Sydney Sights, Coastal Walks, and Bucket List Moments

Mar 14, 2017
3 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Through my study abroad program, KEI, my group and I had the opportunity to spend three days exploring Sydney, Australia. The trip started early with a 5:00 a.m. wake-up call and a rush to catch the tram to the airport.

When I arrived at Gold Coast Airport, I was surprised by how small and relaxed it was. It was probably the smallest airport I had ever been in. Security felt much less strict than what I'm used to in the United States. To my surprise, I made it through with a full water bottle and several liquid items. I even forgot my boarding pass at one point and had to go back and get it. Another first for me was boarding the plane from outside on the tarmac, which I thought was pretty cool.

As our plane approached Sydney, I caught my first glimpse of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House from the air. Seeing those iconic landmarks was incredibly exciting and made the trip feel real.

The first thing I noticed after landing was the change in weather. Compared to Surfers Paradise, Sydney felt much cooler and less humid. After spending time on the Gold Coast, I had adjusted pretty quickly to the warmer climate. It's funny how quickly you adapt because temperatures around 75 degrees now felt chilly to me.

Our group stayed at the YHA Backpackers Hostel during our visit. It was much nicer than the hostel we had stayed at in Byron Bay, although staying in any hostel is always an interesting experience. On our first day, we took a guided tour of the city and visited many of Sydney's historic sites. My favorite part of the tour was walking through the Royal Botanic Garden and seeing the Sydney Opera House from across the harbor. The views were incredible.

After the city tour, we all went out for dinner and spent the evening exploring. The next day, we tackled the famous Coogee to Bondi Coastal Walk, a six-mile hike along Sydney's coastline. Although it was a long walk, the ocean views were absolutely breathtaking. If you're planning to do the hike, I highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes, bringing plenty of water, and applying sunscreen.

The highlight of the walk was finally seeing the Bondi Icebergs. Despite the name, they're not actual icebergs, but rather a famous set of ocean pools located right next to Bondi Beach. Visiting the Bondi Icebergs had been on my bucket list for years. Ever since I dreamed of coming to Australia, it was one of the places I wanted to see most. Standing there in person didn't even feel real. It felt like I was living in a dream.

After visiting the Icebergs, I spent some time walking along Bondi Beach and stopped at a restaurant called The Bucket List, where I enjoyed a fresh coconut. Later that evening, a group of us went to Chat Thai for dinner and I tried Thai iced tea for the very first time. It was delicious, and I would definitely recommend it.

On our third and final day, we toured the Sydney Opera House. The building is even more impressive in person than it is in pictures. During the tour, I learned about the history and construction of the Opera House and even got to see several of the performance halls inside. One of the most interesting facts I learned was that it took 15 years to complete the project.

After the tour, I took a ferry around Sydney Harbour, which gave me a completely different perspective of the city. I highly recommend taking a ferry if you ever visit Sydney because the views are incredible. The ferry brought us to Cockatoo Island, a former military and industrial site that is rumored to be haunted. Exploring the island was a fascinating way to end our trip.

Overall, I had an amazing time in Sydney. The combination of iconic landmarks, beautiful scenery, great food, and unique experiences made it one of the highlights of my study abroad experience. While Sydney reminded me a lot of New York City because of its busy atmosphere and skyline, it also had its own unique character and charm that made it unforgettable.