Commuting could never really be described as fun, except perhaps for those people who live in Sydney.
While Londoners get up at dawn to wait for a packed, delayed train or overheat in a traffic jam, Sydney’s city slickers stroll on to a spacious ferry or Jetcat and cruise past sandy coves into Sydney Harbour with picturesque views of the Opera House in the background.
Perhaps this stress-free environment is one reason why most locals in the city are friendly and willing to stop for a chat. Few are in a hurry to get home, with most preferring to stop for a stubby (bottle of beer) and take in the thriving cosmopolitan atmosphere.
As a single woman traveller in Sydney, I did not run into any unwelcome attention strolling around alone. Quite the opposite, I met some great Aussies who soon became drinking buddies and told me the local hotspots away from the Harbour-side tourist traps.
However, even the residents in Sydney frequent the area, particularly The Rocks, the site of the first encampment of convicts and soldiers in 1788.
Here you can wander through winding lanes filled with outdoor cafes and arts and crafts centres, or watch a pommie busker tempt tourists to part with a few dollars.
Circular Quay and the Rocks is home to the city’s oldest pubs, many of which offer some unusual live bands.
If you’re hungry, some of the pubs offer a barbecue which allows punters to handpick a piece of meat or fish and cook it themselves.
Alternatively, another good eating area is the Sydney Fish Market at Pyrmont which serves great sushi. Sydney is famous for its rock oyster and the Balmain Bug (a bit like crayfish) which tastes great washed down with one of Australia’s famous beers or wines.
After a bit of tucker, a night out at Sydney is not complete without experiencing Kings Cross, Sydney’s version of Soho. Strip joints, tacky bars and neon lights have their place in every city and add a bit of colour while numerous clubs, such as Club 77 on Williams Street, offer a variety of music from Britpop to mainstream dance. An alternative nightspot can be found in the district of Manly, only a 30min cruise from Circular Quay, the focal point of network ferry services to suburbs such as Darling Harbour and Toranga Zoo.
Nicknamed ‘Seven miles from Sydney and a 1,000 miles from care’, Manly is a trendy beachside shopping town with wide selection of restaurants and bars.
Some streets may seem a little tacky and reminiscent of Brighton, but the beach is beautiful, sunsets spectacular and atmosphere raging on a Friday and Saturday night.
By contrast the area has an air of calm and respectability on Sunday mornings. Take breakfast overlooking the beach and you can watch an array of passers-by, from fitness fanatics, joggers and surfers to immaculately dressed designer couples walking their perfectly groomed dogs.
A drive north of Manly towards Palm Cove will unveil numerous coves with long sandy beaches. Stop off and watch a lifesaving competition or take a dip in one of the many outdoor pools on the beachfront to cool off. But don’t forget to take your sunscreen – rumour has it you will be kicked off the beach if you can’t prove you are wearing sun protection.
If Palm Cove feels a little familiar, it may be because you have cast your eyes on this beach many times before on your TV screen – this is the set for Australia’s most famous export – not Fosters, but unfortunately the soap Home and Away.
Further inland, you can escape Sydney’s skyscrapers in one of the many national parks such as Ku-ring-gai National Park.
Anyone who needs further convincing that the city offers a diverse range of attractions should think on this – the city is host to the 2000 Olympic Games and will be the first Olympics where virtually all of the 28 events will take place in Sydney itself.