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Tale
2 - Sydney, Australia - by Malik
Day 1 - 30th June, 2003.
Sydney Airport had a good rail-link. It took barely 12 minutes
to reach the Central Station located right in the city centre.
My first job was to look for a bed to sleep. Fortunately,
Youth Hostels of Australia (YHA) was just around the corner.
The staff were very friendly and advised me to become a member
for US$30 to have access to 140 YHAs all over the country.
For another $42, they provided me with a comfortable room.
I went to sleep immediately to beat the jet lag.
Day 2 - 1st July, 2003
The next day I went out for a stroll. Though it was only mildly
cold, I felt a shiver even in a leather jacket topped by a
raincoat. The attire was giving me a chubby look though I'm
only 70 kg, tall and slim. In fact, I was coming from Pakistan
which sizzles in June-July. It was winter in Australia. The
temperature would drop to single digits as I ventured down
to Melbourne and Tasmania. So I needed suitable clothes. I
bought a light weight microfibre jacket, thermal long johns
and a long sleeved shirt for a total of US$140. I went back
to the hostel for a quick change and stepped out only when
I was feeling 'ultra-lite'.
Since YHA was located in the city centre, I had no difficulty
in finding places to get travel information. Eddy Avenue,
between YHA and Central Station, had many information booths
and travel centres. Countrylink Rail offered an attractive
package and I would have gone for it except for one problem:
no seats available for the first two weeks of July due to
school holidays. So I returned to my original plan of a bus
ride. I got an "Aussie Highlights Pass" for around
US$920 allowing a loop around the eastern half of Australia
plus bonus tours to Kakadu and Uluru Parks. A minimum of 32
days were required to utilise that pass.
Having solved my lodging and travel problem, I set out on
a footloose walk in the city. I never consult a city map,
I just go left and right and in the process I see many landmarks.
By the Grace of God, I always return safely by night. The
trick is to keep going in one direction, drifting a little
to the left or right, and returning back by a parallel road.
To double check, I always keep a compass ready. Only by a
miracle, would I get lost.
Next was to select a never-ending street for a long walk.
YHA was on Pitt Street. I did not like the name. It reminded
of a bottomless pit, once you have fallen into it, you would
never come out. So, I turned left and found myself on George
Street, broad and vibrant. I asked a female passerby how far
I could go on that road. "To the end of the world crossing
Harbor Bridge. Better if you buy a Day-Pass for only 13 dollars..."
said the kind lady. Having already used a big chunk of my
funds, mere mention of the word "dollar" revved
my blood pressure and blocked my ears. I kept on nodding without
hearing her. I thanked her, patted my legs and braced myself
for a 12 mile walk.
It was a bright day. I must say exceptionally bright. Later
I learned it was due to depletion of the ozone layer right
over Australia. Instead of sunlight, it is called "diamond
light", brighter and stronger. Sydney looked a little
old and tightly packed. In many ways, it resembled San Francisco,
only the steep hills were missing. There were s lot of Japanese,
Chinese and Korean people talking in strange languages and
dialects. In fact, the city was as multiethnic as New York.
When I made a small detour by turning into Sussex Street,
I faced strange signboards like Casa Asturiana, Captain Torres
etc. It took me some time to realise that I was in "Spanish
Town" famed for its tapas. I saw more and more restaurants
and food stalls offering Chinese, Malay, Vietnamese, Thai,
Indian and Japanese food. One could have a buffet by paying
US$3, $5 or $8 on small, medium and large disposable plates.
These could be heaped up by selecting foods from dishes of
rice, noodles, pies, roasts, pastas, dim-sim and yum-cha.
One could order a plain burger, bagels, sushi, steak or special
seafoods.
I did not notice where Spanish Town ended and China Town began
as the latter was expanding well beyond its designated confines,
thanks to the money being pumped-in by Hong Kong tycoons.
Turning to Liverpool Street, I returned back to George Street.
A few steps way, I confronted an architectural delight. It
was the Queen Victoria Building, a sprawling complex containing
boutiques, cafes, and antique shops. It was packed with tourists
who were making brisk purchases despite the high prices. At
a jeweller's shop, I asked for a black opal with utmost confidence.
Hoping for a good kill, the owner himself attended me and
showed me a lot of stones, none less than US$500. He was disappointed
when I did not buy anything.
The Queen Victoria Building.
Continuing on George Street, I ended up in "The Rocks".
It was the oldest part of Sydney with narrow cobblestoned
streets and colonial buildings giving a look and feel of the
past. Massive development and restoration work had turned
the place into a tourist paradise, filled with great flocks
of them!!! I felt as if I was in an Oriental bazaar. One could
spend the whole day browsing gift shops, art galleries, pubs,
and tea rooms. Many shops had stuffed koalas and other cute
animals showcased at their entrances.
By
now, I was longing for some conversation. So I started asking
around for directions to the Information Centre. I was moved
by the responses from the passersby. Some directed me to the
right place after walking to the point where the centre was
visible. Some apologised as they were lost, too. Some asked
others and passed on the information to me. It is, after all,
people who make the larger difference between the places on
this earth - by their features, characteristics, behaviour,
mannerisms etc.
While
coming towards The Rock, I had many glimpses of the magnificent
Sydney Harbour Bridge. I planned to save it for my next visit.
But when I saw a stair access to the bridge looming over The
Rocks, I could not resist. I went up and found a fenced walkway
to cross the bridge. Nick-named Coat-hanger, the bridge has
a length of 3770 feet, second only to the Golden Gate Bridge
in San Francisco. It was a very pleasant walk with fresh air
and scenic views of the rivers, ferries, cruisers, city skylines
and, above all, Sydney Opera House. When I looked up, I saw
many people climbing the bridge in groups. Later, I learned
that each had paid a hefty sum of US$140 for a guided tour
to the top just for the thrill.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge.
