11 Things To Do Around Sydney

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Sydney is a vibrant, multicultural city surrounding one of the world’s largest natural harbors. Unlike other metropolises, this easy going city is known for its idyllic beaches and rugged national parks as well as its lively food scene and culture. There are so many things to do and see in Sydney, that we had a very packed schedule during our 5 day stay.  Our goal was to see as many things as possible, from the sandy beaches to the mountains to the city.  Here are the highlights of some of the places we visited in Sydney:

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Photo of the Week: Traffic

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IMG_2825Hanoi, Viet Nam

The traffic in Vietnam is notorious.  This picture of a gentleman smoking on his bike while surging ahead of the crowd was taken on the chaotic streets of Hanoi. The streets are often congested with motorcycles, cars, and bikes jostling to get to their various destinations.  In Vietnam, crossing the street is often a feat in and of itself. 

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

The Day My Life Changed

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Two years ago on this day, I found out I had breast cancer.  Yes, the dreaded ‘C’ word.  This was a shock to me, because to be honest, no one in their early 30s is expected to deal with this, right?  At that age, I still feel invincible, and there was no time to contemplate my mortality.  I still remember getting the call from the OBGYN office asking me to come in for my results. It was then that I knew it was going to be bad news (why else would they call you in?). In that minute my world changed. At 33 years old, with no family history, I sat there in silence as the doctor told me I had ductal carcinoma-in-situ. That was the bad news; the good news I was told, is that the cancer was caught early and was non-invasive. Yay me?

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Sydney: Bondi Beach

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Sydney is a seaside city with many world famous beaches located right around the metropolitan area.  Bondi Beach (pronounced: bond-eye) is one of the busiest and most popular beaches in the city, only about 30 minutes from the city center.  It is well known for it’s soft white sand as well as prime surfing location. The beach is only 1 km long and receives hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world.

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Photo of the Week: Books

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IMG_4756Dublin, Ireland

This picture was taken in the Long Room, the main chamber of the Old Library at Trinity College in Dublin. This is the largest library in Ireland, built back in the 1700s.  Along the corridor, there are 14 busts of great philosophers, writers and men who supported Trinity college throughout the years. To the left of the entrance, you’ll see a very ornate iron spiral staircase that people used to go up to the second level.

Inside, shelves are filled with old books from floor to ceiling, all organized alphabetically. The most famous book housed here is the book of Kells, a famous 9th century gospel manuscript.  

This is my idea of heaven, something I aspire to have one day.  A special wood-paneled room filled with books, where I can curl up and read all day.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Sydney: Hiking Blue Mountain

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We were excited to explore the rugged Australian wilderness and its spectacular natural beauty. One of those places is the Blue Mountain National Park,  a designated World Heritage site, located about 95 km from Sydney. The mountain got its name from the distinctive blue haze in the surrounding atmosphere as a result of the densely packed forest of eucalyptus trees. Aside from the breathtaking view, the Blue Mountains also have many walking tracks perfect for hiking.

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Sydney: Graffiti

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Sydney, like many other great cities around the world, has some incredible street art.  The difference between Sidney and other cities is that they have a strict policy against graffiti.   For the past decade, the city has continually inspected “hotspots”and removed many great murals as they get made. The government has a zero tolerance for street artists, and it is against to law for anyone to sell spray paint to a minor. It’s also against to the law for a minor to have any graffiti tool in their possession, and violators will be fined heavily. The stakes are high for these artists who wander the Sydney streets at night armed with spray cans, wanting to express themselves.  Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Spring

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IMG_4560New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York

Spring is here and yet the weather is still cold and dreary.  So what’s a better way to remind ourselves of spring than with a picture of this stunning orchid in bloom.  Last weekend, I trekked up to the Bronx to go to the annual Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden. As you enter the conservatory, you’re hit by the intoxicating smell, heat, and humidity that clings to your skin and fogs up your camera lens.  It transports you from the bitter cold of New York to a tropical paradise.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Eating in Sydney

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I can’t believe it’s been four months since we set foot in Australia.  I am excited to finally be able to share about our trip down under.  A little bit about me before I dive into all the great places to eat in Sydney, I LOVE MasterChef Australia.  I can’t emphasize this enough.  I’ve watched every episode religiously, usually over dinner.  It’s basically the only time I can watch the show without salivating and craving all the food.  We could not wait to go to the restaurants that appeared on MasterChef and taste the wonderful, crazy concoctions ourselves. When we were planning our trip to Australia, we knew that food would be a major component of our overall experience.  I’ve always felt that food is the heart and soul of a city.  When you go to a new city, a great way to immerse yourself in the new environment is to venture out and try the food that locals eat. It’ll give you a great appreciation for the place and people.

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First Class to Australia

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When we were booking our flights to Sydney, we looked at a lot of different options; reserving several different award tickets until we found the ‘right’ one.  We knew the trip to Australia was going to be a long one, and we basically had 2 criteria – 1) that the ticket be as close to free as possible using miles, and 2) that we travel in relative comfort. A trip to Australia, depending on the routing can be at least 21 hours of flying, plus layovers since there are no direct flights to Australia from NYC.

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