AUSTRALIA

This is the report of the trip I have done to mythical Australia between September 21 and October 19 1996, I visited the zones between Perth, Alice Springs, Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney. 

Considering that I traveled alone the choice of the hostel was practically forced; all the guides that I read say that Australia is perhaps the country that offers more 's assistance for the travelers with limited budget. Even in the smallest villages you can find a hostel, the expense for a night is around 15-18 A$; the hostels are divided in 2 groups, those public that stick to the world association of the hostels (Y.H.A.) and those privacies. Principal difference between two are that in the private ones you can have a little bit of liberty in the sense that the rooms and the services are in common with the representatives of gentil-sex, there is the possibility to consume alcoholic and in almost every one there is a cafe-disco where they organize every evening parties. I have slept almost exclusively in the hostels of the Y.H.A. because I bought in Italy the Y.H.A. card and because I started to know the other ones at the end of the trip. 

With the Y.H.A. card you can have a lot of discounts for the tours that are organized in the various places, even if I didn't use the card for the accommodation I have abundantly repaid it with the discounts that I got. 

The level of the hostels is very good, they are very clean, with a well equipped kitchen and  lot of them have a swimming pool (even if sometimes it's a little bigger than a bathtub),  almost all have a travel agency with good prices and above all they are very safe but after all Australia is a country where crime is almost absent, in a month I have hardly ever seen the police. 

Another thing, I advice to take the publications (free) you can find in the hostels, they are a source of information adjourned of the zone you are visiting. 

The frequenters of the hostels (backpackers) stay in the country stopping at least 3 months but the average was of 6-12 months. When I said that I stayed only 1 month they were put all to laugh saying me that was so little time I can not see anything. Almost all of them had a working-visa  that is able to be done up to the age of 26 years and it give the possibility to make small jobs; also from this point of view Australians are well organized in the sense that is quite easy to find a job, in the big cities as waiters, gardeners or messengers; in the rest of the country and along the east-coast the farmers look for manpower for the harvest of fruit (bananas, mangos and generally tropical fruit). A lot of persons buy a car and use it for traveling around the country and then they resell before leaving again, the practices for buying/selling are very simple to dispatch and in the glass showcases of the hostels it's possible to find a lot of offers. 

As for the Australians are very nice and above all cordial; the thing that amazed me was seeing a lot of persons walk barefoot also in the cities center . Besides they have a strange pronunciation in the sense that they use to talk "open", for ex. they say oka'y or toda'y; in the center of the country they have an accent straight that for me it was almost incomprehensible (but then I discovered that it was so also for some Irish or English people I met). 

Life quality is very good, the cities are liveable, floods of green with good public services and with little traffic and as already said almost the absent of crime; the chaos and the frenzy that I can find in our cities they don't even know what thing is and everything this always engraves on the character of the kind and available persons. The cost of life seemed  more or less comparable to ours, perhaps in the center of the country where the provisioning are more difficult the prices are increased. 

The thing I'll never forget was the vastness of the territories, to comparison of the USA deserts I have visited, here it's multiplied for 10, you travels for thousand of Km without seeing nothing surrounded only by the bush (the Australian brushwood, trees and very low bushes); also on the east coast that is more lived, there is "nothing" between a city and the other. 

A thing that grieved me was seeing the conditions of life of the aborigines, in fact the white man and civilization destroyed this people. Those that have tried to become civilized live to the borders of the cities destroyed by alcohol; the situation is a little bit better for those that decided to live according to their traditions in lands that the government has started to return him, but they live confined. 



I had to arrive to Perth at 6 in the morning, the aerial rout from Hong Kong foresaw the flyover of the west Australian coast , as soon as started to rise the sun, I have been able to admire from my window a beautiful contrast of colors considering that from the immense red land of the desert and the orange of the sun the colors passed to blue intense sky. 

As soon as I arrived, I took the bus for the hostel; the hostels and almost of the restaurants  are found in the district of Northbridge really behind the station. After a short rests for taking back me from the trip I went out to walk around the town. The impression on the city it's a beautiful place to live considering that it is never cold (there are not the heaters in the houses), it's very green and quite; I arrived on Saturday and the traffic  was comparable to that of Milan the day of ferragosto (august 15, when all the Italians are on vacation) but for a tourist there aren't a lot of thing to see, besides the city center full of shops I have made a stroll for the Kings Park, a botanical park where you can make beautiful walks. 

Positive note, the transports inside the city are free (to say the truth I didn't understand if the thing is worth only Saturday and Sunday or every day). 