After crossing the bridge, I came to North Shore which was
studded with high-rise offices. Besides, there were a line
of pleasant sidewalk cafes. Zigzagging in narrow streets,
I made my way to the ferry terminal. I had to wait for about
half an hour before the ferry arrived. No one asked me for
a ticket and I thought it was a free ride like the Staten
Island Ferry of New York. When I disembarked at Circular Quay
to continue my walk back to the base, I had to purchase a
ticket for going out of the ferry terminal. There is no such
thing as a free lunch.
I was now returning to the city centre. Crisscrossing Elizabeth
Street, pedestrian malls, and George Street I reached YHA.
It was late evening and the city was lit up in bright colours,
even the trees had white lights. I swiped my card at the door
lock and jumped into bed without waiting for the click of
the closing door. I was quite tired after my full day and
I slept like a log.
Day 3 - 2nd July, 2003
I am an early riser. I'm also a lazybones. So I keep lying
in bed for hours. It helps me in planning for the day and
saving energy for a long walk. I intended to cover Darling
Harbour, Sydney Opera House and the Botanical Gardens.
While walking towards Darling Harbour, I caught sight of a
monorail, travelling at first floor level. It would be a good
idea to see the city centre from above. A few steps ahead,
I found stairs leading to its station. I went up, enquired
about and was glad to find that it was heading towards the
Darling Harbour. So I got a ticket for US$4 and jumped on
it. I have not so far seen any other such rail operating in
the heart of a major city. But it covered a very small loop
and was more of a novelty than a mode of transport.
The above ground Monorail.
From above, Sydney looked like a big, bustling city though
its population was only 4 million. I noticed huge billboards
of multi-national food giants like KFC, McDonalds and Burger
King. The only well-known indigenous joint, Hungry Jack's,
had no such massive displays. Near the Harbour, the view from
the top became panoramic: water glistening under bright sun,
flags flapping in a cool wind, people in colourful clothes
moving about. There was a large waterfront having shops, restaurants,
parks, museums and casinos. It was a gorgeous view giving
a real feel of the city.
I had started my day with only a cup of tea and a couple of
crackers. I was feeling hungry and so I looked around for
any eating place. A noodle bar, Wok On Inn, fascinated me
and I had my fill with US$7. Afterwards, I adjusted my belt
and walked towards Maritime Museum. A normal ticket was about
US$8 but lower for pensioners. I tried to convince the lady
at the ticket booth that I was an international pensioner,
a senior citizen, a research scholar. It failed to melt her
and she insisted on a full ticket.
The Maritime Museum displayed aboriginal canoes, First Fleet
and surf culture. Moored outside were a navel destroyer, a
submarine, a racing yatch and a Vietnamese refugee boat. I
had to pay another US$7 for visiting the nearby Powerhouse
Museum covering varied subjects like decorative arts, social
history, costume jewellery, rock music, locomotive and space
capsules. This small harbour had been transformed into a major
tourist site, appealing predominantly to children. The vast,
paved and landscaped recreational ground was packed with restaurants
and shops, as well as a number of tourist attractions: Sydney
Aquarium, IMAX Theatre and the Chinese Garden of Friendship
(a gift to Sydney from its sister city of Guangdong).
Leaving Darling Harbour, I headed towards the Sydney Opera
House. I had seen it from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and knew
its location well. Following Market Street, I reached Queen
Square and turned left onto Macquarie Street. I passed by
old public buildings like St James Church, the Mint, Parliament
House, the State Library and the Sydney Conservatorium of
Music. Eventually, I arrived at Circular Quay (pronounced
as key). I had been here before as it was a commuting hub
with ferry terminals, a railway station and bus stops. The
Opera House was now in sight, with soaring sail-like or shell-like
roofs. To someone dirty minded like me, it seemed like frogs
in their mating season.
The Sydney Opera House.
Much before the main hall, there was a shopping and entertainment
area. Lots of people were sitting in the outdoor cafes and
watching harbour life go by. There were designer shops of
leather goods, dresses and souvenirs. A chic clothing store
had an unusual name as FCUK. Certainly, it was a spelling
mistake. Afterall, it was Australia and not England.
Once I was face-to-face with the Opera House, it did not seem
so romantic. At many places, tiles were broken and cracked
along edges. Some were dirty and scrawled with the names of
those who had visited before. Many types of guided tours were
available like "Front-of-the-House" and "Backstage"
but at a high cost. So I just walked around enjoying the aromatic
air coming from the nearby Royal Botanical Gardens which,
of course, was my next point.
The gardens were located in a hilly area on a slope overlooking
the harbour. There were many guideposts and trail marks for
the benefit of visitors wanting to see tropical plants and
roses in pyramid-like glass houses. These were on the top
but the access was made easy by a series of stairs. Many young
men and women were using these stairs for exercises –
going up and down umpteen times. I was tempted to show them
up but good sense prevailed and I continued moving ahead.
It was early evening when I left the garden and took a path
leading to the Opera House. With the skyline of downtown Sydney
as its backdrop, the Opera House was looking awesome. Beauty
always improves with distance.
The day long walk had taken its toll. My muscles trembled
and joints were rattling now. I took CityRail for the journey
back to Central Station. It was an experience in itself to
take a ride in the subway. The station is a complex with a
variety of tunnels, stark yellow and black, leading to various
platforms and exits.
I felt relieved on return; another memorable day was over.
Hafeez
ur Rahman Malik, Karachi-Pakistan.
Submitted: 29 August 2003
Next: Tale 3 - Brisbane, Australia.
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