Sydney: Take 2!

NYE Fireworks
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I arrived back in Sydney a couple days before New Year and had 2 weeks in the city second time around. The New Year fireworks didn't dissapoint and were really spectacular! We had a very good vantage point right down by the Opera House although we did get down there at 11am to get the best spot so was a pretty long day but was all good fun but was pretty shattered by midnight! There were two fireworks displays a shorter one at 9 and finally the main one at midnight! The New Year celebrations were fantastic and was really glad had booked accomodation in Sydney so early as the city was absolutely rammed full of other backpackers there for the New Year.

St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
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While I was in Sydney took the opportinity to go on a couple of day trips. I did a day trip down to Canberra which was good although took 4 hours each way so was quite knackering! Did get to see quite of few of Canberra's main attractions such as the War Memorial, National Museum and for me the highlight of the visit a tour of the Parliament where got to see both of the chambers which was cool. Another really good day trip I did was up to the Blue Mountains. It was a really nice day which started with a visit to a wildlife park where saw Koalas, Kangaroos, Wombats and all. After that we went up to the Blue Mountains and went to a couple of different towns and saw the main things up there like the 3 sisters etc. We did a nice walk and then got the world's steepest railway back up at Scenic World, that was good to do but was over very quickly. We also somehow managed to stumble into a hippy wedding which was pretty funny. On the way back from the Blue Moutains we stopped off at a Winery for a bit of free tasting which was very nice and then our final stop of the day was seeing the Olympic Stadium where we caught ferry back to Circular Quay.

I saw quite a lot more of the Sydney itself the second time around, I went to some of the city's tourist attractions such as the Sydney Tower, Aquarium, Wildlife World, did the Monorail around the city and also got a ferry over to Manly one day which really enjoyed. Of course went out for few drinks while I was in Sydney and also went to the cinema a grand total of 3 times in the 2 weeks, which is prob more than did in a whole year in London! Of course no visit to Sydney would be complete without the compulsory visit to Bondi! Went there with Ally who'd met in Melbourne and couple of friends of hers. Was a really nice day as after a bit of sunbathing in Bondi did the Bondi to Coogee walk which was cool seeing all the fab beaches and stopped for spot of lunch at Bronte along the way which was also very nice! Spent my last evening in Sydney watching England get demolished in the Twenty20 game, good to get to see a game at the SCG...about the only positive to be drawn from the evening as England were apalling!