Sydney

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Sydney is exactly what it's cracked up to be, nothing more, nothing less. Sydney is a world-class city, and probably the nicest one in the southern hemisphere. The city has a somewhat European feel to it, but with the accessibility and size of an American city...........although it is clearly Australian, don't get me wrong. I spent over a month in the area, and I am pretty sure that I did not scratch the surface of what it is really like to live here, but I did my best.

I enjoyed taking in as much as I could, and was able to catch up with a bunch of friends that I had met between the Caribbean, Europe and the States. There are many iconic landmarks in the area, and, ironically, 'iconic' is one of the most overused words in the Aussie dictionary, as everything is 'iconic' in Sydney.

Sydney Harbour a.k.a. Port Jackson is one of the most beautiful waterways that I've ever been to. There is great landscape and terrain following the waters edge with many different bays on either side of the harbor as well as all up through the Parramatta River, which feeds into the harbor. I had the chance to see the harbor and river in extreme detail, as we did over 180 miles of cruising in the river over the course of a week.

Sydney is also one of the most expensive cities that I've ever been to, and it doesn't help that the USD isn't quite as strong as it used to be. I have still yet to understand what all the people in Sydney do to make enough money to live and play there. I asked some locals that question, and they told me the same thing! Most businesses close at 5 p.m. on work days, which you can imagine is quite a pain in the ass if you work until five everyday. When do these people work? You can go out in the harbor a 1 p.m. on a Tuesday and find 50 sailboats, I mean good size 30' to 80' sailboats, just racing, midday. It's actually more like everyday. I mean, don't you people work? haha. There is a serious amount of money in Sydney.

Final comments on Australia: Everyone and everything has a nickname---Craig-Craigy or Craig-o, Documentary--Doco, Chewing Gum--Chewy, Facebook--Facey, Sick day--Sickie, etc. etc.

The coins that you get as change drive me nuts. Their $2 coin is sized somewhere between a US nickel and a dime. I sat down in my friends car and a bunch of change fell out of my pocket, like $30 worth. Apparently, when you buy a used car in Australia the first thing you do is check under the seats for change because it can add up to a lot pretty quick. The 50c piece on the other hand, is the size of a small china plate--I don't get it. The paper money is great though--waterproof!

The people of Australia have been great, they are very generally quite happy and enjoy having a laugh, which has made it quite fun.

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Photos

The Sydney Opera House
They say that 3 out of 4 people in the WORLD know what this is--pretty remarkable, and I'll even dare say 'Iconic'.

Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk
A popular tourist attraction, walking up the steel girders of the bridge.

Bondi Rescue
The busiest beach I've ever been on--this was a particularly busy day as it was New Year's day.

Busy Harbor
There are ton of ferries running through the harbor, and it can be a little tense navigating through them.

Cliffwalk
Scenic walk from Bondi to Coogee

'The Bridge'
Thought maybe we took a wrong turn somewhere.....

Northern Beaches
The coast North of Sydney is really scenic. My friend took me up there to have a look, and I wasn't disappointed.

Opera House Tiles
The roof of the Opera House is actually covered in tiles that are of 2 different colors.

Hazards
For the tourists not familiar with cars driving on the left.