Sydney with Mum! (Part 1)


I know, I know, I’ve already been to Sydney, but this time I went with my mum and did everything that I wanted, and more! We also got more perks because it was my mum’s birthday one of the days we were there 😃

To change things up a bit, I’ll do a Sydney tourist recommendation thing and split the trip into multiple parts so each post won't be too long. 
Tour Guide Justine
-Take the “I’m Free!” Sydney walking tour, which meets between St. Andrew’s chapel and Town Hall and runs daily at 10.30am and 2.30pm. The founder, Justine, is a Sydneysider (Sydney local) and started the tours eight+ years ago because all the tours back then were super expensive (like all the food there) and short. This tour lasts for three hours and takes you through lots and lots of Sydney history. It really is free, but you are invited to donate “what you thought the tour was worth” at the end. 

-If you enjoyed the “I’m Free!” Sydney City tour, you can join their The Rocks tour every evening at 6pm. The Rocks is where the convicts lived in Sydney, and the tour guide will tell you juicy stories about the convicts and people who lived there.


Shark Point

 -Bondi to Coogee walk! There are great coastal views with many photo-ops. We did the walk in reverse and started at Coogee (and didn’t walk all the way to Bondi because we stopped too much to take pictures). There is a swimming pool in/by the waves at both beaches, and after seeing the beautiful waves splashing into the pool on Friday, we decided to go back and swim at Coogee on Saturday (the Coogee pool is free. Bondi Iceberg costs $6.50 but is bigger and nicer). We sat on the edge and let the waves push us into the pool. Pro-tip: eat food before you go in! It is ocean water after all, and colder than the Gold Coast. And don't forget sunscreen! The ozone layer is especially thin in Oz. 
No Swimming
-Take the Manly Ferry to Manly Beach. The view is amazing (my mum took a postcard-picture pic on it), and Manly Beach is also amazing! Except there is no swimming in the beautiful waves, at least not the day we visited. Be careful of the seagulls here (and in general); One swooped me when we were eating We also got a 7-11 slurpee for $1; the coke flavour is the best 😉. 



Big Red Bus

-Visit Hillsong at the Hills campus! You can take the train to Parramatta station and catch the Hillsong bus to church for free (you’ll only be charged a total of $2.60 for public transport on Sundays in Sydney). It was kind of funny though, because the pastor that spoke on Sunday was Charles Nieman, a Texan pastor haha. But nonetheless a powerful message about obedience to God’s word. We can enjoy life when we do what He says in His word. 
Inside Custom House



 -Go inside the Custom House, conveniently located by Circular Quay. It has the 3D map of Sydney under the ground floor and looks so much better than Google Maps. It’s also my mum’s favourite place in Sydney because it has nice toilets and free WiFi. 








Light Show
In Memory of...
-Of course gotta visit the Sydney Opera House (you can decide whether or not to do the tour). There currently is a free light show every night on the eastern sail that showcases local Aboriginal art. The sails were also covered in red poppies on 11/11 for Australia’s Remembrance Day. Justine recommended going to the toilet, which was indeed VERY nice. My phone fell in the toilet there. But thank God it still works! It reminded me of what someone said about study abroad before I left: “everything will be ok!” Now that I’m finished with the “study” part, I totally agree; even though not everything turned out as planned, everything worked out. And while I’m still abroad, I’ve experienced so much of God’s grace and goodness that I dare to say that everything will be more than ok. Despite some scary, sad, and annoying moments, as I look back on the past few months, these aren’t what jump to mind. When people ask me how it’s been, all I find myself saying is that it’s been amazing and I love it here. Aunty Jenny recently asked me what my highs and lows are this trip. I honestly couldn’t think of any lows and I had way too many highs. I don’t know how I’ll be able to share anything with anyone who didn’t read these posts… maybe I’ll just tell them to visit my blog :P. 

Next up: more sightseeing spots, food, and birthday specials! And the countdown begins. T-7 days...
Almost Christmas!


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