Sydney

beano

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commie_rick

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Anyone got any recommendation for a dinner date at Sydney?

My first time at Sydney and so happen tat my first wedding anniversary is during that period. So I;m looking for a nice place for dinner. Budget about 150-200 for 2.

Hope bros here can recommend. Thanks

if u want something touristy and a view, go to hurricane grill at darling harbor
 

Awesom Andy

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if u want something touristy and a view, go to hurricane grill at darling harbor

If I remember correctly, the original Hurricane's is at Bondi Beach.

And speaking of Bondi Beach, if you can stretch your budget, you can check out Icebergs Dining Room as well.
 

curo

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Anyone know other than Uber what other service can i use? I am unable to access my uber account. It keep telling me i opt out for sms service. When I text "start" to the number given, nothing happen.
 

seianko

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Anyone know other than Uber what other service can i use? I am unable to access my uber account. It keep telling me i opt out for sms service. When I text "start" to the number given, nothing happen.
try ola


10char
 

owenowenno

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For 1st time user trying out Ride hailing apps in Sydney, is Ola or Uber easier to use?
Can i not put my credit card number in the app and pay by cash instead ?


If i have to reach Airport (Sydney) on SAT 7 Dec for Jetstar 1040am departure Domestic flight to Melbourne avalon airport.,what time allowance i need to set for domestic check-in and driving time from CBD to sydney airport sat morning.?
Is domestic check in ,less stringent about security ie food and liquids for eating on the jetstar flight?
can i eat my own food on the jetstar flight?

For 4 Adults average chinese size and 3 hardcase (1 25 inch , two 22 inch)., can Usual taxi accommodate? I assume taxi can ferry up to 4 persons

For Melbourne Avalon airport arrival at 1215pm,the Hertz operator is a franchisee (not part of the corporate grp),any idea on how to get Discounts to apply for this franchise branch as theyHertz have the better google rating ,with europ being the worst?
 

kevin301

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For 1st time user trying out Ride hailing apps in Sydney, is Ola or Uber easier to use?
Can i not put my credit card number in the app and pay by cash instead ?


If i have to reach Airport (Sydney) on SAT 7 Dec for Jetstar 1040am departure Domestic flight to Melbourne avalon airport.,what time allowance i need to set for domestic check-in and driving time from CBD to sydney airport sat morning.?
Is domestic check in ,less stringent about security ie food and liquids for eating on the jetstar flight?
can i eat my own food on the jetstar flight?

For 4 Adults average chinese size and 3 hardcase (1 25 inch , two 22 inch)., can Usual taxi accommodate? I assume taxi can ferry up to 4 persons

For Melbourne Avalon airport arrival at 1215pm,the Hertz operator is a franchisee (not part of the corporate grp),any idea on how to get Discounts to apply for this franchise branch as theyHertz have the better google rating ,with europ being the worst?

domestic flight they're a bit less stringent, but usual safety protocol would still apply. Check-in process is a bit faster, that's about it.

1040am departure, my suggestion is target to reach airport by 930 latest, i.e. leave CBD at 9am latest.
It's not like you can do anything in the morning before heading to the airport anyway, so probably better to leave a little earlier if you can. Makes everything less stressful.

4 persons w 3 suitcases of the size you mentioned, should be able to fit into typical Ford Falcon/Toyota Camry taxi.

Can't offer any advice regarding Avalon Airport.
 

thwysg

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Hi, am considering a 7-10D trip for two to Oz in next May. 1st timer. Not driving.

Have read this thread from the start. Seems to me that Sydney isn’t worth to stay for such a long period. Should I change it to Melbourne instead? We are fine with long train/bus journeys. No issues with long walks for good scenery spots too - the mister is into photography.
 

Awesom Andy

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For 1st time user trying out Ride hailing apps in Sydney, is Ola or Uber easier to use?
Can i not put my credit card number in the app and pay by cash instead ?


If i have to reach Airport (Sydney) on SAT 7 Dec for Jetstar 1040am departure Domestic flight to Melbourne avalon airport.,what time allowance i need to set for domestic check-in and driving time from CBD to sydney airport sat morning.?
Is domestic check in ,less stringent about security ie food and liquids for eating on the jetstar flight?
can i eat my own food on the jetstar flight?

For 4 Adults average chinese size and 3 hardcase (1 25 inch , two 22 inch)., can Usual taxi accommodate? I assume taxi can ferry up to 4 persons

For Melbourne Avalon airport arrival at 1215pm,the Hertz operator is a franchisee (not part of the corporate grp),any idea on how to get Discounts to apply for this franchise branch as theyHertz have the better google rating ,with europ being the worst?

First time users for Ola/Uber sometimes can have promos. I would just go with the one with the better promo/price.

For Jetstar flights departing from domestic terminals, the checked luggage cut off is 30mins. Note that it doesn't mean you arrive at the airport 30mins before the flight - you need to be there, checked in at the kiosk, printed the tags, then queue up for the bag drop. Therefore, you would want to be at the airport at least an hour prior to flight departure. (Those who don't have check in luggage can simply check-in online, bring your boarding pass, and go straight through security and then to the gate).

