Current Adventure: Sydney

I've been in Sydney for 2 months now - and have been head-over-heels in love with it since day one.

Without realizing it, I have become an ambassador for Sydney. So here goes, this is why I love it and am quite possibly never leaving [sorry Mom and Jen.]


1. The people

For anyone who hasn't visited Australia, the rumors are true. The people are amazing - I've never met so many great people. Everywhere I go and every situation that I find myself in I meet amazing people. From families who adopt you upon your arrival [thanks again Spackman fam] to the people from work, and random people I meet in coffee shops and pubs. Even the bus drivers are incredibly helpful and friendly - definitely unheard of for public transportation workers in the states.

2. The city

Sydney is an amazing city - even beyond the sites that everyone knows [ie opera house, harbor bridge, and bondi beach] the city is beautiful. Surrounded by beaches and bays, with lots of parks and trees, and it's clean. Sydney is just as beautiful in the day as it is at night - from either side of the bridge.

Beyond its beauty however, I love Sydney for its size. I've never been too intrigued by living in a big city, but for a career in advertising, a big city is virtually a must. Now Sydney is no New York, but with 4.2 million people it's definitely reached big city status. Sydney doesn't feel big though - in fact after a google search I was shocked to see that the population is 4.2 million. Perhaps because of the people or how sprawled out Sydney is, it doesn't feel like a city I will just get lost in [literally and figuratively.]

3. The culture

Big city, beach and good people. Everyone's a little bit of a hippie, and things move a little slow. Long lunches with a couple of schooners of beer are a must, even on a Monday. There's surfers and beach bums. There's tourists from all over the world - and heaps of people who came as tourists and never left [soon to be one more.] There's great sports and lots of outdoorsy activity. There's meat pies and sausage rolls - and of course, lots of Asian influences. This place is diverse, but most of all, everyone here loves it.

4. The beer

[Anyone who knows me knew this was coming]
That's right the beer is amazing. At a pub, order a schooner - tap beer, little smaller than a pint. Carlton, Blue Tongue, James Squire, and even Tooheys is amazing. Basically, all good, all favorite.

And then there's wine. Hunter Valley is just a bit outside of the city and has 150+ wineries. No worries to my friends, there's still boxed wine here too.

5. The beaches

Unlike anywhere I have ever been. The beaches are amazing, for the most part little coves cut out of cliffs with soft sand and big waves. Although the sprawling beaches of Florida are nice, they pale in comparison to beaches here. Bondi is beautiful - but might be considered the tourist-trap of the beaches [there's a reason not many locals go there.]

So there ya have it. Sydney is amazing, I recommend a trip (or a move).