Sydney, Australia 2013 (Part I) | General Info & Days 1 - 2
In the end, I did it. I have been playing with the idea of a trip like this - budget in terms of air ticket and accommodation and spending only on experience. Despite several (very attractive) promotions by Scoot, I lacked the courage to go ahead. They once had a 2-cent promotion, and I regretted not being decisive about where I want to go and what I want to do. So by the next promotion, I decided that I'll just do it. Book the ticket and think later.
Departure is in about two weeks' time from when I book my flight. I have to plan my own itinerary starting from zero. It is not as easy as Bangkok where I can just flag a cab if in doubt. I want my itinerary to be perfect. Planning my own itinerary (complete with directions and operating hours) makes me feel more excited about the trip and take ownership of the trip. :)
I am someone who is usually very dependent on others when it comes to travel. I am very bad with directions and I can't read maps at all. I am afraid of the dark. I see this trip as a chance to walk out of my comfort zone. To get a little lost. To get a little scared.
The degree of how detailed my itinerary is absurd. Coupled with the awesome weather and Google Maps, my trip is a big success. :D
Exchange rate was about AUD1: SGD1.15. I spent about SGD2,000 for this 1-week trip.
The flight - Flyscoot ($315)
10 August 2013 - Singapore to Sydney - 02:10AM - 11.40AM (local time)
16 August 2013 - Sydney to Singapore - 12.50PM - 19:00PM (local time)
Sydney is 2 hours ahead of Singapore. I took the FlyBag option (yes I survived without any food in-flight) and it comes with 15kg baggage allowance both ways. Bought extra 5kg for Singapore --> Sydney (it came to good use). I took the normal blue seats for the flight to Sydney and I find that the legroom is similar to full-service carriers; degree of lay-back incline was good too. I was upgraded to the yellow S-t-r-e-t-c-h seat for the flight to Singapore and it was really comfortable!
Visa is required and an application has to be made online (AUD20).
Accommodation - YHA Central Sydney (3 nights) and Bounce Sydney (3 nights)
I decided to stay in Central for convenience and safety. Both hostels are very near to the Central station (different exits) and are about a 8-minute walk apart. The reason why I booked different hostels is because the trip is last-minute and there weren't many availabilities left.
YHA Central Sydney | 8-share dorm - AUD37 per night
Bounce Sydney | 8-share dorm ensuite (with private bathroom) - AUD 39 per night
Total expenditure for accommodation: AUD228 (~SGD265)
It is my first time staying in a shared dorm. I pretty much stayed in my own room, not going to the laundry, kitchen or lounge area. The bathroom and toilet are shared and honestly the private bathroom at Bounce didn't make much of a difference because there is only one bathroom shared with 7 others. There are times I have to use the public shared bathroom in the same level. I do not have problems with that though. Both are pretty cool hostels (use card swiping system) and the toilets were clean. They work on lockers in hostels and you do need to bring your own padlock (or buy from them) and towel/toiletries. To compare the two, I'd think I prefer Bounce Sydney. Both do not offer free Wi-fi which does not matter to me because I bought pre-paid SIM card.
For both hostels, the people were really helpful when I ask for directions. :)
Day 1
Singapore --> Kingsford Smith Airport T1 --> YHA Central Sydney
Upon clearing customs, I started looking out for the 'yes' OPTUS kiosk to get my pre-paid SIM card. Unlimited internet usage and free local calls at AUD2 per day. I was asked to pay AUD15 (extra AUD1 can be used to make 1 international call for 10 mins) which is sufficient but just in case I'll make more than 1 international call, I topped up AUD20. It turns out to be a waste because I only used whatsapp and did not make any international calls. At AUD2 per day, this is really worth it!
This is the kiosk. :)
The airport looks pretty easy to navigate and without much effort I found my way to the Airport Link. Here, a single trip to Central (only a few stations away, barely 15 minutes) costs AUD15.90 but I bought a return trip ticket (valid for 7 days) for AUD20. I also purchased a MyMulti1 weekly pass at AUD44. Public transport in Sydney is very expensive and this pass allows unlimited travel on trains, buses, light rail (trams) and government ferries for a week. I didn't take any ferries using this pass but I believe I did put the pass to good use nonetheless.
The passes look the same because I purchased them at the Airport Link counter. Be careful not to use the wrong pass, haha.
Two-level trains!
YHA Central Sydney is just a 5-minute walk from the Central Station (Eddy Ave exit). It is not hard to spot the place.
