Abroad in Australia…Sydney

What’s a trip down under without seeing a koala and a kangaroo. It was on the top of my list of must dos, but I digress. Australia has a ton of things to see and do and great places to grab a bite to eat, no matter your budget. A must is to wake up early at dawn and watch the sunrise above the Sydney Harbour Bridge. One of my biggest recommendations is to climb to the top of the Sydney Harbor bridge. There are only three bridges in the world you can climb, two are in Australia and one is in New Zealand (climbed this one too- stay tuned) and the experience is amazing. Another MUST is to take a tour of the ICONIC Opera house. There are tours and if you’re a there on at sunset, go to the top of the steps and watch the nightly show, Badu Gili — meaning ‘water light’ in the language of the traditional owners of Bennelong Point, the Gadigal people. It tells a story of the experiences of the ancient First Nations stories in a spectacular seven-minute projection. Don’t forget to sail across to Darling Harbor and have a bite for lunch or dinner. Beware of the seagulls- one swooped in and stole the bun right off my burger!

If you are nature lover (even if you are not) and want to take a moment to stop and smell the roses walking along the Royal Botanical Gardens is vast and beautiful. A great place to see the beauty of nature while right in the heart of Sydney. It’s a great place to relax but don’t forget to walk along the grass, smell the flowers and take in the birds that are walking around freely. Please be a good tourist and DON’T feed the birds, it’s kind of frowned upon. The Royal Gardens give you a chance to connect with nature and provides a wonderful view of the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge.

The view has been an iconic view for decades. Inside the Gardens is a bench known as Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. Legend has it her husband, Governor Macquarie, and it became her favorite spot to look upon the harbor. I made a point to walk over and grab some great shots of that very view.  

If you take a short ride, you can take in a stroll in Bondi Beach. While I was there I realized it is even a reality show filmed there, Bondi Rescue.The famous Bondi to Coogee coastal walk has to be in the top five most scenic attractions. If you start at the Bondi Icebergs (was too cold while I was there) ocean pools and take a stroll. The walk to Coogee will take about an hour each way. Admittedly I only did half the walk. Each spot has its own unique and diverse charm with cafes and beautiful parks spots to take in a picnic.