Sydney
I arrived in Sydney after a 14 hour flight from Dallas (and a six hour layover before that) exhausted and sure that I wanted nothing more than a nap. So when I found my sister at the airport, we headed to our hostel. Yes I said hostel. I know in America that word conjures images of horror movies where young college kids get murdered or robbed, but in reality, hostels are an awesome way to see the world on a budget. We stayed at Backpackers Westend in Sydney. It’s literally in the middle of EVERYTHING, and it cost us $17 a night for a six bedroom shared dorm with an in-room bathroom. SEVENTEEN DOLLARS! In the middle of a major metropolis! You aren’t gonna find that deal in any hotel. Aside from the stellar budget friendliness of hostels, they are a great place to meet fun people from around the world. Remember when I said Sydney has this great air that something great may be around any corner? Here’s one example:
When we got settled in our room in Sydney, we met another girl staying in the same room. Her name was Rachel and she was from Canada and travelling alone. We became friendly with Rachel and regularly spent time with her in the evenings after our day’s adventure. A few nights after we arrived, the hostel was hosting a bar night down the street, so the three of us decided to go along. While waiting in the lobby for the rest of the group, we got to talking with two Scottish guys, Chris and Lyle. Like from Scotland. You could tell from their accents, but you could also tell because they were wearing kilts with their soccer jerseys instead of jeans. We had a drink or two at the hostel’s chosen bar, but the Scottish guys were leaving to watch the Scotland vs. Serbia soccer game that was on TV at another bar. They invited us to join them, and that’s how we ended up in Cheers! (yes, seriously) surrounded by Scottish men singing and reciting the motivational speech from Braveheart (you can’t make this shit up). We had a blast! That is what I mean when it always feels like Sydney has something in store for you.
Aside from that adventure, which was the night before we left for Cairns, we had a lot of other fun on the cheap. One day we visited Bondi Beach. Bondi has a well-deserved reputation as a must-go destination near Sydney. You can surf (or watch others do so), sunbathe, or eat and shop along the boardwalk, which is chock full of great little boutique stores and restaurants. That was cheap because the beach is free except for what we spent on lunch!
We wandered and found a war memorial and a free Opal museum, where I learned that Australia is a big player in the opal trade.
We hopped on a ferry to Cockatoo Island (about $7) and experienced an art installation. There isn’t always an art installation on the island, but even when there isn’t one, there is a prison complex to explore that really shows an interesting part of Australia’s roots as a country. Plus you can always just wander around Sydney until you find something that looks like an adventure, which is free and freeing at the same time! In the most famous city in the country, it’s surprisingly easy to entertain yourself for free.