Before coming to Australia I made a research on how it is to arrive at Sydney International Airport. There I learned that it is better not to bring anything aside from my clothing and my gadget, no food of any kind. One thing for sure, of all the immigration entry procedure in a different airport that I have been trough...they are the most strict.
One of the best things about Sydney International airport is the convenience of going to different places, public transport is just around the corner. Buses, taxi, and train are just there arriving and departing on time. But taking a train from Sydney Airport Station going to your destination is sure more costly than the normal train ride coming from other station. They collect airport access fee of $12.80 for kids and $14.30 for adults plus the normal fare. If you are coming from Sydney Central Station to Sydney Airport they charge you just the normal fare of just around 2 or 3 dollars, But if you are coming from the airport to your destination expect a deduction of at least 15 dollars from your Opal card. (Opal Card is a prepaid card to pay for the daily public commute with the bus, ferry, and trains).
The best thing is that Sydney is a walkable city and whenever I am arriving at Sydney Airport, I just walk going to the nearest next station and I save at least $14.30. Watch the video on how I do it.
Sydney is the cleanest and Greenest City I have ever been after traveling to more than 10 countries. Cleanliness is not just around the city but it is absolutely everywhere.
Sydney is surrounded by peaceful suburbs with amazing beaches, beautiful and safe to explore mountains and parks with a dedicated track for the walker, biker and 4WD adventurer.
Manly
One of the best ways to get to manly is via ferry ride with stunning scenery along the way coming from Sydney Circular Quay.
Watson Bay
The amazing ferry ride is the best way to get to Watson Bay coming from Sydney Circular, a bus ride is also an option that will go through Bondi Beach all the way to Watson Bay.
Mosman Bay
Mosman Bay is another short ferry ride from Sydney Circular Quay.
Blue Mountain
Train from Sydney Central Station is the cheaper way to get to Katoomba for amazing Blue Mountain trip
Bondi Beach
From Sydney CBD take a train ride to Bondi Junction then take a bus ride to Bondi beach. You can also take a bus direct from Sydney CBD all the way to Bondi Junction.
Cronulla Beach
A train or bus ride will bring you to this beautiful suburbs with the vibe of Manly having many shops and restaurants walkable to the beach.
Coogee to Bondi Beach Long Walking Trail
We did walk this trail and took us around four hours of relax walking along the coastline, the scenery is amazing.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Together with the Sydney Opera House, Harbor Bridge is another stunning structure situated within the Circular Quay and The Rocks area.
Sydney Darling Harbour
Darling Harbor is a few minutes' walks from the Sydney CBD's Town Hall Train Station. This is where big museums, hotels, shopping malls, and convention centers are located.
Surry Hills
This is located just on the other side of Central Station and the popular Oxford Street at Darlinghurst.
Parramatta
Parramatta is almost the second Central Business District of Sydney having many establishments in the center.
Sydney China Town
Sydney China Town is located in Haymarket which is a few minutes walk from Central Station through the Sydney's main Road called George Street.
Potts Point
Potts Point is a classy suburb of Sydney located next to the popular Kings Cross and the beautiful Elizabeth Bay.
Royal National Park
This place is so huge that you can have access by coming from Cronulla and you can also take the train going to the Illawarra.
Newtown Sydney
A short ride from Sydney CBD will bring you to this beautiful old looking town.
Maroubra
A short bus ride coming from Sydney CBD.
Kiama
This is an hour or two train ride coming from Sydney CBD. This place is known for its blow hole.
Palm Beach
Palm Beach is an hour bus ride coming from Sydney CBD Wynyard Station. Palm Beach is the filming location of the popular Australian TV Show called "home and away"
Morisette
Morisette is popular having friendly kangaroos in the wild. The place is a two-hour train ride coming from Sydney CBD
La Perouse
Is a short bus ride coming from Sydney CBD, The place is popular with its scuba diving site.
Those places are just a few of the reasons why Sydney is the best city in Australia.
Travel comes to an end. Welcome to Australia, start a new life here.
I left the Philippines on Feb 2008 to go to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to work as a cook. I left Dubai in October 2015 to travel around Europe and Southeast Asia. Feb 2016 I arrived in Sydney without enough money to support the new life. But I survived.
Bad Accommodation in Australia
When I arrived in Sydney I first stay in a $25/night backpacker guesthouse with 12 bed in the room. I stay for 3 nights and then moved to apartment renting a shared room with four people paying $125/week. Note that i borrowed money from a Filipina lady from my sponsoring company.
This is my second time in Kuala Lumpur and lasts before flying to Sydney. During these days I am already on tight budgeting because I am already running out of money. This is already the 5th month of our travel since we left Dubai and travel to Europe and Southeast Asia.
I and my buddy stayed in a not nice hotel in the area of Chinatown, feeling the dirty floor and walls, a hot room without air-conditioned.
In this period I received my visa approval in Australia. I was very happy because I and my buddy are waiting for this for almost 5 months. I plan my flight to Sydney, bought Air Asia's cheapest ticket and it was good. My buddy went to Singapore and stayed with his Long Distance Relationship girlfriend while waiting for his Australian Visa. Around 10 days of my stay in Sydney my buddy's visa arrived.
I and my buddy are now both here in Australia and note that his girlfriend followed a year after as a girlfriend de facto visa approved in 2017.
Coming from Vietnam we arrived in Penang Malaysia via the very first commercial flight of Air Asia Ho Chi Minh City To Penang Airport. It is good to know and to experience a fire truck throwing a massive amount of water to the airplane as Firs Flight Welcome procedure. All the passengers of that flight got a welcome gift from the airlines which basically are tourism flyers and little souvenirs. We got this flight as little as 25$ one way per person.
We stayed in Georgetown, Georgetown is a preserved quiet community, walking around you'll notice the houses and apartment are the same pattern as old houses in Singapore, Sydney and I think like other city occupied by the Brtish.
The Murals for me are the most attractive thing to see in Georgetown, every tourist that comes there takes a creative photo of themself with the murals.
The same as other parts of Singapore and Malaysia, Penang is also a very diverse community where locals are Indians, Malays, and Chinese looking people.
Penang Hill is another interesting place to visit in Penang. It is a mountainous park with an exciting train ride showcasing the Penang History and the view of Penang. Looking at Penang Hill in the picture will make you think it is somewhere in Europe like those trains in Switzerland.
