Sydney

Had a such a wonderful time in Sydney. Jaime and I have always had all these places we wanted to go but at the end always ended choosing the destination randomly (not necessarily random actually--usually it's whichever city CX happens to have a fare sale on... :o). This time, it's Sydney. Although most people think it's far, it's actually quite accessible from Hong Kong. You board a midnight flight and after you wake up from your sleep, you are almost ready to land. We landed at 11am in the Sydney airport and the minute you step outside of the airport, you realize immediately that this city is so much less polluted. Just like what the tour book warned us, you start to question your own quality of life after spending some time here.

The city itself is beautiful. We spent a total of 6 days here. We saw Koalas, Platypus, Kangaroos, Wombats, Penguins and all other legendary animals that you can only see Down Under. We went to the famous Bondi Beach (so Jaime can get his craving for surfing satisfied). We were awed by the grand architecture of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. We even went to sand boarding at the Sand Dunes (where you only see tourist groups from Northeast Asia). We drove through the lovely Hunter Valley (although our sunrise balloon ride was unfortunately cancelled). We did a lot in six days but at a much slower pace, just like the way it should be in Australia. The only complaint we have is that with the weakening dollars, we left Australia with a much smaller wallet than when we arrived (but it's more than made up for with the memories we have)...

Australian surfer boy at Bondi Beach

Not a Dead Kangaroo but a napping Kangaroo inside Taronga Zoo