40,000 feet in the sky, I’ve seemed to have selected the "window seat" in economy class that doesn’t actually have a window and the guy next to me (who refused to place his large items in the overhead bin and subsequently is taking up half of my leg room) is a diehard Trump fan who would proceed to share his views with me over the course of the grueling 15 hour flight. Welcome to traveling where things aren’t always glamorous…
12,000 kilometers later I arrived in the Southern Hemisphere and made my way through customs (which by the way was much easier than my recent trip into Canada) and found my way to the taxi queue. The weather couldn’t have been better. My Chinese driver explained the sights we passed along the drive to Darling Harbour. The views from my hotel in Pyrmont were stunning displaying the skyline of tall buildings across a harbor draped in bridges and a ferris wheel.
Day one, although jetlagged, I took the time to explore the nearby area in Darling Harbor. Harbouside shopping and café exploring, I made my way over to the Chinese Gardens of Friendship and enjoyed a pot of tea with delicious pastries alongside a scenic hidden gem amidst the large skyscrapers. This place was amazing and highly recommended for the small $6 entry fee. Chinatown was just around the corner so of course I wandered through the Paddy markets (like a swap meet underground a mall shopping center) too.
I started the following day sipping on an authentic flat white (which we in America have miserably tried to replicate).. I began to realize how inflated the prices on commodities are on this island nation first hand. $20 breakfast, $5 coffee, $15 lunch, $7 smoothie, $60 cab, $25 take away dinner. I decided to try out public transpiration here as my research had explained the Opal card as the ideal way to get around town. I found my Opal card at a convenience store, downloaded the app, and was on my bus to the world famous Bondi Beach! I was thrilled about the timing of my trip because the Sculpture by the Sea exhibit was still on for the weekend I had arrived. The sculpture by the Sea exhibit is an art exhibition alongside the coastal walk from Bondi to Tamarama displaying sculptures seaside for 11 days and people from all over the world attend. The art was amazing as was the weather! (See pictures below)
