Saturday evening 21st and Sunday 22nd November. We flew into Sydney and the start of our Australian leg of our travels after a 3½ hour flight from Christchurch. We had heard on the news that Sydney was suffering a heat wave, but the 30˚C+ heat was still a shock after the relative coolness of New Zealand’s South Island. The flight into the airport was a great introduction to the city as we could quite clearly see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge from our aircraft window.
Sydney is the largest city in Australia and the capital city of New South Wales. Australia comprises of a number of states and each state has certain autonomy with regards to laws etc (very similar to devolution!) The city has a population of 4.3 million and is considered to be among the most multi cultural in the world. We were staying near the harbour and we spent Saturday evening walking around the Opera House and taking in the vibrancy of the city and the teeming night life. We even experienced the rehearsals of Australian Idol, which was to be filmed in front of the Opera House.
Sunday was spent walking a wonder of British engineering – the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The steel arch bridge is 504m long and 134m high, weighs 39,000 tonnes, and is held together by six million rivets. We were driven across the bridge, walked across the pedestrian walkway, and climbed over the bridge and stood on the highest point and experienced an incredible view of the Opera House and one of the most beautiful harbours in the world. The climb was done in 30˚C heat and I was not sure if that was what made me feel faint or the six lane traffic traveling below me as I clambered along the steel framework!
A ferry ride out to Manley beach gave us another perspective of Sydney and the waves that can be a surfers paradise. Time did not allow us to visit the famous Bondi beach further up the coast, but we soon realized why Sydney is a magnet for visitors and sun seekers.
Sydney is the largest city in Australia and the capital city of New South Wales. Australia comprises of a number of states and each state has certain autonomy with regards to laws etc (very similar to devolution!) The city has a population of 4.3 million and is considered to be among the most multi cultural in the world. We were staying near the harbour and we spent Saturday evening walking around the Opera House and taking in the vibrancy of the city and the teeming night life. We even experienced the rehearsals of Australian Idol, which was to be filmed in front of the Opera House.
Sunday was spent walking a wonder of British engineering – the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The steel arch bridge is 504m long and 134m high, weighs 39,000 tonnes, and is held together by six million rivets. We were driven across the bridge, walked across the pedestrian walkway, and climbed over the bridge and stood on the highest point and experienced an incredible view of the Opera House and one of the most beautiful harbours in the world. The climb was done in 30˚C heat and I was not sure if that was what made me feel faint or the six lane traffic traveling below me as I clambered along the steel framework!
A ferry ride out to Manley beach gave us another perspective of Sydney and the waves that can be a surfers paradise. Time did not allow us to visit the famous Bondi beach further up the coast, but we soon realized why Sydney is a magnet for visitors and sun seekers.
No comments:
Post a Comment