Blogs from CBD, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Oceania - page 2

Our third and final day in Sydney dawned with sunshine streaming everywhere. We had to get into town earlier today because we planned to go on the "free" walking tour. We didn't know what to expect as the one in Cape Town hadn't been very good. We loved Sydney's though. Our guide, Leah, was so passionate about her home city and she showed us so many architectural gems and gave the human interest story of the city. We started in Hyde Park, this time at the grand Cathedral of St Margaret. From here we wandered past the Library of New South Wales, the old mint and the Rum Hospital. The story of this medical facility was fascinating. It was built to replace a bad clinic by some scurrilous rum importers in exchange for a monopoly on ... read more

Me voila arrivee enfin a Sydney, ville incontournable de l'Australie. J'y suis pour 4 jours. Je retrouve ma copine rencontree a Perth, Lorene. C'est vraiment sympa de se revoir apres 6 mois ! Apres avoir mange un bout chez elle, on est parties se promener afin que je decouvre un peu la ville. Le premier point obligatoire a donc ete le fameux Opera de Sydney, batiment a l'architecture exceptionnelle. C'etait vraiment impressionant de se retrouver devant. Je me suis enfin cru a Sydney ! On a marche le long des quais pour se retrouver au pied de l'Opera. C'est un endroit tres sympa, borde de restaurants et bar (et beaucoup de touristes ! ). Elle m'a ensuite emmene dans St Georges Street qui est la rue principale et a Darling Harbour. Encore un endroit plein de ... read more

After spending eight amazing weeks in Sydney, Australia I am leaving the country to start my big "Banana Pancake Trail" expedition. I traveled to Australia through an American internship abroad organization called Global Experiences who set me up with an internship at Cardinal Spin, a local Public Relations and Events Management firm. About 40 other interns and myself lived in the suburb Annandale, a short bus ride away from the Central Business District, and worked in numerous fields all over the city and surrounding suburbs. The experience was incredible, to say the least. I truly fell in love with Sydney and met so many incredible people along the way. With a heavy heart I'm leaving this beautiful country and moving on to my first real backpacking expedition! A friend and I will start our adventure in ... read more

This morning we walked through Hyde Park via the War Memorial to our first stop for the day at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Australian Museum on the corner of College Street and William Street right opposite St Mary's Cathedral. Bonus, our Museum Victoria membership allowed us to enter for free ... once we had showed ID proving that we are residents of Victoria. Apparently their annual membership here is more expensive so they had a problem with Sydney residents becoming Museum Victoria members so that they could visit the Australian Museum in Sydney for free. How cheeky is that?! The exhibition was incredibly inspiring. You have to admire people who plan for months, years even, in order to take a particular photograph, often in adverse conditions. For example, I think that ... read more

Landed at 9AM at Sydney International airport. Due to my traveling I have a lot of experience with Aussie accents so I felt right at home once I landed. Airasia was not a great flight but far from the worse I have been on so I will consider them for future travels. Immigration check was required for people not from Britain, USA or New Zealand. I had paid for my E Visa before I left Canada so I went to the line for people who had the E Visa. I presented my Passport which had been electronically connected to the E Visa. After a few questions I was advised I would be subjected to secondary checks. This has happened a few times when traveling and oddly enough most often when I cross back into Canada on ... read more