Sydney Getaway - Day 1

I had a planned Sydney trip with a friend who, at the last minute, cancelled on me. I was hesitant to have my ticket refunded because it was a good deal that I got from Qantas (I booked via a third party). It was supposed to be a reward for myself after the 9 week course I took. I wasn't so much excited about it but I had to suck it up and be a solo traveler.

My cousin had vouchers for a backpacker hotel in Sydney so she booked me at 790 on George Street which is located near Sydney Central. Perth to Sydney is a 4 hour flight but with Qantas, it didn't feel terrible. There was entertainment and food which was exactly the service I paid for. 

Upon arrival at Sydney, I bought an Opal Card and had it topped up. This was what I used to ride the train to Central and the cost was around 13.80 AUD. I arrived in the city at around 9 in the evening and got quite lost on where my backpacker hotel was. After dragging my luggage and calling the hotel, I finally found it and was asked for a 10 AUD deposit. 

The dorm room I was in is good for 6 girls. It was full and I was assigned to the top bunk which was kind of hard to climb. But with the exhaustion of travel and a bit of diarrhea (must be from all the food I ate lol), I slept good.

The next day, a friend of my sister (who later on became my friend) Yan and her husband: Jun, and I met. Despite of their busy schedule for their upcoming church wedding, they took me around to the farther Sydney sites which means the beaches. 

Our first stop was the famous Bondi Beach. 

It was a Friday morning and the beach wasn't as busy as expected yet. Though there are a few tourists and sunbathers around, it is amazing to see how wide the shoreline is with a little less crowd.

Had to have my photo taken where the lifeguards are stationed. Every year, lifeguards here rescue an average of 2,500 people. 

Our next stop was on the other side of the Sydney Harbor where views of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge can be seen. 

We were so happy that the weather was fine on that day. It was not too cold and just a bit cloudy. It was the first time I have caught a glimpse of the Opera House. 

Luna Park is one of the free things to do in Sydney. Yes, coming in was free but the rides were not. It was most entertaining for the kids so we just looked around and see what it can offer.

This is the amazing Sydney Harbor Bridge or the Coathanger (it's nicknamed as the coathanger because of how it is designed). This bridge together with the Opera House are the the iconic images of Sydney and of Australia. It is made of steel and connects the Sydney CBD to the Northshore. I have read about the Harbor Bridge Climb and was greatly recommended. I'm making sure to have this on my bucketlist when I come back to Sydney in the future. 

Our next stop was at Manly Beach. The photo is actually from the other side of the beach but it was fun to stop by, sit down, people watch while altogether taking in the view of Manly. 

The last and not the least stop was at another beach which I think was called Balmoral. It was a beach very close to a park and was perfect for chill afternoon for family and friends. 

We had different appointments for dinner so we had to separate ways afterwards. I really enjoyed my first day in Sydney with them, in addition to having new Filipino friends in a different country. I was worried to be on my own for the next few days but I guess I survived. Coming up soon, is day 2!

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!