No doubt one of the world's great cities! A coffee bar on every corner and a pub next door - oh yeah and a world famous opera house, a bridge made in Middlesborough (well, a Middlesborough company), and commuting to work by ferry through a beautiful bay. And meeting up with old friends. What's not to like.
I have to admit it feels somewhat disconnected from the rest of the trip. Having spent most of our time in either the outback or rural Queensland, the big city is a bit of a shock to the senses.
Our first day in Sydney actually started in Manly, with a breakfast neither of us really needed (although it at least had the merit of stopping us having second breakfast), then a drive through the city to drop off the car at the airport. Good planning (for which read accident) that we opted to drop the car on a Sunday, when traffic was at least manageable. Always a relief to give back a hire car, undamaged, and following that we headed back into town to check into our hotel. And its this point I get the opportunity to start one of my rants... (look away now if you are of a nervous disposition)
So, we bought an "Opal" card (equivalent of an Oyster), and asked to put enough on to travel in and out of the city and maybe do a few journeys over the next few days. Return fare to the city - $35! Its two stops! Turns out that the airport station, privately run, operates an "access fee". But for the princely sum of 2 bucks, you can take the 400 bus, one stop to the next station and then join the train into the city for 47 cents!!!! So, other than those who do not know this, what does everyone do? Yep, cram onto an overcrowded bus for one stop, get off, jump on the train and save about $15 each way. Or presumably drive! Madness, but it gave me a chance to drive Nareesa daft with my Richard Wilson, grumpy old man routine - "I don't believe it!" The virtually empty bus carried on beyond Mascot Station.
It might be unfair, but I extrapolated from this, on this occasion, the consequences of slavish adherence to "private is best", is a stupid system in which the costs are higher, and the consumer is disadvantaged overall, either financially or logistically, or both. Integrated transport, it isn't - disintegrated transport perhaps! For a moment I thought I was back in the UK!
Rant over.
All was forgotten when I met my old mucker Jones!
He, of course is still on the beer. I have yet to graduate to the whisky - but I did!