Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia’s largest cities, is best known for its harbour front Sydney Opera House and its sail-like design, plus the Sydney Harbour bridge but Marg and I also very much enjoyed some of the parks scattered around the harbour. Darling Harbour stretches out with its myriads of boats and ferries plying around, which I took some ferry rides last time, while my brother likes the dinner cruises on offer for special occasions! The smaller Circular Quay is a hub of waterside life with their many restaurants, like the Rocks, renown for fresh oysters like I sampled again in 2022. Last trip I was down there 3 or 4 times and having some great meals by the waterfront. I have actually been to Sydney a couple of times now, once with Marg in 2005 just the year before Marg died, when we traveled down to get our visa changed for The Park Hotel in January & February, and then again in 2022 when I was there to gain another new visa for Chennai after the covid lock downs. Luckily Australia opened up to Aussie passport holders early 2022 so was finally able to travel. NZ at that stage was still closed off for travelers. By the time NZ opened up, I was expecting my visa to come through and then finally it took seven weeks, so I could have taken the trip across for a short family visit, but we did not know that the visa process would drag out as long as it did. I could get a ticket across to NZ but coming back after 7 days was all booked out except for Business class, which was hellishly expensive at that time! So, next trip planned to NZ is now 2025, six years after my last visit!

I stayed with Aman and Shalini most of this trip, splitting time also with my brother Trev and his wife Angie in the western suburbs. Sorry, but I do not have any writings from 2005 from when we were there the first time, so you will have to rely on my memories for this! I know we had a good trip way back then, stayed in central Sydney and did all the things that you usually do, walked the bridge, walking around Hyde Park, which I know I used to have some photos of, but cannot find them anymore and will have to wait until I go through the rest of my papers and files I have to still sort out to find them. We stayed at the Sheraton Wentworth on that trip, before it changed hands and changed names afterwards. I do remember the quiet Sydney life we seemed to find, restaurants closing at 9pm in the city and cafes closing at 4pm after their lunch service. I am glad it has changed now and is quite vibrant now! Another set of photos misplaced are the ones from the city from 2022, although I have the bridge ones and most of the other ones I took. The trouble with using too many computers and sometimes syncing does not quite match up! Anyway, Marg and I was in Sydney coming down for a trip from India and had about 8 days or so here. Not a city I have visited too often but still more than I have for Melbourne, which I do not have any photos for! My good friend Steve is a Sydneysider, which we call it cockroach country, plus he is a great fan of NSW Blues team winning the State of Origin series each year. I support the Maroons, Queensland team! So, each year I favour the All Blacks (NZ) beating Australia in the Bledisloe Cup and all others of course, the Maroons winning the State of Origin, the Chiefs from Waikato for the provincial rugby title, Broncos (Brisbane) for the league in NRL, but also the Warriors (NZ team) in the same NRL. Totally messed up as you can see!