This was my first trip without parents. It was a liberating moment for me, and perhaps an expression of freedom. I just turned 20, and had completed one year in university. While my friends were out taking vacation jobs, I wanted to see the world. Thankfully, I found friends to travel together with (N, J, M). A common friend had went to Australia to further her studies, and we decided to take the opportunity to visit her and also explore Sydney and Melbourne. I was still under 21 and would benefit from the airline family member discount so that was a great incentive to travel.
While planning, J and M had to pull out and it became just N and myself.
From the Sydney airport, we took the shuttle to our hotel at King’s Cross. King’s Cross has for a long time been known to most Australians as the drugs and red light capital of Australia. Most who have visited Sydney at one time or another have wandered through the Cross, if only to take a gander at how the “other half” live and play. In 2004, it still had quite a fair bit of the sleazy half. It was also the days before TripAdvisor, and the hotel we picked was on the lower end of the review scale, but we made it through!
It was a small rundown motel, with just the basics amenities provided. As night descended, the area slowly transformed into a hive of activity, with bouncers lining the streets and middle aged men moving from one venue to another. We were young, naive but foolhardy. We picked one of the clubs and explored the seedy side of Sydney. It was nothing too exciting though and instead, felt rather intimidated by the bouncers and not to mention, the demand for us to purchase drinks and tips.
The main highlight of the Sydney visit awaits. The Sydney Harbour area is home to many Sydney’s famous landmarks, from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and the Royal Bontanic Gardens. They were all in close proximity and we were able to cover them in a single day. The Royal Botanic Gardens is just next to the harbour, and offer beautiful views of the harbour from the top of the hill. There are large trees with a wonderful shade canvas and it makes a good rest spot for lunch or just a break. The Sydney Opera House, situated on Sydney Harbour at Bennelong Point, is considered by many to be one of the wonders of the modern world. The Opera House is one of Sydney’s most popular icons with tourists and travellers from the world over visiting, photographing and standing in awe of the cultural centre of Sydney.
Another day was spent at the Darling Harbor area. Great for shopping and tourist sightseeing. The area is designed for walking. It is generally flat, with footways connecting to the Casino and to the Powerhouse Museum. There are lots of fountains at the southern end of Darling Harbour, and and it’s nice walk on a bright sunny day.
We signed up for a day tour to the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains was declared a World Heritage park in November 2000. It was nominated for its outstanding natural values, including the biodiversity of its plant and animal communities, its vegetation, which is dominated by Australia’s unique eucalypt’s, and for the beauty of its natural landscapes. Part of the reason for the famed beauty is the Three Sisters. The Three Sisters are a famous rock formation towering high above the Jamison Valley and we visited it as part of the day tour.
Legend has it that three sisters fell in love with three men from neighboring tribes. As marriage between tribes was forbidden the men decided to capture the sisters, creating massive tribal wars. To protect the sisters an elder witch doctor turned them into stone. The elder was killed during the war and the sisters were left to erode as stone for eternity. This legend is falsely claimed to be an Aboriginal Dreamtime legend.
We did the typical trek - alongside many other tourists. There is a popular bush walking trail that leads to Echo Point in Katoomba. Travel down the “Giant Stairway”, 800 steps of steel and stone to the valley, and about a 1.5km walk to the base of the Katoomba falls. Follow this to a 1.5km trek to the base of Katoomba Falls. Echo Point is a major lookout with incredible views of the Jamison Valley and the Three Sisters.
Being budget travellers, one of the economical way to get to Melbourne from Sydney was via the overnight NSW train service. That was back then in 2004, and there are more alternatives now. As in most places, with budget air fares being even cheaper than train fares and with shorter travel times, there’s not much reason to take the train. At that time, the train was one of the fastest means of transport and the overnight train also meant we save one night’s accommodation, and maximised our sightseeing time in both Sydney and Melbourne. But IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. We tried our best to sleep but the rumble, noise, occasional stops make for a fitful sleep. On hindsight, it would have been wiser had we paid a bit more and book a sleeping compartment.
Melbourne struck me as more vibrant than Sydney, with a buzz, and energetic spirit that attracted me. Part of the reason could be Melbourne being home to a diverse community with different groups of people residing, studying and working in its suburbs. More so than Sydney and it contributed to the vibrancy.
In the city itself, three main attractions stood out. Federation Square, the Queen Victoria Market, and the Crown Casino. The Queen Victoria Market especially, it is the largest open air Market and a great way to immerse or soak in the Melbourne culture and atmosphere. By the way, try to time your visit on Sunday as there’s wine tasting opportunities, which is a slice of Australian culture.
City life was a stark contrast to Sydney with shops staying open till much later at night. It worked out much better for us as we could sight see in the day, and continue to shop and dine after dark.
We actually spend quite a bit of time at the Crown Casino, trying and failing at the roulette tables, but the last night was rather memorable. It was also a night for us to revel in celebration as we watched the Euro 2004 finals - between Portugal and Greece. We were attracted by the live and free telecast of the Euro 2004 Final (bets accepted) at the Crown Casino. The Greek community in Melbourne was out in full force and the streets were filled with celebrators in the wee hours of the night and early morning as they pulled off a remarkable upset.
We also signed up for a day tour which brought us along the Great Ocean Road, to sampling wines at vineyards in the Yarra Valley region, and to sit in the cold as we waited for the nightly penguin march at Philip Island. Despite almost 10 years ago, I still remember the heartwarming phenomenon of the little penguins as they emerge from the surf and waddle to the safety of their dune burrows. It’s an amazing and an impressive sight of nature. Do bring along warm clothings though, the night temperatures coupled with the strong coastal winds make for a chilling experience.