The evening after a fast dinner I decided to do a jump some pubs to make knowledge with the local people, unfortunately a strong storm has prevented it to me. To eat I opted for a very diffused place in the Australian cities, it concerns a kind of self-service where and possible to taste foods of varied countries (Chinese, Malay, Japanese, Italian, Mexican and so on), the expense is around 10-12 A$. 

The morning after I decided to make a trip to Freemantle that finds around 20 Km from Perth; this small village is famous  because some year ago was disputed the America's Cup that if I don't remember badly was win by the Australians. As soon I arrived I went to a cafe that seemed me very nice (more 's that the cafe the maid was nice!!), after having asked if they prepared the cappuccino they answered me was invented by them (mah!!!!); however the Australians love the cappuccino and it's possible  to find almost everywhere. 

Also to Freemantle there weren't a lot to see, the covered market in the center and another back the station. What is worth to mention is a kind of fast food where it's possible to eat some good fish, I have eaten 1/2 lobster with big prawns and oysters for 18 A$, Kaili's Seafood Takeaway is called and he finds in the zone of the harbour. The shellfishes and the fruits of sea in Australia are excellent and they cost very less than ours, the mussels for example are giant (they have however a different taste from ours). 

The Monday morning I started that what probably was the more exciting part  of the trip, in 8 days I would have crossed the desert to Alice Springs to continue then up to Darwin, I booked this part of the trip through an agency of Perth, the Travelabout. Fortunately the meeting was next to the hostel, I say fortunately because I started to make count that the choice bringing the rigid suitcase instead of the backpack was not very happy. My group was composed by 8 persons, not as soon as systematized the baggage we started that what would have been a essentially covers of transfer almost all on asphalted road. The "car" that we used was a big jeep equipped of everything for the crossing of impervious zones and with the material to eat and to sleep. During the journey Roger (our guide) explained us that in evening we would have slept near Laverton to the borders of the Great Victoria Desert, in the 2 following days we would have crossed the whole Warburton Road (that is a road in beaten land) to Ayers Rock. 

Arrived near Laverton Roger chose the place where I would have spent my first night as Bushman. Once unloaded the baggage's and the whole equipment we started to prepare the camp and to turn on the fire (it was decidedly cold), the characteristic of these tours is that all people participate in the life of the camp (like in the boys scout). After the dinner consumed in front of the fire we prepared for the night (the alarm clock was anticipated at 4.30 o'clock), to sleep we used an Australian invention: the swag, a sort of air-bed wound in a kind curtain in which to insert the sleeping-bag, to the necessity the swag is endowed with a protection for the head in case of rain. What kind of emotion to sleep under the stars in the middle of the nothing!!! 

The following morning at 6 o'clock we had already done breakfast and we were crossing the road, to that time the sun was already high, in fact in Australia the sun rises and sunset very soon. Inside the jeep I had the feeling to find me on a diligence (the average speed was of around 100-120 Km/h) and the not really beaten road provoked a certain tottering. As for the landscape I was surrounded only and only by the bush, sometimes we met some real full groves of flowers from the bush, looking more 's attentively we saw on the trees small parrots. With a certain frequency then we met some carcasses of auto, Roger has explained that the "white man" sells some old wreck to the aborigines, as they don't have the sense of the measure they often remain without gasoline or oil for the motor and therefore they abandon the cars to the sides of the road, then a kind of crane that stacks one on the other passes sometimes (I have not understood because nobody bring the cars away). 

The second evening we camped in a grove, for dinner they prepared spaghetti, unfortunately the classical ragu' was killed with corn and ketchup, however   I ate them (probably because I was very hungry)!!! 

While we were dining we heard the howls of the dingoes, the following morning after having disassembled the camp one came out to visit the camp looking for food. 

The only signs of civilization we found in the 2 places in which we stopped to make gasoline, the first time in a farm, really I didn't have well understands what they can cultivate in the desert, but I noticed that had many children however!!! The second time in a small village that if I don't remember it is called Warrakurna. 

The end of this part of the trip was preannounced from the immense figure of the Ayers Rock, I didn't imagine in fact that was so big (9 Km of circumference for 348 mt of height). 

Roger left us in the camping near Uluru (the aboriginal name of Ayers Rock), we would have to wait for a pair of hours for the arrival of the new group to which I would be admitted for 3 days. 

After a fast shower (I had necessity after 2 days passed in the dust), we met the new guide Mick and the new companions of trip (we passed from 8 to 22 persons). 

After a lunch to base of sandwich we directed toward the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) to make a walk in the middle of the throats of this strange rocky formation. 

