During April, we had just one house sit that covered most of the month.
We wanted to spend April in or around the Sydney region so were delighted to receive a private invitation. It was from a couple that lived in an area called Rose Bay, an eastern suburb of Sydney
The home hosts told us that they were going away for three and a half weeks and were looking for someone to care for their home and dog whilst they were on holiday. The dates were perfect for us so we were more than happy to accept their invitation.
Our original plan was to take a train from our final March house sit in Albury to Sydney. When we went to the train station to buy the tickets we were told that as there was an imminent change in ticket prices no new tickets were being sold for this journey until April the 1st.
As we needed to travel on April the 2nd this all seemed a bit too risky for us. We were concerned about the possibility that if we were not able to get a ticket on the 1st then we would find it really difficult to arrive in Sydney by the following day.
We gave it some thought and not wanting to risk letting the home hosts down we decided that flying would be a better option.
I have to say, as much as we love train travel, the flight was great. From Albury airport, direct to Sydney International the flight time was just an hour.
The train would have been half the price but ten times the journey time!
April 2nd – April 27th
Rose Bay, North Bondi, Sydney
We arrived on April 2nd and had an evening with the home hosts before they left for their holiday the following morning.
There really was nothing not to like about this sit. The home hosts were really welcoming and their home was clean and very comfortable. One of the home hosts was Japanese and the style of their home had lots of Japanese influences. Including a Japanese toilet with a built-in heated seat and a multitude of bidet options to choose from!
The location of this house sit was unbeatable. It was a very easy ten-minute walk to Rose Bay Wharf. From there, it took just 12 minutes via the regular ferry service to get to Sydney city centre.
On beach days a half-hour walk took us directly to the world-famous Bondi beach and on the days that we didn’t want to do much at all, there was an abundance of shops and cafes in the surrounding streets.
The Pet
The pet in our care during this house sit was ‘Chanel’, a thirteen-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier who immediately stole our hearts.
She was such a friendly dog who loved human company. Wherever we were, Chanel was never far away. She had a doggy door to let herself in and out of the garden which made her very easy to care for.
Every evening she would join us for an hour on the settee whilst we watched the tv until it was her bedtime. Each evening she gave us a laugh with the same routine. We would give her the ‘time for bed’ command. At first, she would close her eyes and pretend that she had not heard us. We then repeated the command. Only at this point would she begrudgingly take herself to bed. It was like sending a child to bed!
Sydney
We loved Sydney. It really is an amazing city with so much to see and do. As the main city is located next to the harbour there is a ferry system that is a really popular travel option to get to and from the surrounding towns and suburbs.
The Ferries are regular and reasonably priced. The added bonus is that as you arrive at the Circular Quay Wharf which is the city centre stop, you are treated to great views of both The Harbour Bridge and also Sydney’s most famous landmark – The Sydney Opera House.
Circular Quay Wharf is the beating heart of Sydney. From there, it is a short stroll to the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, the Botanical Gardens and also to the main city centre.
If you wanted to travel further afield the train station is also conveniently located at Circular Quay Wharf.
The train system is reasonably priced using a tap-on and tap-off system. Double-decker trains mean that there is always a seat available. The trains have a really simple but clever feature where the back of the seats can be pushed back or forward. This means that you can always face the travel direction of the train or, if you are with friends, can very easily configure the seats so that you are all facing each other – genius!!
Friends, Old and New!
One downside of our nomadic lifestyle is that we don’t get the chance to meet up with friends very often. Also, as we are never in the same place for long we very rarely get the chance to make new friends.
Here in Sydney though, amazingly we managed both!
Ian is a friend of ours whom we first met when we were living in Manchester. He was born in the UK but left as a child and has been living in Sydney for many years. We managed to meet up a few times while we were in Sydney and really appreciated his kindness in acting as our unofficial guide and chauffeur! Thanks Ian, we owe you!!
Ian introduced Rob to us. Rob is an Australian born ‘n’ bred and we enjoyed his company on a couple of occasions during our sightseeing expeditions. Thanks Rob, for giving up your time and making us feel so welcome, we hope to meet you again in the future.
Alvin is Indonesian but moved to Sydney a few years ago. This guy is always smiling! Even though he works seven days a week he kindly made time to meet up on a few occasions, sharing meals and giving us tips on what to see and do. Thanks Alvin, it was a pleasure to meet you, be sure to stay in touch!
Sightseeing!
Bondi Beach
Ask anyone to name an Australian beach and there is a good chance most will give Bondi Beach as their answer.
You can imagine how excited we were to find out that our house sit was within walking distance of this world-famous iconic beach.
Unfortunately, I think our expectations were a little too high. It turned out that Bondi Beach was our least favourite of all that we visited. 😒
As tourists ourselves I know that it is hypocritical to say that it was just a bit too ‘touristy’ – but there you are, I’ve said it. It was!
I’m glad we went. Being so close to where we were staying it would have been madness not to, but once was enough for us.
I think we’ve turned into beach snobs! 😂
Tamarama Beach
Having seen enough of Bondi Beach we decided to take a walk along the coastal path from Bondi to Tamarama. This proved to be a very good idea!