There is also no restriction on the amount of liquid/aerosols for domestic flights. Probably not worth the bother eating your own food though, flying time is only 1 hour.

I'm not sure if 4 adults plus 3 luggage can fit into a normal size uber - it depends on what car it is. If it's a Camry, then it should be fine. However, I was once picked up by a Honda City.

I don't know of any ways to apply the discounts to the non-corporate Hertz locations. I have rented from Europcar from Avalon before, there are no issues at all. It's much of a muchness there anyway, Avalon is a very very small airport. My suggestion would be just to go for the lowest cost at that location.

Hi, am considering a 7-10D trip for two to Oz in next May. 1st timer. Not driving.

Have read this thread from the start. Seems to me that Sydney isn’t worth to stay for such a long period. Should I change it to Melbourne instead? We are fine with long train/bus journeys. No issues with long walks for good scenery spots too - the mister is into photography.

If you have 10 days, you might be able to do both if you plan to move quickly and aren't venturing far from the cities. If you must choose one, Melbourne is definitely more popular on this forum.
 
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beano

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Hi, am considering a 7-10D trip for two to Oz in next May. 1st timer. Not driving.

Have read this thread from the start. Seems to me that Sydney isn’t worth to stay for such a long period. Should I change it to Melbourne instead? We are fine with long train/bus journeys. No issues with long walks for good scenery spots too - the mister is into photography.

You can still do both cities if you wish..

Blue mountains - take the train

Melbourne - Grampians and GOR you can take the tour bus..
 

awhw

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Hi, am considering a 7-10D trip for two to Oz in next May. 1st timer. Not driving.
<snipped>

If you are taking it slow and easy, and really enjoy long walks and scenic photography, then 10 days is not even enough for Sydney alone. There are so many places that you can go for long hikes and outdoor photography. Then there are also lots of opportunities for indoor shoots. Lots of ‘instagrammable’ places.

From Sydney, you can also take the train to neighbouring towns, e.g. Blue Mountains (as mentioned by Beano), Kiama or even Canberra.
 

thwysg

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If you are taking it slow and easy, and really enjoy long walks and scenic photography, then 10 days is not even enough for Sydney alone. There are so many places that you can go for long hikes and outdoor photography. Then there are also lots of opportunities for indoor shoots. Lots of ‘instagrammable’ places.

From Sydney, you can also take the train to neighbouring towns, e.g. Blue Mountains (as mentioned by Beano), Kiama or even Canberra.

Thanks awhw and beano.

Yea, been doing some reading. Found enough things to do in the city area, pity the mister not into many things. No water (I wanted to do kayaking) or air activities and no wineries (both of us are not into wines). Can only do walks or hikes. Probably doing a few coastal walks and couple of ferry rides. Hoping to go for the trip in late May - for autumn colors and as well as Vivid Sydney.

Besides those listed below, is there anything else we should try out?
- seafood
- beef/ kangaroo (how about baby back ribs?)
- coffee (more for the mister, I can’t stomach coffee)
- burgers (not really an Aussie kind of food?)

We are not heavy diners, so would having 1 main and 1 appetizer to share among two be fine?
 

Awesom Andy

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Thanks awhw and beano.Probably doing a few coastal walks and couple of ferry rides. Hoping to go for the trip in late May - for autumn colors and as well as Vivid Sydney.

If you're adventurous, do the royal national park coast track over 2 days, camping at North Era (booking required - it's much more popular than 20 years ago when I was there). It's sheltered in the north so need to walk a little bit to catch sunrise coming out of the horizon but it's a really lovely place.
 

thwysg

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If you're adventurous, do the royal national park coast track over 2 days, camping at North Era (booking required - it's much more popular than 20 years ago when I was there). It's sheltered in the north so need to walk a little bit to catch sunrise coming out of the horizon but it's a really lovely place.

Thanks for sharing this, but I don’t think the mister wants to do overnight stay with a tent, and most likely I’ll be the one carrying the rest of the things (it’s been like that in all overseas trips) since he’s probably with a bag full of camera equipment. ;)

In the event should we decided to go for this, most likely just heading down all the way to Wattamolla Beach and back to Bundeena. Shall see how it goes.
 

awhw

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Ferry rides - Good idea. From Circular Quay, head north towards Manly, or west towards Olympic Park. Pretty scenic, though they're now mainly multi-million dollar waterview houses.
I'm not sure if there are buses to North Head or South Head. The view of the cliffs is breathtaking!

Autumn colors - good spots would be in Blue Mountains towns of Katoomba or Leura.

Vivid Sydney - check out the dates on when it would start. The lighted structures are very pretty. Highlight will always be the images that they beam onto the sails of the Opera House.

Food - self-cook or eat out? If you're cooking, get a AirBnB with a good oven.
You can buy from the big chain supermarkets (Woolworths/Coles) or the smaller ones that you'd see scattered in shopping centres.

