Sydney, Australia

Sydney, Australia 2019

Australia's Most Iconic City 

From Melbourne, my Aunt Jenny and I went straight to Sydney. It was a nice change going from 40-50 F to 50-65 F weather and not being rained out everyday.
I didn't know what to expect in Sydney because everyone's perception is different, especially being American, where it's (almost) everyone's dream to go to Australia. Overall, the city itself was beautiful and the sights we had been able to see were fantastic.

We stayed at the cutest AirBnB that was just a short walk away from the CBD. By the time the third day rolled around, we pretty much knew the route to the transportation ferries. We did a lot in Sydney which included going inside the Opera House, walking over the Harbour Bridge, and going to the top of the Westfield tower. In addition to all of that we visited a few of the most iconic beaches and bays like Manley beach, Watson Bay, and Bondi Beach.

I really enjoyed the beaches because each one of them had a very different atmosphere to them. Manley had less people but the shops and beach were all pretty close together. Watson was more spread out but seemed to be more suburb-y with less shops and more open space with houses. Bondi was definitely the biggest and way more of a tourist destination with a big surfer vibe. it was pretty much one big party with lots of different shops. I would 100% go back to Bondi in the summer to go for a swim/play in the waves.

Throughout our time in Sydney we also did some major souvenir shopping. Now, I don't know about everyone else, but I LOVE shopping for souvenirs. I think I am more excited to buy gifts for other people than I am for myself. Plus, it is always so fun to look around and find the perfect gift for people. This time I was able to buy authentic Opera House souvenirs (can't mention names just in case they read this 😋), how cool is it going to be when they get something from one of the world's most iconic places!

I have to say, out of all the places I have visited in Australia, the Gold Coast and Sydney would have to be my favorite. Those are two places that I could pack up, move to, and live a happy life. They are definitely my top two Australian most "livable cities".

~RMW

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne 2019

Melbourne: City of Culture, Art, and Nature

Melbourne is the largest city in Victoria, and the second most populated city in all of Australia. However, one of the most interesting things, in my opinion, was that even though there were an incredible amount of people, there were equally some of the most amazing scenery around! Melbourne has at its disposal the Grampians National Park, the Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island right in its backyard, all of which are some of the most incredible places to visit.

During this trip and after my semester exams, I met up with my Aunt Jenny who had flown down to Australia for a month. We booked some of the most amazing tours during our time in Melbourne which included all of those places listed above. In addition to all of that we also explored Chinatown, the Brighton Beach Boxes, and ventured around the city. All of the places we had visited were great places to explore and I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to see a city with such a variety of things to do.

The first tour we did was the Grampians National Park. It's about a 3.5 hour drive one way, if you don't stop, from the city's central area. We had the funniest tour guide (who was, again, our tour guide for the Great Ocean Road) who really made the time enjoyable. It was pouring rain pretty much the entire time but his humor and knowledge made up for the bad weather.

The second tour we booked was the famous Great Ocean Road, and let me tell you it was AMAZING. Everything about the GOR lives up to the tales. The drive was full of breath-taking scenic ocean views from high cliffs to beaches. My favorite part of the ocean scenery were the 12 Apostles (which I later called the "12 Tacos" as I photo-shopped my pug in as the pillars). We spent the whole day stopping to see the amazing scenery and were able to end the day with a beautiful, colorful sunset.

The final tour we booked was to Phillip Island to watch the penguin parade. We had a different tour guide this time and he was totally lame...I say this because he was so factually wrong that it was laughable.
Anyways, the tour itself was another fantastic pick because we were, again, able to see some really extraordinary scenery along with adorable little blue penguins (aka fairy penguins). During this trip we stopped at a few beaches, saw the Nobbie rock formations, and finally ended our day watching the little blue penguins come in from sea, back to their nests. These little guys were so small and absolutely adorable. I was completely moved by their triumphant journey back home as they waddled their way up the beach.

In between the tours, we explored the city and tried to take in as much as possible. Chinatown was really cool and had some of the best Asian food around. I had delicious veggie dumplings and even found an Asian bakery that sold my favorite sweet bread. The culture in Melbourne is beyond that of which you would find if you travel to Northern regions of Australia. It was a fun experience and had some of the best Chinese, Japanese, and Korean food I have had!

Overall, Melbourne has some really extraordinary places and I would recommend venturing down to take advantage of the surrounding areas. Although I had a great time, it probably would have been more productive to go down in the summer time due to the extended daylight hours. Not to say it was bad or anything, but if your planning a trip to Melbourne, try to go when you get more time out of the day!

~RMW