Around the World in Reality: Sydney, Australia

In my ongoing quest to visit all seven continents, I set an exciting goal to reach continent number six in 2024. With the football season responsibilities wrapping up earlier than usual, we found ourselves with the perfect window of opportunity. Seizing the moment, we decided it was finally time to embark on our long-awaited adventure to Australia.

Day 1 – Saturday, November 23

HIGHLIGHTS: Bella Vita Cafe, Kirribilli Market and Museum of Contemporary Art

We arrived in Sydney at 8:30 AM, eager to drop our bags and begin exploring the city. After taking an Uber to our hotel, Spicers Potts Point, a charming boutique hotel in the Potts Point neighborhood, we were greeted by a kind gentleman who informed us that our room was ready for an early check-in.

We headed up to our room, freshened up, and then made our way to Bella Vita Cafe for lunch. The cafe was a great spot for people-watching. I had the fish and chips, and Donnell enjoyed the vegan burger. Both were quite good.

Next, we took the ferry to North Sydney Wharf. If you ever visit Sydney, I highly recommend using public transportation. It’s incredibly easy to navigate and offers great views of the city.

We began our exploration by searching for Jacaranda trees still in bloom. These trees have vibrant purple flowers that only last for a short time in November. We headed to McDougall Street, a location known for its Jacarandas. Unfortunately, there were only a few blossoms left.

From there, we walked to Kirribilli Market, one of the oldest and most popular markets in Sydney. When I travel, I always try to visit local markets, as they often feature talented artisans and unique finds. At this market, I picked up three pairs of earrings, my usual souvenir of choice when traveling. After browsing the various vendors, we took the ferry back to Circular Quay and continued on to the Rocks Market. It also had many great vendors, though we didn’t end up purchasing anything there.

While in the area, we visited the Museum of Contemporary Art, which featured some fantastic exhibits. One of my favorites was The Earrings That My Mother Kept for Me. I especially enjoyed the displays on the first and third floors, which offered a mix of thought-provoking and visually appealing works.

For dinner, we headed to Bang Tang, where we had a reservation. We started with tuna poke as an appetizer, and for our main courses, Donnell had the fish curry, and I had pad Thai. While the food was good, the service was less impressive, which was unfortunate.

Day 2 – Sunday, November 24

HIGHLIGHTS: Anzac Memorial, Carriageworks Markets and Ms. G’s

As an early riser, I woke up to grab breakfast downstairs and keep track of the Tennessee Vols football game. I had avocado smash, which was pretty good with the addition of salt and pepper, and an iced coffee.

Since it was the 90th anniversary of the Anzac Memorial, a principal war memorial honoring the service and sacrifice of Australians in the armed forces, we decided to visit. We explored the small museum and joined a tour to learn more about the significance of the day. The memorial was thoughtfully designed, and the attention to detail was impressive.

Next, we visited Carriageworks, where we explored both the Southeast Aboriginal Arts Market 2024 and the Good Food & Wine Show Christmas Market Sydney 2024. The Aboriginal Arts Market was thoughtfully curated, and I still regret not buying a set of earrings there. Afterward, we headed next door to the Good Food & Wine Show Christmas Market, where we sampled several wines. I learned that exporting to the U.S. is both difficult and expensive, so any purchases had to be made on the spot. Since we were traveling with only our Osprey backpacks, buying bottles was not practical.

For lunch, I had a Caprese Empanada and Lychee Lemonade, and Donnell had the Spinach and Feta Börek. Both were delicious! We ended the Food & Wine show experience with a Wrapped Reds session, where we tried to guess which wine was which. It was a fun and educational experience.

For dinner, we walked to Ms. G’s which was across the street from our hotel. We started with vegan cheeseburger rolls, which Donnell absolutely loved, and I thought were pretty good, too. We also tried smoked trout and kingfish, both of which were delicious. We finished the meal with a honey lemon dream for dessert, which was amazing!

Later, back in our room, things took an unexpected turn. Donnell yelled that there was a spider in the bathroom, and when I went to check, I was shocked to find the biggest spider I’d ever seen in my life. It turned out to be a huntsman spider, a common species in Australia. Not only was it big, but it was incredibly fast. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get in touch with anyone at the front desk, so we took measures to exterminate it. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep too well that night.

Day 3 – Monday, November 25

HIGHLIGHTS: Wombat and Kangaroo Tour

Once again, I woke up early and headed downstairs for breakfast. This time, I went for something sweet and had French toast, which was good, but I missed the whipped cream on top.