In this occasion I had the opportunity to know one of the biggest fears of the Australians: the sun; when we had to be gone down by the bus, also to do a brief walk all the persons they sprinkled of cream solar protection 15 (all the bus had a big can of it), it seems in fact that above Australia the hole of the ozone is particularly accented and that the percentage of the tumors to the skin is quite the biggest in the world. 

At 6 pm we were prepared to assist to the sunset on the red rock, for the one that don't know it, the Uluru has particularity to change tone of red according to the light that he refracts on the rock, I was ready with my camera so while the other friends  toasted with the sparkling wine I shoot about 30 pictures, the American girls near to me thought I was a little bit crazy to take all those pictures to a rock. 

The evening after dinner we are gathered there in front of the fire (not to heat us, that from those parts it is very warm also the night) and we tried an aboriginal musical tool: the dijeridu, a long (80-100 cm) emptied branch; to play it is necessary supporting the mouth to an extremity and to make go out the air with a strange movement of the lips; to the end after some attempts we have succeeded all to utter some sound. 

The following morning after the usual wake up at 4.30 o'clock we returned to the Uluru, it was a matter of choosing between the scaling to the mountain (it's very binding, in the first line is necessary straight to grab on to a chain) or the turn around to the base. 

With others 3 boys we opted for the turn, this because the aborigines consider the Uluru a sacred mountain and therefore they ask to not climb it. After having unloaded the climbers we went to assist to the sun rising, to say truth I have found him less exciting than the sunset considering that the part of the rock that admires is less photogenic of the other. 

Following the path that races around the mountain, varied caves and sacred places can be observed; I remained engraved particularly by an immense cave that  remembers the open mouth of a shark. Some points have a particular meaning for the aborigines and the poster they ask to not go off photo. 

We walked with the disagreeable company of the flies, some persons brought some hats straight with the retina that subsequently I would have repented to not have bought. 

In the afternoon we left to the Kings Canyon, along the road we stopped to do branches hoarding buckets that we would have used the evening to shoot an immense fire. For dinner Mick would have prepared us his specialty: meat of Emu (a kind of ostrich with a taste of chicken vaguely) with a peppers sauce and contour of varied vegetables, all cooked in big pots on the fire. After dinner however I had to clean the pots with a English boy, at the end we had the arms completely black. 

Very early the following morning we started the walk around the Canyon, indeed it is worth the punishment to do it the first hours of the day to walk with an acceptable temperature. In around 3 hours we were been able to admire these beautiful rocky formations eroded by the wind. In this occasion I have been able to experiment my trekking shoes acquired for this trip, they revealed essential. 

Before leaving again we stopped in an aboriginal reserve where the head-tribe spoken to us of their traditions. 

In the evening once arrived to Alice Springs we prepared for the end-tour party; after having dined there with barbecue meats of kangaroo, camel and buffalo we danced; this was probably the group with I was much more enjoyed and I was regretted a little bit to leave them. 

The following morning I met the new group composed from around 50 persons we would have crossed the Stuart highway, from Alice Springs to Darwin; for around 800 Km there wasn't a lot of thing to see except the point in which we crossed the tropic of the Capricorn and the Devil's Marble, some strange rocky formations to form of big ball. 

On this highway if so is able to call considering that and comparable to a provincial road of ours we met the roads train that are long truck composed by 3-4 or more that must be overcome with a lot of attention. Unfortunately to the sides of the road I saw a lot of dead kangaroos, being the very scarce traffic in fact, the animals are not afraid to cross the road; for this motive, every vehicle from those parts and endowed with a grille that it protects the anterior part of it. 

For the night we camped in the village of famous Daly Waters, here you can see one of the more famous pubs  of Australia the Daly Waters Pub. From those depart if wonders a beer in can or in bottle this is inserted in a thermal container that maintains it fresh. 

As soon as it continues toward north the landscape becomes more and more green, to the borders of what is called Top End it is found Mataranka famous for its thermal sources; after days and days of desert, the bath in this natural swimming pool inside a palms wood with water to 33 degrees and it was very relaxing. 

Following was the park of Katherine, after being systematizes us in the camp have gone to do another bath a handle of the river that flows near the camp; to say the truth we had a little bit of fear to throw us in water considering that was everything very calm, seemed that from a moment to the other a crocodile was able to came out!! 

In the Top End the crocodiles are very common, they are divided in 2 big categories: the freshwaters that measure 2-3 meters and it seems are not aggressive and the saltwaters that are very big and bad; to say the truth however I tried to stay distant from the one that from the others. 

