Back to Sydney and Away

I took a coach from Canberra to Sydney last Friday, then flew to Gold Coast on Sunday, before flying back to Sydney on Wednesday and finally returning to Canberra on Thursday. It seems quite a cumbersome plan, but that's probably the best I can manage due to the way the transport system works here. Coach between Canberra and Sydney is fast and cheap, while the only practical way to go to Gold Coast is by a domestic flight (except from Brisbane - about an hour drive away), and there are no cheap domestic flights connecting Canberra and Gold Coast. Initially this was pretty messy and troublesome, but it turned out to be a charming plan as it allowed me to visit Sydney both during and after APEC.



During, I get to see the protests. After, I get to visit the Sydney Opera House, which was closed during APEC. In fact, that was the only attraction I wanted to see in my second visit, so there is very little rush over my trip.



From the Opera House, the view of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the northern part of the city was simply great. It's no wonder the government made the Opera House the centre of the APEC activities. It also commands an impressive view of the cityscape.





I also went to University of Sydney where Dominic is studying. Being in a busy city, the campus is more crowded and has fewer open spaces than in ANU, though it is still not jammed pack like NUS. I like the architecture of the buildings in Sydney University, with mostly mediaeval, cathedral-styled buildings. It gives a Hogwartish feel.





Other than these two places, I spent the remaining time walking around the city. I had lunch at Zilver, a Cantonese restaurant recommended by Matt. Their dim sum is pretty famous, and that becomes obvious when one has tasted them, but I find their food slightly too salty.



So here it ended, my trip up north. A whole lot of thanks for Dominic and Matt for making my time so fun! It's back to Canberra, and back to school.