Boat trip to Parramatta and thunderstorm in Sydney

Monday, 08.01.18

I wake up at 8:00 am because I set the alarm clock. When I woke up at 6:00 am, there was a thunderstorm outside and rain was hitting the window. Now it's heavily cloudy. I have breakfast without any rush, as I don't want to see much here, since I was last in Sydney in 2014 for about 4 or 5 days. It's not until 10:00 am that I finish breakfast and enjoy watching people rushing to work outside the large windows.

To know how to get to the airport by subway tomorrow, I want to take a look at "my" subway station Wynyard. The station is less than 100m away from the hotel and now has escalators and elevators after a renovation. I take the subway to Circular Quay and at just past 12:00 pm, I take the ferry to Parramatta, which is located on the river of the same name. I didn't want to go to Manly or Bondi Beach again, but intentionally wanted to go in the other direction. The ride costs less than $9 one way and takes 1.5 hours. It passes through beautiful residential areas on slopes with lots of sailboats at the door. Behind the Olympic Park, it almost becomes a rainforest. Mangroves are on both sides of the narrow river route now. I briefly get off the ship in Parramatta, walk to the ticket machine, get another ticket, and get back on. By now, it's hot and oppressive outside, and the sun is blazing, so I sit inside by the open window. Shortly before reaching Circular Quay, you have a great view of the Harbour Bridge and the opera house behind it.

It's over 30°C again when I arrive, just before 3:00 pm, and I walk around the harbor basin to the opera house. Taking a walk around this fascinating building is a nice obligation when you're here. At 4:00 pm, I catch the last tram through the Botanic Garden. Given the heat and time difference, I'm a bit exhausted now and glad that the train takes me through the beautiful park in just under half an hour. When the tour is over, thunder and lightning begin. I take refuge in a store and am glad I'm not walking in the Botanic Garden. When it's dry again, I walk back up Pitt Street and find a power bank at an electronics store that will probably charge a phone twice. Shortly after, the next downpour over Sydney starts and I take refuge on the steps in front of the Burberry store, along with a growing number of people, while others jump through huge puddles. Half an hour later, I can finish my way to the hotel and at 6:00 pm, I'm in my room when the next thunderstorm starts.

I pack my things again, set four alarms on two cell phones, the tablet, and my arm, and realize that my stomach is growling. Now I don't feel like going downstairs again and decide to go to bed without eating. It's been a while since breakfast and tomorrow instead of breakfast, I'll take the subway to the airport. I'm already bothered by hunger during the night and I sleep poorly anyway because I'm afraid of oversleeping.