. The views up top were pretty awesome; both out to the mountain ranges where the sun was setting out to the harbour and out towards the sea. Oztrek downstairs was both mildly amusing and dreadfully tacky (that’s all I’m going to say about that).

With the sun now completely set we headed to our final destination for the night, the Aquarium. It was deserted pretty much, which was cool because there was no one there. Unfortunately the seals were asleep, but everything else was awake and swimming around. Of particular awesomeness was the oceanarium (the tubes where the fish swim around you). There were some huge fish, sharks and turtles floating around in there and again the best part was there was practically anyone there.

Following that we returned to the hotel and crashed. Like BSOD bad.

AusTour 9: Sydney Day One

So, fittingly as today is the 35th anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Opera House, we arrived into Sydney (thanks Google). As we drove in from Newcastle we came in over the Sydney harbor bridge with the Opera House rising beneath us. It was definitely the way to arrive into Sydney, and the view of the Opera House really is stunning. I guess for me it was something I never really thought I would see, so seeing it for the first time was pretty awesome. Our bus dumped us outside Sydney’s Central Station and once again we had to rapidly learn the Sydney transport system. We were heading to Kings Cross, out to one side of the city (I couldn’t tell you what side because Sydney’s orientation confuses me), to stay at the Pink House—yea, it was in fact pink. After checking in we went for a walk, heading towards the botanical gardens, but this became problematical with the sheer number of dead ends we encountered. We made it about half way to the botanical gardens, down an inordinate number of uneven steps before heading back to Kings Cross and the Hostel. On the way back we passed the largest billboard in the southern hemisphere, owned and utilized by Coca-Cola. Lonely planet described Kings Cross as “a densely populated dichotomy of good and evil. Strip joints, tacky tourist shops and backpackers hostels bang heads with classy restaurants, funky bars and gorgeous guesthouses. The cross retains a sleazy, cannibalistic aura, but the vague sense of menace is more imaginary than real.” This is the most aptly worded and accurate statement I’ve read in the lonely planet. We spend the night doing laundry and planning how exactly we were going to conquer Sydney in three days.