I’ve been putting off writing this for several weeks, but it is time to pull this project through!
Sydney, Australia was the last stop on what turned out to be our 1.5 year sabbatical – we could hardly believe it was coming to an end. Our time in Sydney was short – just 3 nights – but we definitely made the most of it!
We arrived late on Sunday, had dinner close to our hotel, and called it an early night in preparation for a very early morning on Monday. Our first introduction to the iconic city scenery was a sunrise kayaking tour in Sydney Harbor! While the cloudy skies didn’t provide much of a sunrise, we still had stellar views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Opera House, and downtown. It was also interesting to watch the city wake up and the ferries start to buzz around the harbor. It was a great start to the day!
After kayaking, we walked across the bridge on our way to the Opera House and had some nice vistas along the way.
The Opera House was a must-see, what a presence it has! It really is a spectacular building. It is so impressive from afar and just as much when you wander around it. We were especially in awe of the interior – I am determined to see a show there one day!
We decided that the Sydney Fish Market was going to be our lunch destination and it did not disappoint. The market had a really impressive selection of fresh fish and seafood that we longingly wandered through, wishing we had a kitchen to buy all of these things for. But then we entered the market hall full of food stands and the longing shifted. The food options were overwhelming! We landed on a lobster roll, crab legs, stuffs scallops, octopus skewers, and a seafood pancake. Oh my god, it was mouthwatering and we both left stuffed to the gills.
The next day we hopped on a ferry headed for Manly – a suburb of Sydney where I spent a semester studying when I was in college. I hadn’t been back in nearly 15 years and I was excited to revisit it and show Alex! The ferry ride itself was really nice, providing views of the city, suburbs, and the ever-photogenic Opera House and bridge.
When we got to Manly, we made the short walk to the castle on top of the hill – the strange little college I attended. It was just as I remembered it and definitely brought back some good memories! From there, we took a little hike from the school down to one of the several beaches in the area, appreciating the beautiful day. It was a fun little trip down memory lane 🙂
It felt like we were walking nonstop while we were in Sydney. After the road trip in New Zealand, I think we were both happy to be traveling by foot again. And it provided us with such a nice impression of the city! Even with only a few days to explore, we really covered a lot of ground. The city is filled with a mixture of styles – new, old(ish), modern, and everything in between. I have to credit Alex with all of the nice city pics! He really knows how to capture them.
There was no shortage of good food in Sydney. The highlights revolved around seafood and Asian food. Notably, a visit to Chinatown delivered some exquisitely memorable dumplings. But with the knowledge that it was the last few days of our trip, we really pigged out. In Sydney, we feasted!
I’m already feeling nostalgic for our travels and I am still processing everything that we did. It’s actually a bit overwhelming to think about! I can’t believe it’s actually over. I am so glad I managed to write about our destinations, I think it helped me mentally sort through the nonstop impressions we were taking in.
Feeling very lucky right now.
Wandering Between Meals 
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