Entry #23, May 1, 2023, Australia

 

AUSTRALIA

The kookaburra laughs

The cockatoo squawks

The waves crash the rocky shore

Endless trails traverse… 

Along the coast, into the bush, through the rainforest trees…

Skirting beautiful Sydney

Its bridges, its opera house, its parks, 

And its mighty skyscrapers

A gem of a city on the edge of a magnificent land.

 

Sydney truly is a “gem of a city.” We are so fortunate to have spent a month there exploring the sights and absorbing the culture. I’m not really a “city gal,” but I could see myself living in Sydney…even downtown. It’s such a delightful place.

 

We made our home about 30 minutes from the city, in the quaint town of Revesby. On arrival there, the first thing that impressed me were the cockatoos and other parrots flying around. I love birds! I’ve always wanted a cockatoo, and there they were, in the wild. I continued to be enamored over the course of the month, but I’m sure my parents were thankful I never got one. Cockatoos are so NOISY! LOL!

 

Living out in Revesby, we also learned to appreciate the marvelous public transportation. It’s so easy to catch a train, ferry, bus or light rail, both in Sydney and in its suburbs. We took the train into the city several times a week. You just tap your credit card on the device when you start your trip and when you end it, and it will charge your card. BUT do beware that you and your family cannot use the same credit card. You must use a different one for each person. The other option is to purchase an Opal Card. It works the same way as the credit cards with tapping on and off. This was by far the most convenient public transportation we’ve used on our journey around the world. However, not as adventurous as Nepal and Romania. 

 

We absolutely loved exploring Sydney. It’s a lovely city, and it is impressively clean. There just isn’t any litter. Not on the streets, in the train stations, in the parks, or at the harbour. They do charge high fines for littering, which they obviously enforce. After being in some very dirty cities around the world, I was so pleasantly surprised by Sydney. I wish the people and governments of other countries would take notice and do something about their own litter issues.

 

The Sydney Harbour is busy, fun, and almost spotless. There is a constant flow of ferries, sailboats, fishing boats, and cruise ships. I was most surprised by how fast all the boats moved. So enjoyable to sit and watch all the activity.

 

Located at the Harbour is the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Both accentuate an already beautiful skyline. The bridge spans about a mile from downtown to North Sydney. It’s free to walk across, but one can also climb it, for a hefty fee of $230 USD. Rather than do that, we spent our money to see an operatic concert at the opera house. What a remarkable experience! I’ve always thought it would be cool to see the outside of the structure, but I never before considered going inside for a performance. We saw Handel’s Samson (the story of Samson in the Bible). Sensational orchestra and vocalists and venue. 

 

Next to the Opera House is the Royal Botantical Garden, a large and gorgeous park on the harbour. Sydney is full of parks, trees, and flowers—a lot of green space to enjoy amidst the spectacular skyscrapers.

 

We learned a lot about Sydney’s fascinating history, most notable, the city was established as a penal colony in 1788. There are quite a few parallels between Australia’s and United States’ history, including their age, their British rule, and, sadly, the unrest with the native population. If you ever have the chance to visit, check out the many museums all within walking distance of the Harbour.

 

I would say Australia is the closest to “USA living” as any country we visited this past year. The main differences are the side of the street they drive and the bird life. Oh, and the accents. Also, about 85% of the population live within 30 miles of the coast. We didn’t make it to the interior, but I’m sure it’s expansive and fascinating.

 

We did occasionally get out of the urban areas and went on numerous bush walks, took the coastal walk at Manly Beach, fed kangaroos at a wildlife park, and took a tour to the Blue Mountains. Nothing disappointed us. Our time in Australia exceeded our expectations.

 

Next, our final stop on our around-the-world journey: Ecuador.

 

Hasta luego,

 

Pam

 

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” –Anonymous

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