The entrance is at the side of the building, which is easy to miss! :/
Upon check-in, I am given 2 pieces of linen to lay on my bed. I need to judge for myself which are the unoccupied beds (lol). So I make it a point to leave some stuff on my bed so that anyone new who checks in can tell that my bed is occupied. Of course, it is better to sleep in the lower bunks. My padlock didn't fit so I have to purchase one at AUD6 from the reception.
This is how the hostel room looks like. Pretty basic but comfortable and spacious enough. :)
YHA Central Sydney --> Paddy's Market --> YHA Central
The original plan is to go to Paddington's Market (which is open on Saturdays) but after reading (in the plane and in the guide book taken at the airport) that this market is mainly like designer fashion, jewelry and art, I decided to give this a miss as these ain't my cup of tea and the journey there itself takes about 30 minutes.
I decided to go to Paddy's Market, which I read online that this is where you can get many things at a much cheaper price. It's just a 5 minutes walk from YHA Central but as it's my first day in Sydney, I spent some time getting lost and looking for the place. This day, I mainly only looked around.
The whole stretch here is the Paddy's Market.
This is how the inside looks like - a little like our Bugis Village. Souvenirs and nuts can be found here!
I got into some trouble finding the way back to YHA Central. I think even on my third time walking past Paddy's Market, I am still getting lost. Talk about being bad in directions.
YHA Central --> Darling Habour --> Harbourside Shopping Centre --> Chinatown --> YHA Central
Next, I headed to Darling Harbour. I had wanted to take the tram (as per my research) but the reception told me that it's only a short walk away. It is indeed only a short walk away (probably about 10 minutes) but I got lost again! I got really thirsty and stopped by 7-11 to get a bottle of Coke Zero (600ml) at AUD4.40 (!!!); with calories somemore. I walked around Darling Habour (it wasn't dark yet) then walked on to Habourside Shopping Centre. Most things are expensive anyway so I didn't do a lot of shopping.
Darling Harbour
Went to Chocolateria San Churro (Harbourside Shopping Centre outlet), one of the recommended food places.
The churros were really good! It costs AUD11.
As I walked out, it is already dark. A pity my night shots ain't well-taken. :( Imagine how pretty when not only the buildings lighted up, all the ships and yatchs were lighted up too!
Sydney's skies turned dark by 6pm and as most shops are closed by then, it's pretty much a ghost town after 6pm. This is also why I have time to pen down my thoughts after each day ended. The weather is bizarre (read: troublesome). In the morning and night, it is really cold. In the afternoon it can be quite warm (only a thin sweater is needed).
As I walked back from Darling Harbour back to YHA Central, I passed by Chinatown and decided to head in to take a look. There ain't anything much there except for Chinese restaurants which I'm not very interested in (especially not on the first day in Sydney). I attempted to look for another raved restaurant, Chat Thai @ Haymarket (near Chinatown) but it was closed till 17 Aug 2013. -.-
How Chinatown looks like.
Chinatown is just a 5 minutes walk from YHA Central and I realised that it's linked to Darling Harbour. This is a day of getting lost and getting used to the area around Central.
Day 2
YHA Central --> Woolworths @ Town Hall --> YHA Central
I believe in shopping in supermarkets when one is overseas. This is where you can get things like snacks at a cheaper price. And also get to see many varieties of stuff that are sold in that particular country. I was thrilled to know that there is a big supermarket at Town Hall, which is just one station (3 minutes) away from Central.
I got a little lost again (haha). Walked past this place called Queen Victoria Building (which is also in my itinerary, but not today) and the exterior is so magnificent I stopped for some photos.
Opened from 6am to 12am.
I later realise that it's actually linked to Town Hall station and just beside one of the underground paths to Town Hall station. I shopped a little and of course, bought 1.25 litre worth of Coke Zero (AUD2.47) which is much cheaper. I know I will be back to stock up more. I went back to YHA Central to prepare to get to my breakfast place.
YHA Central --> bills @ Surry Hills --> Paddy's Market --> YHA Central
My itinerary states that bills is only a 4 minutes bus ride away from one of the bus stops at Central. However, the reception suggested that I walk there as it will only take me 15 minutes. I am fine with a 15-minute walk, but I tried my luck at waiting for a bus which took some time to come, such that I decided that I'll just walk. Depended on my GPS which is a great help. It is indeed Surry Hills which involves walking uphill. The cool weather makes it bearable though.