Our main activity for the day was a kangaroo and wombat tour. The tour began around noon and started with a visit to Sublime Point Lookout, which offered stunning views of the coast.

We then stopped at Robertson Pie Shop, where we both had veggie pies. They were delicious, and I followed it up with a caramel tart for dessert. It was sweet, but still pretty good.

Next, we visited Carrington Falls and Richardson Lookout, where we were blown away by the views. The scenery was incredible, and the waterfalls were the perfect finishing touch, truly the icing on the cake.

For dinner, we went to the Friendly Inn Hotel, which seemed to be a popular spot for locals after work. We both had fish and chips, and they were pretty good. We also enjoyed the company of our fellow travelers on the tour. On the way out, I spotted a beautiful jacaranda tree still in bloom, a lovely surprise to end the day.

The highlight of the day came at dusk when we finally saw the kangaroos and wombats emerge. We spent about an hour observing them, and it was fascinating. We watched a kangaroo with a joey in her pouch and another nursing her joey. Fun fact: Wombats, like kangaroos, are marsupials native to Australia. They were massive and completely unbothered by us, definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

Day 4 – Tuesday, November 26

HIGHLIGHTS: Tuyo, Australian Food: 10-Course Lunch & Sydney Culture Tour, Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney Opera House Tour, Midden by Mark Olive and Blue Mountains Glow Worm Tour

Another early morning led me to breakfast at Tuyo, a nearby coffee shop. I had a cappuccino and a haloumi stack, which was one of the best breakfast dishes I’ve ever had. I didn’t realize haloumi was so delicious!

We then went on an Australian Food: 10-Course Lunch & Sydney Culture Tour, which featured a wonderful guide who shared insights into Australia’s food culture. It was a great way to learn about and taste different foods.

Afterward, we visited the Hyde Park Barracks. The tour was fascinating, though we had to rush through the end due to time constraints. I’d love to go back and continue learning.

We then toured the Sydney Opera House, which was magnificent. Although I was disappointed that I couldn’t get tickets for the Nutcracker (they were sold out months in advance), the tour was still wonderful, and we were even able to see the set-up for one of the shows.

For dinner, we ate at Midden by Mark Olive, a restaurant at the Opera House. With stunning views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the weather was perfect for outdoor dining. We started with Spanner Crab Tart, followed by eggplant for me and crispy skin Humpty Doo Barramundi for Donnell. Both dishes were decent, and we finished with the Bush Pavlova, which was the highlight of the meal. I loved their concept of incorporating indigenous ingredients and recipes, but the flavor was a bit lacking.

To end the day, we hiked to the Glow Worm Cave in the Blue Mountains. It was a bit of a ride, but once we arrived, we had the opportunity to rest before the hike. I was a bit anxious after our spider encounter, but luckily, we didn’t encounter any more creepy-crawlies. The hike was only about 20 minutes, and when we turned off our lights inside the cave, the ceiling lit up with thousands of glow worms. It was a magical experience, and after about 30 minutes, we made our way back.

Day 5 – Wednesday, November 27

HIGHLIGHTS: Melted Monster, Waranara Tours, Manly Beach, Betty’s Burgers and the Butler

On our last full day in Sydney, Donnell joined me for breakfast at Melted Monster. He had smashed avocado on toast, while I had a haloumi croissant sandwich and an immunity juice. Everything was delicious.

We began our day with a Waranara tour, where we learned about Indigenous fishermen and women.

Afterward, we took the ferry to Manly Beach, where we explored the beach and found the wormhole.

For lunch, we had Betty’s Burgers, where we both had Betty’s Classic Vegan Burgers and fries. They were pretty good.

We finished off lunch with gelato from Gelatissimo. I had decadent cookie dough, and Donnell chose salted macadamia & dulce de leche.

For dinner, we walked right across the street to the Butler. To get us started, we had bean & cheese empanadas which were very appetizing. For our main course, I had the seared scallops and Donnell had the coral trout. Both were tasty.

Travel Day

On the final morning, I had breakfast at Melted Monster again, this time opting for an Açaí bowl, which was absolutely delicious. We headed to the airport early to avoid any rush. Using my Priority Pass, we relaxed in the lounge before catching our flight to our next destination Auckland.

Final Thoughts

We enjoyed our time in Australia. Some of the highlights of our trip included spotting wombats and kangaroos and exploring the mesmerizing glow worm cave. While I wouldn’t call it a culinary capital, we did enjoy some great meals. Ms. G’s was definitely a standout. Overall, if I were to return to Australia, I would focus even more on experiencing its incredible natural beauty.