Surroundings of Sydney

We had stayed in Sydney for two days and now we wanted to explore the surrounding area a bit.

We had reserved one day for the Blue Mountains. So, back into the car (after actually finding it in the parking garage...) and out of the city. It went better than expected, but it still took some time...

When visiting a Visitor Information center, we received a map and a suggested route, which we mostly followed: a loop through the Blue Mountains with various stops at viewpoints, where shorter or longer hikes were possible. However, we didn't have enough time for the longer hikes, so we had to settle for a few of the shorter ones... But the views and landscapes were very impressive and quite beautiful!

The next day, we decided to try the public transportation system in Sydney. We were quite amazed by the system, as you didn't have to buy tickets or get customer cards - you simply hold your credit card to the payment machines when entering and exiting, and it calculates (and deducts) the daily fare. There is also a daily maximum fare (which we believe is AUD 15.60, which we find very cheap), so eventually, you ride for free. The buses, trams, and ferries also run every few minutes, so we were impressed with the value for money (since we rode a lot: 2x bus, 3x ferry with travel times of up to 30 minutes, and 1x tram). These various means of transportation then took us to two of Sydney's many beaches. We swam at one (Bondi Beach) and went for a hike at the other (Manly).

When leaving Sydney, we also took a walk along the coast in the Royal National Park, which is located a bit south of Sydney - the Eintracht friends went to Eagle Rock (and to the Curracurrong Falls).