Ricotta Hotcakes (AUD19.50)
Hot Chocolate (AUD5.50)
It was almost 9am when I reached bills and I've got to wait a little as it really does seem popular. The hotcakes were really good, and the hot chocolate was good too (at this point). It doesn't seem like a lot but I was really full even though I left half a hotcake and half the hot chocolate unfinished. Why am I so full, I asked myself. It's only 3 hotcakes! I thought the problem lies with me because I never had a problem with finishing food in Singapore.
One thing about Aussie - the shops close early but they also open early. Like bills opens at 7am!
bills @ Surry Hills --> Paddy's Market --> YHA Central
Headed to Paddy's Market to get nuts (cheaper in Aussie)! I bought 2 kg of almonds, 1 kg of macadamia nuts, 1 kg of cashew nuts and 0.5 kg of mixed nuts! They smell and taste really good too! The seller gave me some nougats free-of-charge. I am not a fan of nougats so I didn't buy any back. I also got UGG boots (made in Australia; top-notch quality) and some other souvenirs.
My UGG boots costs AUD80 (~SGD92) which is really worth it!
Check out the tees I got for Preston and Hayley. :)
Walked back to YHA Central again (will pass by on the way to Central station).
YHA Central --> The Rocks @ Circular Quay
Circular Quay station is where one can take ferries to the different places in Sydney. I decided not to include Manly Wharf (which requires taking a ferry) in my itinerary so I did not utilize my pass for any ferries in the end.
I am supposed to go to The Rocks market (open only on weekends), The Rocks Discovery Museum (free entry) and Sydney Observatory (free entry).
The Rocks market
Stores in The Rocks market
The items in The Rocks market are overpriced and I completed it with lots of time left. However, it's still nice to just walk and see though. I walked to The Rocks Museum and came out within 5 minutes because I simply wasn't interested. Decided to skip the observatory as well because I didn't see it in the vicinity and wasn't excited about it for some reason.
At this time, I recalled that there is a place called Tea Cosy, which is said to sell really good scones. I would have missed the place if I didn't have the exact address on hand.
Have to walk in further to get to the eating area; really easy to miss...
Really cosy inside!
Scones with jam and cream (AUD9)
The scones were really good (for lack for a better word) and so was the jam, even though I don't usually eat jam. Not a fan of the cream though. I couldn't finish it again, even though it is supposed to be lunch time. Was really stuffed after 1 and a half scones.
The Rocks --> Sydney Harbour Bridge --> Sydney Opera House
I was done with The Rocks by 2+ pm. I didn't particularly visit the Sydney Habour Bridge / Opera House (but saw them) because I'll be visiting them when I go on a day walking tour on another day. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House are a 15-minute walk apart.
Sydney Harbour Bridge; walking to the Sydney Opera House from here...
Sydney Opera House (close up)
I think the only way to get inside the Sydney Opera House is to watch a show inside or join a tour. Heard that the toilet is impressive!
Sydney Opera House --> Royal Botanic Gardens -->Sydney Opera House (walk)
I read that it was a nice walk from the Sydney Opera House through the Royal Botanic Gardens and originally planned it for another day (with the Coastal Walk which probably involve too much walking and rushed time). Since I have time, I decided to do it today.
Top view; nearing the entrance of the Royal Botanic Gardens
Walked to the Government House
Their Botanic Gardens is huge (I haven't been to Singapore's in ages) and it was a nice walk, just that my legs got really tired...
Attempted to walk all the way to Macquarie area (with views of green, lake, and harbour!). I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking out for but I just kept walking as I remembered I read something about Macquarie online. Then I reached this place where seems like I can't continue walking further. It has an awesome view of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. How can I miss taking a photo here?
A mandatory touristy shot. :)
Walked back to Sydney Opera House by 4pm. My original plan is have dinner at Pancakes on the Rocks, then look at the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House at night. As it was still early and I was really tired, I decided not to wait for the night view and try Pancakes on the Rocks another day instead.
Circular Quay --> Queen Victoria Building (QVB) @ Town Hall --> YHA Central
QVB is a high-end shopping centre hence I went there just to look at the architecture. Indeed, I was impressed! Magnificent exterior and interior. Definitely worth a look-see.
Exterior of QVB (oops, not well-taken)
Interior of QVB
Nice lift!
Like the toilet even :)
I read that Town Hall has many shopping areas hence I also explored a little and spotted Westfields (a shopping centre) and Meyers (departmental store). I was really dead beat by 5.30pm, so I headed back to YHA Central. I took a nap till 6.30pm and decided to stay in and go without dinner (considered late in Sydney).
