1st - 2nd days of my 16 days backpacking through New Zealand and Australia
Sydney is the most famous, largest populated and metropolitan city in Australia where the famous Opera House in the world established. The opera house, a building by a danish, once to be a UNESCO world heritage site on June 2007. It is a must visit and icon in Australia. There is no reason why i put Sydney as the first city i visited in Australia then.
Sydney was my first stop in this trip. I spent 2 days in the city. 2 days was quite short to explore the city so i just visit the major attraction in town. Luckily, i had friend, Afif, who study in Sydney so i relied on him for the itinerary.
The trips
It is my 16 days backpacking through New Zealand and Australia on late November to mid December 2015. follow the full adventure by clicking each link :
It is my 16 days backpacking through New Zealand and Australia on late November to mid December 2015. follow the full adventure by clicking each link :
- Introduction of 16 days backpacking through New Zealand and Australia
- Day 1 - 2 : Sydney - Exploring the remarkable city of Australia within 2 days
- Day 3 : Tekapo Lake - The most beautiful lake ever seen
- Day 4 : Mount Cook - The highest point of New Zealand
- Day 5 : Twizel - A town beside the secret river
- Day 6 : Queenstown - The Capital of adventure Junkies
- Day 6 : Milford Sound - Welcome to the home of waterfalls
- Day 7 : Wanaka - 6 hours trekking to Roys peak
- Day 8-9 : Franz Josef - The second best drop zone for skydiving in the world
- Day 10 : Nelson - The middle of New Zealand
- Day 11 : Interislander - it's not a ferry but a cruise!
- Day 11 : Wellington - The capital city of New Zealand
- Day 12 : Tongariro Crossing - One-day Trekking to Mordor
- Day 13-14 : Auckland - Metropolitan city with its volcanic mount
- Day 15 : Melbourne - 3 hours in the most livable city in the world
Itinerary
Day 1
- 01:45 - 12:35 : Travelling from Singapore to Sydney with 737 Dreamliner!! operated by FlyScoot
- 12.35 - 14:00 : Getting lost in Airport while waiting my friend
- 14:00 - 23:00 : City tour including Opera House, Manly, George Street and Darling Harbour
Day 2
- 08:00 - 12:00 : Visiting Opera House and George Street again
- 12:00 - 15:00 : Visiting Bondi Beach
- 15:00 - 18:00 : Trying uncommon route to go to Airport
- 18:00 - 19:40 : Waiting in the airport
- 19:40 - 01:25 (next day) : Travelling from Sydney to Christchurch with Jetstar
Getting here and around
Getting here
Sydney is Metropolitan city so a lot of flight service to Sydney. For you who concern about flight cost, there are some Low cost airlines operated between Sydney and ASEAN Country. There are Jetstar, Airasia and Flyscoot. Airasia is served flight start from Bali and Kuala Lumpur while Jetstar and Flyscooot start from Singapore
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Getting around
Bus and Train is the main transportation in the city. The train station has been distributed to all over the city so it can be easy for a tourist. You pay ticket using single, multiple or OPAL Card. Every Sunday, You can get fix fare, 2.5 AUD, anywhere by using OPAL card. The bad thing is OPAL card only able to use in NSW
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Accommodation
I stayed in my friend house located nearby Mcquirie University so i will not review any accommodation.
First step in Sydney, Australia
I arrived in Sydney at 12:45 just perfect time to start exploring the city. First thing i did was taking the new shoes in the post office. i bought online a pair of hiking shoes and got worth discount, 60% (90 AUD for Salomon mid gtx leather shoes!). i just needed to show my passport to the receptionist then welcome my new companion.
I waited my friend inside the station and planned to go to the city by train. Airport and city center now has been connected with airport train called airport link but it is damn expensive! it cost,
There is another cheap option to go to the city center. However, from no i would take this train first because the meeting point with my friend was inside the station. First time i was in Sydney, i felt like in Singapore. A lot of Asians walked around me.
2 days City tourI waited my friend inside the station and planned to go to the city by train. Airport and city center now has been connected with airport train called airport link but it is damn expensive! it cost,
- 17.40 AUD for single domestic airport departure,
- 18.20 AUD for single international airport departure
There is another cheap option to go to the city center. However, from no i would take this train first because the meeting point with my friend was inside the station. First time i was in Sydney, i felt like in Singapore. A lot of Asians walked around me.
Mushola
Since i had not prayed dzuhur so i asked my friend to bring me to the place that i could pray. He recommend me to go to the George street. He said that there was a mushola there. Mushola is Muslim prayer room. I never expected that there was a place like that in the CBD area so i guessed it shall be a good place. I just followed my friend to take me to the mushola. It was only 1 km from the Town Hall MRT station or Queen Victoria shopping centre. We stooped at front of convenient store.
I was confused, "Why do you bring me to the convi mart?"
"The Mushola is just behind it", said him
We went inside the mart. The mart was owned by a pakistan. Behind the mart, there was a hall, it may be enough for 20-30 person. The hall was not that good and comfortable as praying room but at least it helped Muslim to pray when they are around the CBD. During Jumaah praying, they applied 3 shift since the hall was not enough to accomodate all Muslim here.