Beef/kangaroo - I don't recall the exact price (the wife shops, I pay. LOL). Beef is much cheaper than buying in Singapore, and kangaroo meat is very very cheap (they usually just sell lean meat).

Coffee - if you do a search on Tripadvisor, you'd notice the most popular cafes are those in Darlinghurst, Paddington, Surry Hills. Most of them open early and close early (before 4pm). Those places are very 'instagrammable'.

Burgers - Technically not "Aussie" food, but it's extremely popular with locals. They are available everywhere. The fancier ones will have fancier ingredients like wagyu.

Yes, 1 appetizer and 1 main would be sufficient for both of you. And if you're still hungry, you can always go for dessert and coffee!

<snipped>
 

thwysg

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Thanks for all that information! We are not into IG places or blogs, no idea with the trend. Just cosy places to chill, quite a handful at Surry Hills, how about good bakeries? Coffee is for the mister, I’m more into pastries - breads and cakes.

The dates are not out for Vivid Sydney yet. The mister is not in favor of AirBnB apartments so it’ll be service apartments, either Meriton or Frasers, or hotels. In any case, we are complete idiots on the usage of an oven. Stovetop only. :s13:

How about heading out all the way to Orange as a day trip? Or would it be too late for the colors? Or what about the city gardens such as Auburn Botanic Gardens? We have no issues waking up early, say 4am for activities e.g. waiting at certain locations to catch sunrise in overseas.

I’ve seen recommendations on international cuisines in Australia but we are not too keen on this, prefer to have local food in the country we are visiting. Most likely sticking to Western food - cafes, steaks and seafood. Would it be better to make reservations for dinner places (probably 2-3 steak houses) or walk-ins are fine? Food budget around A$150-200 per day, just right or too low for two small eaters?

What are some good snacks to bring back from Sydney? Tim Tam? Everything seems to be quite costly. Or simply save our money for better food and more boat rides? ;)
 

princessreiko

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Thanks for all that information! We are not into IG places or blogs, no idea with the trend. Just cosy places to chill, quite a handful at Surry Hills, how about good bakeries? Coffee is for the mister, I’m more into pastries - breads and cakes.

The dates are not out for Vivid Sydney yet. The mister is not in favor of AirBnB apartments so it’ll be service apartments, either Meriton or Frasers, or hotels. In any case, we are complete idiots on the usage of an oven. Stovetop only. :s13:

How about heading out all the way to Orange as a day trip? Or would it be too late for the colors? Or what about the city gardens such as Auburn Botanic Gardens? We have no issues waking up early, say 4am for activities e.g. waiting at certain locations to catch sunrise in overseas.

I’ve seen recommendations on international cuisines in Australia but we are not too keen on this, prefer to have local food in the country we are visiting. Most likely sticking to Western food - cafes, steaks and seafood. Would it be better to make reservations for dinner places (probably 2-3 steak houses) or walk-ins are fine? Food budget around A$150-200 per day, just right or too low for two small eaters?

What are some good snacks to bring back from Sydney? Tim Tam? Everything seems to be quite costly. Or simply save our money for better food and more boat rides? ;)

Australia don't really have their own food.
I went to the Grounds of Alexandria and it was really cool there.
Apart from a really hip cafe for Instagram, they have lots of flowers, some birds and even a pig there.

Another nice cafe is Cuppa Flower.

Surry Hills -can be sleazy esp at night.

Service apartments eg Meriton are nice!
I stayed at Meriton World Tower (expensive) a few years ago, my last trip I stayed at Meriton Zetland which was much cheaper.
I chose Zetland as it is near the airport and many cafes.


Last year I stayed in Adina apartments in the CBD.
It was really convenient (though the furniture was dated) and the view of Darling Harbour is picturesque.

I walked around the CBD area, their gardens are relaxing and large, admired QVB, walked in Chinatown, Paddington market, Darling Harbour, Barangaroo, Opera House, Harbour bridge.
Basically if you wanna explore the CBD in detail, it can take days.
I also went to shop at Birkenhead Point (an outlet mall).

Most Tim Tam are available here.
U may like to check out which Tim Tam is unique to Sydney.
As for me, I will buy the white chocolate Loacker biscuits as it is not found in SG.
Usually it cost $4.50 , but when it is on sale it can be as cheap as $2!
I bought 10 of them last trip!

If you have an American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit or debit card or a linked device, you can use it to pay for your travel by tapping on and tapping off at Opal readers. Just look for the contactless payment symbol Contactless payments are available on all public transport in the Opal network.

With an Adult Opal card you can travel as much as you want on metro, train, bus, ferry and light rail services within the Opal network and you never pay more than $16.10 a day, $50 a week, or $2.80 on Sunday.

https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal/fares-payments/adult-fares

Their public transport is rather expensive.
If you have a party of 2 or more, it may be more economical to take ride hailing eg Ola, uber etc and they do have discounts for new users and some have good discounts on and off.

Hope you enjoy your trip there and safe travels!
 
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