In fact, I skipped a couple of meals in Sydney because their servings are huge so I get quite full with 2 meals a day. Haha!
Sydney, Australia 2013 (Part II) | Days 3 - 4
Sydney, Australia 2013 (Part III) | Days 5 - 7
Departure is in about two weeks' time from when I book my flight. I have to plan my own itinerary starting from zero. It is not as easy as Bangkok where I can just flag a cab if in doubt. I want my itinerary to be perfect. Planning my own itinerary (complete with directions and operating hours) makes me feel more excited about the trip and take ownership of the trip. :)
I am someone who is usually very dependent on others when it comes to travel. I am very bad with directions and I can't read maps at all. I am afraid of the dark. I see this trip as a chance to walk out of my comfort zone. To get a little lost. To get a little scared.
The degree of how detailed my itinerary is absurd. Coupled with the awesome weather and Google Maps, my trip is a big success. :D
Exchange rate was about AUD1: SGD1.15. I spent about SGD2,000 for this 1-week trip.
The flight - Flyscoot ($315)
10 August 2013 - Singapore to Sydney - 02:10AM - 11.40AM (local time)
16 August 2013 - Sydney to Singapore - 12.50PM - 19:00PM (local time)
Sydney is 2 hours ahead of Singapore. I took the FlyBag option (yes I survived without any food in-flight) and it comes with 15kg baggage allowance both ways. Bought extra 5kg for Singapore --> Sydney (it came to good use). I took the normal blue seats for the flight to Sydney and I find that the legroom is similar to full-service carriers; degree of lay-back incline was good too. I was upgraded to the yellow S-t-r-e-t-c-h seat for the flight to Singapore and it was really comfortable!
Visa is required and an application has to be made online (AUD20).
Accommodation - YHA Central Sydney (3 nights) and Bounce Sydney (3 nights)
I decided to stay in Central for convenience and safety. Both hostels are very near to the Central station (different exits) and are about a 8-minute walk apart. The reason why I booked different hostels is because the trip is last-minute and there weren't many availabilities left.
YHA Central Sydney | 8-share dorm - AUD37 per night
Bounce Sydney | 8-share dorm ensuite (with private bathroom) - AUD 39 per night
Total expenditure for accommodation: AUD228 (~SGD265)
It is my first time staying in a shared dorm. I pretty much stayed in my own room, not going to the laundry, kitchen or lounge area. The bathroom and toilet are shared and honestly the private bathroom at Bounce didn't make much of a difference because there is only one bathroom shared with 7 others. There are times I have to use the public shared bathroom in the same level. I do not have problems with that though. Both are pretty cool hostels (use card swiping system) and the toilets were clean. They work on lockers in hostels and you do need to bring your own padlock (or buy from them) and towel/toiletries. To compare the two, I'd think I prefer Bounce Sydney. Both do not offer free Wi-fi which does not matter to me because I bought pre-paid SIM card.
For both hostels, the people were really helpful when I ask for directions. :)
Day 1
Singapore --> Kingsford Smith Airport T1 --> YHA Central Sydney
Upon clearing customs, I started looking out for the 'yes' OPTUS kiosk to get my pre-paid SIM card. Unlimited internet usage and free local calls at AUD2 per day. I was asked to pay AUD15 (extra AUD1 can be used to make 1 international call for 10 mins) which is sufficient but just in case I'll make more than 1 international call, I topped up AUD20. It turns out to be a waste because I only used whatsapp and did not make any international calls. At AUD2 per day, this is really worth it!
This is the kiosk. :)
The airport looks pretty easy to navigate and without much effort I found my way to the Airport Link. Here, a single trip to Central (only a few stations away, barely 15 minutes) costs AUD15.90 but I bought a return trip ticket (valid for 7 days) for AUD20. I also purchased a MyMulti1 weekly pass at AUD44. Public transport in Sydney is very expensive and this pass allows unlimited travel on trains, buses, light rail (trams) and government ferries for a week. I didn't take any ferries using this pass but I believe I did put the pass to good use nonetheless.
The passes look the same because I purchased them at the Airport Link counter. Be careful not to use the wrong pass, haha.
Two-level trains!
YHA Central Sydney is just a 5-minute walk from the Central Station (Eddy Ave exit). It is not hard to spot the place.
The entrance is at the side of the building, which is easy to miss! :/
Upon check-in, I am given 2 pieces of linen to lay on my bed. I need to judge for myself which are the unoccupied beds (lol). So I make it a point to leave some stuff on my bed so that anyone new who checks in can tell that my bed is occupied. Of course, it is better to sleep in the lower bunks. My padlock didn't fit so I have to purchase one at AUD6 from the reception.
