Sydney (Australia)

I first move to Sydney in 1994 with may parents. Coming from England, I had an accent, which was lost within the first 6 months, which may parents were not happy about.

We moved into a nice suburb called Lavender Bay, which is right next to Milsons point, which, if your a tourist, is right next to the harbor bridge. This is a great area if your a upper middle classed single or couple, as the transport into the city and the never stopping nightlife is fantastic. Listed below are some the major points about Sydney which may be of some interest:
Tourist attractions:
- Opera House: very pretty, although highly overrated, as there are very few viewings, so you can only view from the outside. On the plus side, there are some fantastic seafood restaurants located underneath and around it.
- Harbor Bridge: Very beautiful, especially when you stand in the middle and look all across the city. There is also the bridge climb, where you can walk across the curve with a guide. This is a little pricey, but well worth it ($200)
Darling Harbor: Packed full of restaurants and cafes surrounding the end of the harbor, this is one of the best places in the city to visit. There are also some good clubs (Home bar, Cargo Bar and the Watershed), which are a must visit).
Star City Casino: Not the biggest Casino in Aus, but can be good to visit for a drink before heading out on the town. There are Cigar bars downstairs, as well as numerous bars and cafes littered throughout the complex.
Paddington Markets: Not too dissimilar to the Camden markets in London, where food, clothes and shoes are on display.
George street: the main city street in the city, which is littered with mainstream shops (GAP, Ralph Lauren etc), but also packed full of clubs and bars (Establishment, Tank, Jacksons)
Kings cross: this can be one of the seediest places in town, with prostitutes and strip clubs lining the street, along with bikie gangs. However, there are also some upmarket clubs located in the area that have to be visited)
Crow nest: Located about 15 minutes from the city centre, this suburb probably has some of the best restaurants in the city. There is a range, including Italian, Thai, Malaysian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, and if you the chance of getting a bad meal is slim.

Listed below are some good places to go out if your on the town:
Establishment (george street): located on the main shopping street in the city, this bar is prone to upper class men, and gold digging women. There is also a VIP lounge upstairs, hemisphere, which is highly recommendable. Drinks are expensive, $10 and up, but the ambiance and crowd is worth it.
Cargo Bar (Cockle Bay): very young, hip bar, with the average age roughly 24. There are seats outside, as well as a dance floor upstairs. Drinks are mid range, and the bar is usually frequented by celebrities.
Home Bar (Darling Harbor): 3 levels of fun and excitement, located right on the harbor. Music tends to be house or techno, with the majority of people not drinking alcohol, but taking excessive amounts of illegal drugs. This is why the cover charge is quite high here.
Hugo's lounge (Kings cross): this is a swanky bar, just of Kings cross, which is also frequented by celeb's. Luckily, I had connections there, so was always let in, but do not get there after 10pm as you will never get in. On Sunday before 10, the drinks are half price, and the caliber of women is through the roof.

Climate: Sydney's climate could be described as tropical in the summer, with the temp raging from 25-40 celcius during the day, and 16-20 at night. In the winter it can be fairly temperate during the day, ranging from 16-20 celcius, and at night between 6-12 celcius. The summer tends to be fairly humid, with alot of thunderstorms in the late afternoon. The best time to visit if a tourist is March-April, as the weather is still good, but not unbearable.

In conclusion, Sydney is a great place to visit, in terms of food, entertainment and attractions. The weather can also be good;). I highly recommend it to anyone, young or old.