The beach at Tamarama is much smaller but far nicer. There were fewer people here and the waves in the ocean seemed less rough.
We were more than happy to rest here for a while at the beach cafe enjoying a coffee, cake and magnificent views on offer.
Unfortunately, We had left it too late to walk any further along the coastal path. It is a really beautiful walk that continues past other lovely beaches including Bronte Beach, Clovelly Beach, Coogee Beach and Maroubra Beach.
Manly Beach
Alvin had already recommended Manly as a good place to visit so when Ian contacted us one Bank Holiday to ask if we fancied a day out this seemed the ideal opportunity.
We met Ian at Circular Quay Wharf and from there took the 25-minute ferry direct to Manly. In hindsight, a Bank Holiday probably wasn’t the best choice of day to visit as it seemed that everyone else in Sydney had the same idea – it was packed full of tourists and locals alike all enjoying a beautiful sunny day in Manly
Manly is a really popular coastal Suburb to the north of Sydney. There is a high street filled with bars, shops and restaurants that leads you to the jewel in the crown of Manly – The beach!
The beach here is considered to be the Australian birthplace of surfing and it was here in 1964 that the world’s first surfing contest was held.
It’s bewildering that Manly Beach is not as worldwide famous as Bondi Beach but that has probably helped it keep its charm. Without a doubt, this is the best beach of the two.
We’d have gone for a swim had they not been hammering ‘shark sighted’ signs into the sand – maybe next time!
Watson’s Bay
Another suggestion from Alvin was that we should visit Watson’s Bay.
The first time we went we walked and the final destination did make the effort well worth it however, we quickly conceded that it was too far and hilly to call it a pleasant walk.
The drive to Watson’s Bay took just 15 minutes so, as we had the use of the home host’s car this is what we did for all future visits.
Watson’s Bay is a beautiful harbourside suburb of Sydney. It has the feeling of a small, upmarket seaside resort.
A large grassy park area which is great for picnics leads to the harbour where there is a selection of bars, ice cream stalls and restaurants.
The beach area has golden sands and the ocean is much calmer than other areas making this a really popular choice for families with children. All in all, a great place for a grand day out.
It has its own wharf meaning that getting to and from here via a ferry is very easy to do.
We wandered around for a while, then decided to follow the path beyond the harbour admiring the quaint residential cottages that line the streets.
After a short while we spotted a sign – ‘Camp Cove’
Camp Cove
What a discovery this was! It turned out to be our favourite beach.
Camp Cove is a fantastic little beach around 200mtrs long. As it is a short walk further than the popular Watson’s Bay it seems as if it is missed by many and hence, is usually relatively quiet.
This is a harbour beach, not a surf beach which means the water is more shallow and the waves more gentle. There are toilet facilities plus a beach bar selling the usual snacks and drinks. Plus, when you have had enough of lying on the beach and dipping your toes in the water, there are some lovely scenic coastal walks all around
As an added bonus, you are rewarded with a great view of the Sydney city skyline in the distance.
We felt that we had stumbled upon a real hidden gem and visited here many times. You can never get too much of a good thing!
The Blue Mountains
Ian kindly offered to be our guide for a day trip to the Blue Mountains which was definitely one of the highlights of our stay.
The Blue Mountain range is a national park in New South Wales, about an hour’s drive from our house sit.
We went to the three sisters rock formation which towers above the Jamison Valley in the town of Katoomba. The Three Sisters are over nine hundred meters high and are an unusual rock formation representing three sisters who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone.
This is considered to be an extremely spiritual place for the Aboriginal people.
There are huge forests of eucalyptus trees in this area. Oil droplets from the eucalyptus trees, plus the dust and water vapour in the air all mix together to create a blue tinge which is why The Blue Mountains really do appear to be blue!
The Theatre
Who doesn’t like a musical? Well, Karyo for one so I don’t get to see as many as I would like to. However, when I saw that, for one week only, La Cage aux Folles was appearing on stage in Sydney I used all my persuasive powers to get him to go.
After some serious arm-twisting on Karyo and a quick phone call to Ian, the three of us booked tickets and met at the State Theatre to see the show.
The State Theatre is a beautiful building located in the heart of the city çentre. It was built in 1929 and the architecture is amazing, a fusion of art deco and very regal.
If you haven’t seen the show, you must if you get the chance. It is a fantastic couple of hours of entertainment.
The show is based on a French play of the same name and tells the story of a gay couple, Georges, the manager of a drag nightclub, and Albin, his lover and star drag queen at the club. When Georges’s son decides to get married his girlfriend’s right-wing parents want to meet his parents. The comedy unfolds as Albin insists on being included in the introductions. It is really funny and includes some great songs. I was singing ‘I am what I am’ for days afterwards!
Even Karyo (begrudgingly) admitted that he loved it!
Where next?
There was nothing not to like about our time in Sydney. In hindsight, we wished we could have stayed longer but we had just one more house sit booked before we were to return to the UK.
For this, our final Australian stop, we have just over an hour train journey south to the coastal suburb of Coledale. More on that next time.
Until then, thanks for reading, hugs – Colin and Karyo XX
