Australia Travel Blog: Sydney City Tour

Sydney Travel Blog: Part 4

2-Day Combo: Sydney City Tour + Sydney Harbour Lunch Cruise and Blue Mountains Day Trip

Sydney Travel Blog: Part 3 | Sydney Downtown

The best part staying of in Devere hotel was that it was in the heart of downtown Sydney and steps from the Kings Cross station. I was expected to be picked up in front of the hotel at 7:25 by the Grey Line tour bus.

I took a combo tour that was a two-day tours. On my first day, I would visit the highlights of Sydney and then a harbour cruise. The second day of the tour would take me outside of Sydney to visit the Blue Mountains.

The big tour bus came exactly on time. I sat in the front section because the bus was still not full. We would still pick up more customers at some other locations.

The bus drove through some of Sydney’s most cultural and historic spots with narrated commentaries. Our first stop was at The Rocks. This was the historic place where Sydney was founded.

Next to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this is where European settlers first landed in 1788. I wandered through the cobbled laneways and open quarters where the convicts, soldiers, and sailors used to live and sleep. It’s like open-air, outdoor quarters made of stones.

The Rocks is also famous for hosting Sydney’s oldest pubs, upscale restaurants with harbour views, the Museum of Contemporary Art, open markets, food stalls, and much more.

The Rocks is a vibrant, historic waterfront district where present and past collide. It is one of the must-see attractions to visit in Sydney to understand the city’s past and present.   

We were given a guided tour in The Rocks and then some free time to wander around. I took this opportunity to capture my Rocks visit with my camera.

Australia Travel Blog: In Sydney Downtown

Sydney Travel Blog: Part 3

Devere Hotel, Potts Point, Sydney

Sydney Travel Blog: Part 2 First Time Taking Sydney Metro Subway

My hotel, Devere Hotel at 44-46 Macleay Street, Potts Point, should be within walking distance. I asked a random person on the street for direction. I didn’t feel like opening my GPS. To my surprise, the guy walked me a couple of blocks just to show me where the hotel is, which was totally unexpected. That was my first experience of how friendly Australians can be right on my first day.

The hotel was rated 3.5 stars and very old. I was relieved my room reservation was still good, as I was a little late. There was only one person at the counter who checked me in.

I took a very old elevator to my room. My room description was “single room with view”. However, it was so small that I barely could move. I could not find any in-room safe box. I had my Chromebook with me and didn’t want to leave it in my bag, so I kept my laptop at the front desk safe-deposit box.

Also, I had to pay for the Internet, which I haven’t done in a long time. But I was able to get a deal after requesting it; sometimes just asking for things nicely does the job.

One good thing about the room was that it had a very nice view of the bay and the many sailing boats exploring its waters. The view made my stay in that tiny room OK. Everything in the room was too old and showed its age. Even the air conditioner was so loud that it found it difficult to sleep. It was so hot that I had no choice but to keep it on.

Australia Travel Blog: First Time Taking Sydney Metro (Subway)

Sydney Travel Blog: Part 2

Sydney Travel Blog: Part 1

Sydney International Airport Station

While I was waiting for my train to come, I took a closer look at the Metro or subway station and some trains passing by on the other side of the station. 

In terms of cleanliness, lightings and fixtures, aesthetic looks, and everything else, I could not see much difference in a Sydney metro station than in a Toronto station. 

However, there were some obvious differences such as the Australian accent in the announcements, door closing chimes, and the noise of the train. And these were expected to be different in a different city. 

The train I boarded was a double-decker train, like Go Transit trains in Toronto. I noticed that yellow and silver colours were used for the trains’ inside and outside colour-theme. However, the seat covers were all blue. The door space felt like slightly wider than on Toronto TTC trains. 

Without any trouble, I changed my train at the Central Station and boarded a different train towards Kings Cross station. It took me slightly more than an hour to reach Kings Cross station. Once I got out of the station, it was close to 11:00 PM. I was out on the street and I was shocked to see so many people were out partying, sitting in open-air restaurants, or just hanging out. Although it was expected because it was Friday night, I have not seen people out partying on this scale for a while. 

That’s when I realized right away that Australians are happier than people in many other countries on the planet. People seemed to be friendly and cheerful. I wouldn’t mind watching people more, but I had to concentrate on finding my hotel, which was supposed to be not too far from the station. 

Australia Travel Blog: Just Landed in Sydney

Sydney Travel Blog: Part 1

At the SYD Airport

Passing airport immigration and customs was a breeze. It was all done electronically, and no one stopped me to ask any questions. Now, it was time to head for public transit. Sydney Airport is far from downtown, and it would cost a lot to take a taxi.

The train station I needed to take was the Sydney International Airport Station. The station was located at the northern end of the terminal; just a few minutes walk. I had only a piece of carry-on luggage, so it didn’t bother me to walk a little.

Sydney Metro Experience

I knew I had to reach Kings Cross Station, but I didn’t know how to reach it. After going underground a few levels on escalators, I saw the ticket counters and machines. It was close to 9:30 and I didn't see any humans, so machines were my only way to buy tickets.

The card I purchased from the machine for a one-way ride to my station was called Opal. Opal is the smartcard ticket you need to ride public transport systems in Sydney and many other cities in Australia. 

My trip cost me $18.70 AUD, which was close to the same amount in Canadian dollars. Once I tapped on the Opal card and got inside the station, I asked someone to tell me which platform to use and how to get to my final destination, Kings Cross. People seemed to be friendly and one young gentleman who looked like a student explained everything to me in detail. I needed to change the train at Central Station, i.e. change to platform 24 to take the Eastern Line train. 

Qantas International Business Class Review | Auckland – Sydney | Boeing 737-800 (winglets)

New Zealand Travel Blog: Part 17 | QANTAS Business Class | Boeing 737 - 800

Business Class | Boeing 737 - 800

Like my Business Class flight from Melbourne to Auckland, I was expecting a business class cabin suite like in the Airbus A330 - 200, but I was disappointed. Qantas 737 - 800 Business Class seats are just upgraded versions of economy class.

These are not lie-flat seats. Laid out in a 2-2 configuration, Qantas 737 - 800 seats are recliner seats wrapped in maroon leather which offers 37 inches pitch and 22 inches width. There is no direct aisle access for window-side passengers. 

 Seats have an adjustable headrest and there is a 10.6-inch entertainment screen in the back of the seat. The problem with this is if the front person reclines, your monitor reclines too. For 7 inches more legroom and 5 inches more width, if I were paying for this flight, I would not upgrade from economy. 

The food, however, I couldn’t complain about. I had a sourdough sandwich with roast beef, cheddar cheese, tomato, and baby spinach. I also had coffee, ice cream and orange juice.

 The washrooms were OK, but I have had better ones in other business class flights. Another thing I noticed was that the aisle was narrow, so it was not easy to walk to the washroom if you bump into another person.

Overall, my experience with Qantas 737 - 800 was average. I was missing my Melbourne – Auckland Airbus A330 – 200 trip the whole time.

 I was scheduled to reach Sydney at 8:05 PM and planned to take the subway to reach my hotel in downtown Sydney. It would probably be midnight by the time I got there and I was excited about the experience of taking the subway in Sydney for the first time.