So good they should have named it twice (Sydney Harbour National Park)

Member Name: looby5

Product:	Sydney Harbour National Park
Date:	16/07/04 (283 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, Friendly, Vibrant

Disadvantages: No, none at all

I landed in Sydney on Boxing Day evening 2003 armed with only my backpack and my Lonely Planet guide book for company. I was on my own, (due to being let down by the friend I was supposed to be travelling with) and determined to have a good time. Needless to say I didn't find it too much of an effort.

I had booked hostel accommodation as I was to be in Sydney until Jan 1st and knew it would be difficult to get anywhere on the day which from speaking to others proved to be a good decision. After clearing immigration I found the city shuttle outside ($8 au, refunded by hostel) I was at the Alfred park budget Hotel in Redfern, walking distance into the city in about 20 mins. I was in a 4 bed mixed dorm with a colour TV and fridge and felt at home straight away. Luxury it wasn't but it was clean and safe and besides I wasn't there for luxory I was there to meet new people and have fun. I fell into a happy and contented sleep straight away.

Day 1

Sprang out of bed pulled back the curtains and, uh.. the sky was grey. That wasn't part of the plan but undeterred I set off to explore the city. I could see the sprawling metropolis that is Sydney from the steps of the hostel and just thinking back now of the impressive skyline makes me go misty eyed. I walked in, through china town and the business district through the busy shopping area, much like all other shopping areas around the world and headed straight for Darling Harbour and I wasn't disappointed it took my breath away. I was dying to get on one of the many boat trips around the harbour and whip out the camera but I thought I better explore the harbour area first of all. The thing that sticks in my mind about the harbour area is how pretty it is. There were beautiful flower beds all along one side myriad of pleasure craft in the water and that sky line? well, all I can say is I'm getting misty eyed again. I browsed the shops but once spotted I knew I had to go to the
Aquarium. Again, I wasn't disappointed, I thoroughly enjoyed it, I can imagine it would be pricey for a family It was about $18 aud from what I can recall, but it was really good with the Finding Nemo display and the glass walled tunnel where the sharks are all around. There are tanks marked with all the dangerous creatures that I found especially fascinating. A great couple of hours.
I decided against the IMAX cinema as I have been in one before and went for my cruise around the Harbour, Sydney's piece d 'resistance.
It was fantastic, the first view of the Opera House and the Harbour bridge I will never forget. That first day I took a full guided cruise and heard all about the history of the area, of circular key and the area where the first settlers arrived. The cost was $24 aud but It is a must do I would say.
That night, back at the Alfred Park I cooked up some pasta and got chatting in the kitchen to a guy who had a rental car. We decided that we would pop out to the bottle shop (off licence) and while we were out he showed me Bondi and Coogie beech's by dusk. Bondi is a bit trendy with wine bars and nice restaurants but as I was in scruffy shorts and sandals we kept on going.

Day 2

New room mate arrived, a fellow lone traveller, female 29 (a year older than me) she was meeting up with a couple of other backpackers she had met for new years eve. That day we did some girly bonding in the Pubs of central Sydney and planned the following day to go out to the Blue Mountains which was on my list as a must do. We browsed the shops between watering holes and had a thoroughly enjoyable day/night.

Day 3

An early start and a 2 hour train journey out to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. The train was on time, cheap and clean. Much more satisfying than handing over a wedge of cash to go on an organised tour. Katoomba was a quaint little town with great character and quaint shops and a couple of decent pubs. We
got on one of half a dozen bus tours that explore the Blue Mountains and visited the 3 sister formation using the cable car to go up and the steepest railway in the world (A bit like a roller coaster) to come down.
Another brilliant day.

Day 4

More new roommates and more shopping. Two more girls, one of 30 one 24. We went to the Haymarket, a big indoor market in the city much like you will find the world over. Afterwards we took the monorail around the city which was cheap, just a few dollars and lasted about 40 mins. The sun came out that afternoon so I took a water taxi ride back out into the harbour and re-took all those photos against a blue sky. I got off at the Opera house for a closer look then made my way across to the Botanical Gardens which were beautiful and full of people enjoying their Christmas holidays, sun bathing and playing Frisbee.
That evening I heard there was a production of the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe on at the Lyric Theatre so I thought I would check it out. The production was great but the actual complex (It's known as Star City) was also very impressive with a casino inside next to the theatre.

New Years Eve

My roomie's and I headed down to Circular Quay about lunchtime with a large picnic and lots of alcohol to find a good spec for the fireworks, which are at 9 pm and midnight. When we got there, there were already a good few hundred people laying out blankets on the grass to get a good view. We met lots of other people, mainly brits, I think the locals all stayed in to watch on TV. The fire works were out of this world and I truly felt I'd never spend NYE in a more impressive place. Misty eyed again and more than a little tipsy we started the half hour trek back to the Alfred Park for a few hours shut eye before I caught my plane up to the Gold Coast on Jan 1st.

The Verdict

Once in a lifetime type stuff, the weather came up trumps in the end, I made good f
riends saw a lot of the city. I can't say enough good things about Sydney. It is relatively cheap compared to UK and there were loads of Internet cafes, so despite the distance I was speaking to the family more that I normally would.

Summary: