Sydney: Fast & Furious

Ah Sydney, 'the famous one'.After the success of my Melbourne hub I decided I'd show off some more of this great country. Sydney is probably the most famous Australian city, recently hosting the 2000 Olympic Games and be used as the film set for many movies. Not to mention of course the iconic skyline of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. I will now attempt to take you on a tour around Sydney and point out some fun things to do if you choose to visit.

Sydney is where it all started for Australia 221 years ago. Arthur Phillip started a settlement in Sydney Cove and so began the the British arrival in Australia. It was a pretty strange land filled with a lot of strange fauna and flora. Take the platypus for example, or the kangaroo.

Fast forward to present day and Sydney is huge flourishing city with a population of nearly 4.5 million people. It is now considered and Alpha+ World City, a prestigious title only given to countries that have contributed in many factors to the world stage.

On the other hand it is much quieter place than other cities at the same level like Hong Kong, Paris, Tokyo etc and is therefore quite a popular place to film. During the shooting of The Matrix (1999) entire streets in the CBD were shut down for the helicopter scenes. Other blockbuster films that preferred to shoot in Sydney, films like Mission Impossible: II, Moulin Rouge! and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.

Sydney Opera House

Taking a whopping 14 years to be built (1959-1973) the Sydney Opera House truly is an amazing sight to see. The famous interlocking 'shells' create the roof while the building is surrounding by a peaceful plaza overlooking the harbour. Stepping indoors you are greeted by beautifully detailed foyer. The Opera House contains a gigantic concert hall, an opera theatre, a drama theatre and many smaller performance theatres as well as a recording studio.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Construction on the bridge began in 1923 and was officially opened in 1932. It really was ahead of it's time in construction and when it was first built it was the tallest structure in Sydney. The bridge was built from each end and held up by masses of support cables. As well as the road it also contains 2 tram lines and 2 train lines. In later years a tunnel was also added that travels underneath the harbour to ease peak congestion.

Sydney is filled with literally 100s of things to do. I've listed a few of my favourites below:

Walk the Bridge

Their are 2 different climbs you can choose to do. For those who wish to conquer the bridge take the bridge climb. Working you way up catwalks and ladders you will eventually reach the top for a simply indescribably breathtaking scene. For those who want a more informative experience you can take the discovery climb that takes you up through the middle of the bridge to the summit. Climbs run at a variety of times so you can take a sunny trip up during the day, at twilight or at night.

Skywalk

Going up... 260 metres! Travel up to the top of the Sydney Tower outdoor observation deck. Bring your camera to take plenty of photos as your guide walks you around the rim of the deck. Even if your afraid of heights (like me), this is definitely worth it.

Opera House Tours

The Opera House provides 3 different tours. The essential tour is a 1 hour tour through one of the theatres with history and facts about the Opera House. The backstage tour takes you behind the scenes to give the experience of the stars for about 2 hours. The Opera House also provide 30 minute tours in Japanese, Korean and Mandarin for the international tourists.

Jet Boat Rides

Lucky they supply you with raincoats for this, because your most likely going to get wet! A 35 trip out into the harbour at up to 75km/h with neck breaking turns. Don't worry the driver speaks very fast so you won't miss anything :-)

Nightlife

Take a walk down to the harbour at night and you will find it a light with clubs and restaurants. Stroll along Circular Quay after a light dinner or work you way along the harbour in a night of fun.

Paddy's Market

Go to the market that is an Australian icon. With over 1000 stalls from fruit and veg to clothes and gifts this is a must visit. Try not to get lost though!