The biggest city of Australia was our destination for three nights. It’s expensive to stay there overnight, but luckily there are some budget options.

We got to see most of the main sights. We started from the place the whole city has started: The Rocks. we took part in free walking tour (they collet tips in the end), http://www.imfree.com.au/sydney/rocksat6/. It was really good way to get the overview of the area, even Jukka lost the group at some stage (don’t ask).

Tip! As soon as in Sydney, buy yourself “Opal”-card, it’s the only way to use public transportation. Just load the card, the maximum you can spend a day is 15 AUD.

There are good happy hour offers both in food and drinks, that’s how we avoided to spend too much. Keep your eyes open! The city is easy to even walk around, it’s small enough, and on the other hand public transportation works out fine.

In Darling Harbour there is Maritime Museum, many ships are seen in the harbour even you wouldn’t pay the entrance to the museum itself.

Chinatown with its markets (Paddy market) is place to see, and there is good (and cheap) food.

 

One morning we went for a run to Botanical Garden and its surroundings. From there it was great to see the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Another morning we went to swim in Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool, which was cheap (6 AUD per person), and definitely worth to visit, we really liked the place. Water is filtered sea water and you can both bath and sun bath the same time in a great scenery.

 

For one evening Tony, the fan of Scandinavia, came to show us places around. It was so nice to spend time with other people than just hanging two of us. He introduced us also Thai Riffic (http://thairifficrandwick.com.au/thairifficrandwick.html) restaurant, where we used “BYO” for the first time, and brought our own bottle of wine to the restaurant. The restaurant was excellent, very tasty food!

 

On a drive, we saw also the famous Bondi Beach, and another lovely beach called Coogee beach.

Tony also took us to the other side of the bridge, from where the view towards the bridge and opera house was really beautiful! Without him we wouldn’t have found or reached this perfect spot! Tack så mycket Tony, we will meet again in Finland!

Our last day in Sydney we took the ferry to Manly village, and to its famous beach. The ferry trip is worth, you can even use the same Opal card for the transportation (about 14 AUD return). The scenery of the harbor is great and the village itself really pretty.

 

 

The supposedly very good and nice zoo was left for the next time. The weather in Sydney wasn’t too hot (now in the end of November), not as hot as in the Gold Coast for example, so high time for us to head to the tropics, Cairns, here we come!