I didn't have any itinerary for this trip so i relied on my friend. I said "bring me to must visit place in Sydney". He replied, "ok, count on me". Before we started, he suggested me to buy OPAL card. It was a top up card so i didn't need to buy ticket for every trip. The card was free. I just need to pay for the deposit, 10 AUD. During this trip, i visited George street, Manly, Opera House, Harbour bridge, Darling Harbour and Bondi Beach
George Street
After praying, be brought me back to George street. It was like a CBD or shopping center in Sydney with 3 km long and considered as the busiest street in the city center. There was a lot of high rise building, It may be many companies office here. Most of my time was spent in the town hall area. The town hall is noted as the location of three important historic building: St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney town hall and Queen Victoria Shopping Centre. We also visited the Indonesian food restaurant for looking halal food. I never expected to get Indonesian food so far away.
After praying, be brought me back to George street. It was like a CBD or shopping center in Sydney with 3 km long and considered as the busiest street in the city center. There was a lot of high rise building, It may be many companies office here. Most of my time was spent in the town hall area. The town hall is noted as the location of three important historic building: St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney town hall and Queen Victoria Shopping Centre. We also visited the Indonesian food restaurant for looking halal food. I never expected to get Indonesian food so far away.
Manly
My friend suggested me to visit Manly. I even didn't have any idea what kind of place is that. We went to circular quay harbour. There is ferry service operated between circular quay and Manly every 30-60 minutes with 30 minutes journey . It was recommended to take the ferry because it would pass by the Opera House so i got another view of Opera house and Harbour bridge on the ferry.
We Arrived in Manly. It was just like another 11 km small city from Sydney. The city is famous with its long beach with ocean view. I thought Manly was a weekend runaway and residential area. We only spent around 1 hour in Manly because the weather was not so good and cloudy.
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House, the most famous and iconic building in Australia, would not be missed to visit while i was there. It might be my top visit in Australia. After coming back from Manly, i went to the Opera house. The location was just beside the Circular quay so it was walking distance. I visited it twice at afternoon and night. I should get both photograph.
Sydney Opera House, the most famous and iconic building in Australia, would not be missed to visit while i was there. It might be my top visit in Australia. After coming back from Manly, i went to the Opera house. The location was just beside the Circular quay so it was walking distance. I visited it twice at afternoon and night. I should get both photograph.
During my visit, there were a lot of people there. It might be because of weekend. I found some unique activities there. I saw many people with white dress code (Few of woman didn't wear any inner wear which is... you know what i mean ^_^... just uncommon culture for me.lol) and bringing some picnic stuff (i.e : table, chair and some food). They filled the opera house and other than them couldn't go nearby the opera house including me. I thought they already booked the whole place.
Other unique activity was a strike. Yes..it was a real strike. They were a group of people bringing some board protested some environment issue. Some of them wore unique dress like a tree or nature. Not only them but also there were 2-3 police and some delegation from media. However, the strike was really peaceful! Everyone was laughing and even they did selfie together!
Harbour bridge
The harbour bridge is also just beside circular quay and Opera house. i didn't go near the bridge just 1 km from the bridge since i thought i must be more stunning if saw from faraway. The best time is night. I just realized that the bridge can accommodate train, vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian walk. We also passed the rocks, an urban locality, tourist precinct and historic area of Sydney
Darling Harbour
Every Saturday night, there is fireworks attraction in Darling Harbour so we decided to visit at night. We walked from the town hall station. we walked maybe around 2 km until arrived the harbour. The harbour was good for relaxing and enjoying the weekend since it is surrounded by shopping center, entertainment, restaurant and bar. What we want to see here was a fireworks. The fireworks was started at 8.30 so everyone had been gathered. The Firework attraction was good and entertaining
Bondi Beach
The next day, i visited Bondi Beach as my last place before leaving from Sydney. I knew this place because it was one of top visit in Sydney. I went there alone since my friend had another agenda. I went to Bondi Junction station then took bus which pass through bondi beach (don't confused which one bus shall you take. the sign for it quite clear). I just visited for 30 minutes there because i needed to catch my next flight
Cheapest way to Airport but Complicated
| By using Opal card on Sunday, i got fixed fare, 2.5 AUD, for my whole trip in Sydney. In fact, i only had 3 AUD deposit in my OPAL card so how lucky i am. It was my real adventure in Sydney. I didn't want to pay a lot for airport link anymore. i just browsed that there was another cheapest way to go to airport but it was little bit complicated. This is what i did: | Fixed 2.5 AUD fare every Sunday
By using OPAL card, you'll get fixed price, 2.5 AUD by public transportation on Sunday
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- get the OPAL card and travel on Sunday
- start anywhere inside the city center and take blue line
- Take the train and stop in Wolli Creek
- Walk from Wolli Creek to Airport around 1 km ( I heard there is a bus connected to airport but i don't know which bus). Make your map ready because the route is quite complicated.
Finally, i only needed to pay 2.5 AUD! saved 15 AUD!
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