This is how the hostel room looks like. Pretty basic but comfortable and spacious enough. :)
YHA Central Sydney --> Paddy's Market --> YHA Central
The original plan is to go to Paddington's Market (which is open on Saturdays) but after reading (in the plane and in the guide book taken at the airport) that this market is mainly like designer fashion, jewelry and art, I decided to give this a miss as these ain't my cup of tea and the journey there itself takes about 30 minutes.
I decided to go to Paddy's Market, which I read online that this is where you can get many things at a much cheaper price. It's just a 5 minutes walk from YHA Central but as it's my first day in Sydney, I spent some time getting lost and looking for the place. This day, I mainly only looked around.
The whole stretch here is the Paddy's Market.
This is how the inside looks like - a little like our Bugis Village. Souvenirs and nuts can be found here!
I got into some trouble finding the way back to YHA Central. I think even on my third time walking past Paddy's Market, I am still getting lost. Talk about being bad in directions.
YHA Central --> Darling Habour --> Harbourside Shopping Centre --> Chinatown --> YHA Central
Next, I headed to Darling Harbour. I had wanted to take the tram (as per my research) but the reception told me that it's only a short walk away. It is indeed only a short walk away (probably about 10 minutes) but I got lost again! I got really thirsty and stopped by 7-11 to get a bottle of Coke Zero (600ml) at AUD4.40 (!!!); with calories somemore. I walked around Darling Habour (it wasn't dark yet) then walked on to Habourside Shopping Centre. Most things are expensive anyway so I didn't do a lot of shopping.
Darling Harbour
Went to Chocolateria San Churro (Harbourside Shopping Centre outlet), one of the recommended food places.
The churros were really good! It costs AUD11.
As I walked out, it is already dark. A pity my night shots ain't well-taken. :( Imagine how pretty when not only the buildings lighted up, all the ships and yatchs were lighted up too!
Sydney's skies turned dark by 6pm and as most shops are closed by then, it's pretty much a ghost town after 6pm. This is also why I have time to pen down my thoughts after each day ended. The weather is bizarre (read: troublesome). In the morning and night, it is really cold. In the afternoon it can be quite warm (only a thin sweater is needed).
As I walked back from Darling Harbour back to YHA Central, I passed by Chinatown and decided to head in to take a look. There ain't anything much there except for Chinese restaurants which I'm not very interested in (especially not on the first day in Sydney). I attempted to look for another raved restaurant, Chat Thai @ Haymarket (near Chinatown) but it was closed till 17 Aug 2013. -.-
How Chinatown looks like.
Chinatown is just a 5 minutes walk from YHA Central and I realised that it's linked to Darling Harbour. This is a day of getting lost and getting used to the area around Central.
Day 2
YHA Central --> Woolworths @ Town Hall --> YHA Central
I believe in shopping in supermarkets when one is overseas. This is where you can get things like snacks at a cheaper price. And also get to see many varieties of stuff that are sold in that particular country. I was thrilled to know that there is a big supermarket at Town Hall, which is just one station (3 minutes) away from Central.
I got a little lost again (haha). Walked past this place called Queen Victoria Building (which is also in my itinerary, but not today) and the exterior is so magnificent I stopped for some photos.
Opened from 6am to 12am.
I later realise that it's actually linked to Town Hall station and just beside one of the underground paths to Town Hall station. I shopped a little and of course, bought 1.25 litre worth of Coke Zero (AUD2.47) which is much cheaper. I know I will be back to stock up more. I went back to YHA Central to prepare to get to my breakfast place.
YHA Central --> bills @ Surry Hills --> Paddy's Market --> YHA Central
My itinerary states that bills is only a 4 minutes bus ride away from one of the bus stops at Central. However, the reception suggested that I walk there as it will only take me 15 minutes. I am fine with a 15-minute walk, but I tried my luck at waiting for a bus which took some time to come, such that I decided that I'll just walk. Depended on my GPS which is a great help. It is indeed Surry Hills which involves walking uphill. The cool weather makes it bearable though.
Ricotta Hotcakes (AUD19.50)
Hot Chocolate (AUD5.50)
It was almost 9am when I reached bills and I've got to wait a little as it really does seem popular. The hotcakes were really good, and the hot chocolate was good too (at this point). It doesn't seem like a lot but I was really full even though I left half a hotcake and half the hot chocolate unfinished. Why am I so full, I asked myself. It's only 3 hotcakes! I thought the problem lies with me because I never had a problem with finishing food in Singapore.
