Another month, another blogpost!
Celebrating the last day of July! Welcome back everyone to another in real time post. By the title of the blog and recent updates, it’s true… I’m officially back in Australia for the first time in over six years! It’s felt great to be back after such a long time and even better to reunite with family and friends. From spending just under a week in Sydney, heading up to my farm in Wollombi, NSW, to now currently settling down on the Gold Coast…it’s been a hectic and incredibly fun few weeks and I’m looking forward to the future.
Coming back home after spending time overseas always holds such a strange feeling and reality. Reverse culture shock isn’t spoken about often, but experienced by every traveller. Something I, myself, have experienced quite a few times before. It definitely takes time to adjust. Physically speaking so much has changed, yet, so much has not. I know I have changed immensely, yet I’m always the same old Fi. It’s a weird paradox. Especially being from Sydney, I’ll always know it like the back of my hand and I’ve felt so nostalgic walking around the city, being back by the beaches and sightseeing once again because I know how much of an impact it’s had on my upbringing! I’m incredibly lucky.
I’m so excited to talk more about Australia in future posts. To start off, Sydney is a wonderful and extraordinary city. It’s a place I always recommend to people to visit and explore. There is something here for everyone, there’s so much to see and do. I thought in honour of being back, I can talk about some of my favourite things to see and do in Sydney. A lot of these activities and experiences I’ve done more than a handful of times as Sydney was a hang out place for myself as a kid and somewhere I worked at as a young adult. Consider this part one! Without further ado…
Favourite things to do in Sydney
To do: walk along the Harbour Bridge and go up the Pylon Lookout.
Information: It’s free to do and can be done at any time of the day! If you visit the Pylon lookout and museum, it costs $30.
To do: explore Circular Quay, the Rocks and go to pancakes on the Rocks.
Information: Circular Quay is such an iconic spot to visit in Sydney. You can get views of the stunning Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House as well as go to one of the many cafes, restaurants and cocktail bars to sit, relax and watch the ferries go by. Watch out for events and markets that are held around there at different times of the year, as well as the famous Vivid Sydney. With this, you can adventure around the historical part of Sydney, The Rocks and learn about the Indigenous Australian’s history. One of my favourite places to eat is a spot called “Pancakes on the Rocks” where I’ve visited a handful of times with family and friends.
To do: QVB building
Information: The QVB is free to visit and explore around but there’s plenty of shopping and dining to be done there too! I always have loved the architecture and design of the building and it’s quite a historical spot.
To do: Sydney Botanic Gardens
Information: Another free place to adventure around and just a short walk from Circular Quay, it’s such an amazing area for beautiful views of Sydney Harbour, a picnic, and a way to learn about Australia’s native flora.
To do: NSW Art Gallery / Museum of Contemporary Art
Information: Both museums are free to enter and so worth the visit (sometimes depending on what exhibition is shown there might be a cost.) The NSW Art Gallery is a truly important and unique public gallery and displays phenomenal and significant collections of both Australian and International art. The MCA is another fantastic gallery, home to a range of exhibitions that are showcased throughout the year.
To do: Ferry from Circular Quay to Manly (and return)
Information: The ferries from Circular Quay to Manly run every fifteen to thirty minutes and costs between $7-10 one way. It’s such an awesome experience and you get truly amazing and scenic views of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Harbour Bridge as well as all of the beautiful houses and beaches lining the bay on the way out. Not to mention, you MUST wander around Manly and take a swim at either Manly Beach, Queenscliff or Shelly Beach.
To do: The Grounds of Alexandria
Information: A gorgeous open-air eatery and vibrant garden that’s become known and loved for the beautiful and immersive experiences. It’s free to enter and look around, although you’ll be highly tempted by the massive range of cafes, restaurants, bars and bakeries to choose from for a bite to eat. It’s a perfect day out by yourself or with family and friends!
If you’ve been to Sydney, live in Sydney or have any questions about travelling in general, come and say hi and feel free to DM me on my Instagram: the_runawayredhead.
I hope you enjoyed this post, stay tuned for the next one!
Talk soon
The Runaway Redhead
