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When I arrived in Sydney last night, the sky was glowing with a bright sunset as we landed. By the time I got through Customs & Immigration and caught the train to the station near my hostel, it was dark out and busy with commuters at the end of the work day.

I was up early this morning, not wanting to waste a moment of my only day in Sydney, so I started walking right after breakfast at the hotel. It was a bout a 40 minute walk to the harbour, through the CBD.

I like being out and about during the morning rush--it gives a great sense of what a city is really like. My thoughts as I made my way down George Street were that there was nothing special about Sydney. That is, until I arrived at Circular Quay, and suddenly the Harbour Bridge was above me, the breeze was fresh off the water, the sun was no longer blocked by buildings, the traffic noise was behind me, and the Opera House was ahead.

I wandered through the Rocks and around the base of the bridge, then around the Quay and the Opera House to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Before today, I was determined not to get all crazy about the Opera House, but it is so stunning up close--the lines of it, the way it gleams, the way you can walk right around it and right up to it.

By the time I reached the cafe in the Botanic Gardens it was 11am and I needed morning tea. I had a cappuccino and scones with cream and jam in the shady garden, and only had to chase one bird away from my table.

I spent hours wandering through the Gardens, enjoying the sun and the plants, the flowers, the birds. There was a cockatoo that landed on a fountain for a drink, some amazing spring blossoms, a patient dragonfly on a tulip... The only thing unpleasant was the bats in the trees. I love seeing bats come out at dusk, knowing they are an insect-eating army, but I don't like them screeching and flying overhead during the day!

At 3pm I found a pub to watch the Canada vs. Tonga game on TV. As excited as I am to be in Australia for the first time, I felt like I was being unfaithful, being away from New Zealand. A few people gave me odd looks for sitting by myself watching rugby, and I could hear a group of guys talking about how Canada didn't stand a chance--imagine my delight and their surprise when Canada pulled off a win against Tonga!

My walk back to the hostel was during the start of the evening commute. I spent a bit of time on the rooftop patio, watching the sun set over the city and daydreaming about tomorrow, when I fly to Alice Springs.

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