One thing about Aussie - the shops close early but they also open early. Like bills opens at 7am!
bills @ Surry Hills --> Paddy's Market --> YHA Central
Headed to Paddy's Market to get nuts (cheaper in Aussie)! I bought 2 kg of almonds, 1 kg of macadamia nuts, 1 kg of cashew nuts and 0.5 kg of mixed nuts! They smell and taste really good too! The seller gave me some nougats free-of-charge. I am not a fan of nougats so I didn't buy any back. I also got UGG boots (made in Australia; top-notch quality) and some other souvenirs.
My UGG boots costs AUD80 (~SGD92) which is really worth it!
Check out the tees I got for Preston and Hayley. :)
Walked back to YHA Central again (will pass by on the way to Central station).
YHA Central --> The Rocks @ Circular Quay
Circular Quay station is where one can take ferries to the different places in Sydney. I decided not to include Manly Wharf (which requires taking a ferry) in my itinerary so I did not utilize my pass for any ferries in the end.
I am supposed to go to The Rocks market (open only on weekends), The Rocks Discovery Museum (free entry) and Sydney Observatory (free entry).
The Rocks market
Stores in The Rocks market
The items in The Rocks market are overpriced and I completed it with lots of time left. However, it's still nice to just walk and see though. I walked to The Rocks Museum and came out within 5 minutes because I simply wasn't interested. Decided to skip the observatory as well because I didn't see it in the vicinity and wasn't excited about it for some reason.
At this time, I recalled that there is a place called Tea Cosy, which is said to sell really good scones. I would have missed the place if I didn't have the exact address on hand.
Have to walk in further to get to the eating area; really easy to miss...
Really cosy inside!
Scones with jam and cream (AUD9)
The scones were really good (for lack for a better word) and so was the jam, even though I don't usually eat jam. Not a fan of the cream though. I couldn't finish it again, even though it is supposed to be lunch time. Was really stuffed after 1 and a half scones.
The Rocks --> Sydney Harbour Bridge --> Sydney Opera House
I was done with The Rocks by 2+ pm. I didn't particularly visit the Sydney Habour Bridge / Opera House (but saw them) because I'll be visiting them when I go on a day walking tour on another day. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House are a 15-minute walk apart.
Sydney Harbour Bridge; walking to the Sydney Opera House from here...
Sydney Opera House (close up)
I think the only way to get inside the Sydney Opera House is to watch a show inside or join a tour. Heard that the toilet is impressive!
Sydney Opera House --> Royal Botanic Gardens -->Sydney Opera House (walk)
I read that it was a nice walk from the Sydney Opera House through the Royal Botanic Gardens and originally planned it for another day (with the Coastal Walk which probably involve too much walking and rushed time). Since I have time, I decided to do it today.
Top view; nearing the entrance of the Royal Botanic Gardens
Walked to the Government House
Their Botanic Gardens is huge (I haven't been to Singapore's in ages) and it was a nice walk, just that my legs got really tired...
Attempted to walk all the way to Macquarie area (with views of green, lake, and harbour!). I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking out for but I just kept walking as I remembered I read something about Macquarie online. Then I reached this place where seems like I can't continue walking further. It has an awesome view of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. How can I miss taking a photo here?
A mandatory touristy shot. :)
Walked back to Sydney Opera House by 4pm. My original plan is have dinner at Pancakes on the Rocks, then look at the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House at night. As it was still early and I was really tired, I decided not to wait for the night view and try Pancakes on the Rocks another day instead.
Circular Quay --> Queen Victoria Building (QVB) @ Town Hall --> YHA Central
QVB is a high-end shopping centre hence I went there just to look at the architecture. Indeed, I was impressed! Magnificent exterior and interior. Definitely worth a look-see.
Exterior of QVB (oops, not well-taken)
Interior of QVB
Nice lift!
Like the toilet even :)
I read that Town Hall has many shopping areas hence I also explored a little and spotted Westfields (a shopping centre) and Meyers (departmental store). I was really dead beat by 5.30pm, so I headed back to YHA Central. I took a nap till 6.30pm and decided to stay in and go without dinner (considered late in Sydney).
In fact, I skipped a couple of meals in Sydney because their servings are huge so I get quite full with 2 meals a day. Haha!
Sydney, Australia 2013 (Part II) | Days 3 - 4
Sydney, Australia 2013 (Part III) | Days 5 - 7