Day 1, Monday - Arrive in Sydney
Having taken a red eye flight from Singapore on Scoot, I did not have much interest to do anything but to rest. Initially, I was hesitant taking such a long flight on Scoot, but once on it, I was assured, as it looked just like an old SQ airline, without the fancy food and movie selection. As long as you eat before the flight, and arm yourself with the essential book or mp3 player loaded with songs, you can pretty much self-entertain on the flight to Sydney.
Upon arrival, one of the first things I did was to get a $30 stored value SIM card at Optus. This allows me almost unlimited use of 3G data and access to Google Maps which makes travelling around the city so much more convenient. I took the airport express train to the Central Station, and on reaching the city, I checked out Single Origin Roasters for their famed coffee and most delicious sandwich.
After a very satisfying meal, I headed to an Airbnb room located at Pyrmont Road for the initial part of my trip. It was not as convenient with a 15 minute walk to the train station. However the room came at such a good price and I would not have to deal with the noise and communal baths if I had put up at a hostel, plus plus being 5 minutes away from Coles Supermarket and Darling Harbour for late night wandering made the stay worth it's while.
Day 2, Tuesday - Manly Spit Walk, Sydney
The best time to visit Manly must definitely be during the weekdays when you do not see ferry loads of people unloading. A previous trip to Manly was purely to check out the beaches. And since I wanted this trip to be more active, I decided on famed Manly Spit walk. Though it was said it would be a 10km hike taking 4 hours, it took me 5 hours instead, and personally it felt more like a 15km walk than anything else. The walk requires great amounts of stamina as there are few places to rest with many steps to climb. It is a indeed a scenic walk as you get to see many coves with boats dotting the waters, walk on beautiful pristine beaches, and a good part of bushland walking. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience nature and active trip in Sydney. Prior to to the hike, it's super essential to slather sunblock and also a hearty breakfast.
