RTW: Exchange in Chile

How to experience Sydney in 5 days

.. I don't know! This place has so many things that in that time I can merely scratch the surface. But what a scratch it has been. It was a bit of a shock coming here from Thailand where one could do everything he pleased with virtually pennies. Sydney will definately increase the budget, but then again, someone has said that you can not take it to your grave.. Note to people travelling to Australia: make sure you have the ISIC with you -it gives you great discounts here!


The BicMac index here showed 3,45 Australian dollars (equals about 2 euros) with a meal worth 5,75 AUD (3,3 euros), so in that respect it should be relatively cheap. But it is not, at least services cost equal amounts as in Finland. On the freaky side of the fast food news, they have their own MacOz, where they put beatroot -what is up with that? They seem to have it all sandwiches etc. And also, due to someone local having rights for the original name, Burger King was licensed here under the name Hungry Jacks. The actual Australian food -and beers- is absolutely fabulous! Steaks, BBQ, potatoes (which totally eluded me in Thailand) -I am in heaven! One thing that puzzles me is that how on earth Australians can be that hard party animals as alcohol is not very easy to come by: you can buy bottles from bars (or their backyard sales) or some very scarce liquor stores. Then again, there is more than enough bars.. Just made a note of it trying to find me an Australian wine with acceptable price-quality ratio.

As to the people, I like Australians. In Sydney the atmosphere is like in a laid back U.S. metropoly, the people seem frendlier and they are not as full of their own superiority: for example, at least 5 Australians I have talked to actually know some words of Finnish! And the Chinese-Japanese-Pacific influence is very strong here and it makes the atmosphere very relaxed. It is like someone took a big city and turned it to relax mode.

I took a sightseeing tour (seemed like a good place to start) and ended up in Sydney Tower (mistake with huge queues and prices and not THAT much to see), from where the above picture is taken. There is the famous Harbour Bridge behind me.



But of course, then there is THE Sydney opera house. I think I have had it up to my ears with it by now though I never entered the pricy tour inside the building not to mention an opera.. It is a beautiful, almost monumental building however and totally lives up to the reputation it has as a breath-taking landmark. It might have been even greater from above the harbour bridge or from a boat, but budget is budget and I did get to see quite enough as it is.


Then there was the famous Bondi Beach. As you can see, it was rather crowded but an experience nevertheless. Nice to see some surfing culture however unreal and merchandise-filled. The funny thing was that all the swimmers were guided to this 100-meter piece of the beach because that was all they could monitor?! There we stood, some 200 people almost hand to hand.. Maybe a time to get more lifeguards, or maybe I am missing something?

posted by Kassu @ 1:09 AM