We stopped in this park to visit the Katherine Gorge, it concerns a series of canyon crossed by a course of water; for the visit it's possible to choose between the boat or the canoes. During the dry season (from May to October) passing between a gorge and the other one is necessary to overcome a series of rocks, the persons that had chosen the canoe had to load it to pass the shoulders while us moved afoot to another boat that waited for us in the following gorge. 

Before arriving to Darwin we stopped to the Edith Falls that they fall in a beautiful little pond "crocodile free" and stop another to be able to see Charlie the buffalo hypnotized by Mr. Crocodile Dundee in the homonym film; it is worth the punishment to mention this sets that it finds in proximity of the intersection between the highway and the Adelaide River because  there is a kiosk where it's possible to buy good aboriginal crafts; I saw  dijeridus for a good price (around 80 A$). 

Arrived to Darwin I have greeted the companions of trip and I settled in the hostel of the Y.H.A., it was the better than I found in the whole Australia because it was inaugurated in the June 1996. 

In the 2 following days I would have visited the Kakadu National park, one of the big Australian wonder; this time the group was composed by 9 persons. Arrived in proximity of the park we stopped there on the shores of the Adelaide River for a small cruise to assist to the 'Jumping crocodile', I will try to explain of what is treated: not as soon as the boat was approached to some crocodiles (this draws of the river is infested by the saltwaters) an employee used a fishing rod with a piece of meat, the crocodile jumped taking it out of water for the whole of his length. 

Arrived in the Kakadu, I discovered that my tour didn't include the trip with the boat on the Yellow Waters that is the more beautiful and interesting thing that can be done the park considering the possibility to see a big number of animals. In the afternoon we went to Jabiru to admire a series of aboriginal rock paintings. 

In the park I had the pleasure to meet some nice "friends": the flies!! If their presence in the desert were annoying, in the Kakadu it was even unbearable, after a walk with a heat and a tremendous humidity and with the face covered literally by these small creatures I reentered in the bus  to refresh with the air condition but the cabin was completely invaded. 

We slept in the camping of the park, fortunately the curtains were endowed with mosquito-net so we were able to eat and to sleep in holy peace. 

Inside the park there are various courses of water and very suggestive little ponds: the Twin Falls (that however are attainable only with 4WD jeep) or Waterfall Creek (the little pond where it was turned Mr. Crocodile Dundee), our guides have chosen the Barramundi Gorge that according to them is one of the most beautiful place. The path was decidedly impervious especially in the last line but so much work comes decidedly repaid. We have reached first the superior part of the gorge where a brook is inserted in the mean of the rocks forming some very deep puddles, me and my companions of trip ventured in very reckless dives from the surrounding rocks. The brook is thrown then with a small fall in a little pond that we have reached after another half hour of walk and where we had another bath. 

Ended the tour in the Kakadu, I moved (by airplane) to Cairns, small town on the west coast (around 2000 Km  north in Sydney). The city is nothing of special, but it's a good base of departure for excursions toward the coral reef, the hinterland and the pluvial forest to north. I decided to stop me 4 days to rest and because there were a lot of things to see. After made the laundry (I had some really need considering that my suits had become red!!), I made a walk for the city. Every 10 meters are found travel agencies that sell various excursions so I made hoarding of brochure; the waterfront (the Esplanade) is full of restaurants, some Italians had very funny names like Pizzaria or Fettuccini. Between the varied possibilities I choose the Meeting Place where it's possible to taste varied types of cuisine for an expense of 10-15 A$, I have been 2 times eating Thai and Chinese. In evening while I walked after dinner I met Ian a Canadian boy which I had traveled from Perth to Ayers Rock, we are granted there for seeing us to the Wool Shed that is a disco-pub where every evening parties is organized for backpackers, for the entry in fact is necessary to exhibit a ticket (free) that it is distributed in the hostels and that besides it is worth like I discount for the dinner. It was a funny evening, the beer flowed to rivers and all they were launched in mad dance on the tables!!! 

For booking of the tours I entrusted me to the agency of the hostel that for the members of the Y.H.A. practice excellent discounts. I choose a tour in the pluvial forest and a tour on the coral reef. 

With the first one I visited the forest (that the Australians call Rain Forest) around Cape Tribulation, in the morning we made a tour by boat between the mangroves and a walk in the middle of the forest, in the afternoon we went beyond the Daintree River. In this zone, the plantations of sugar reed and tropical fruit are very common; another particularity is that the forest arrives directly on the sea creating some very suggestive landscapes. We stopped in a kiosk to taste some tropical fruits before returning to Cairns, I liked particularly what they call south-America apple of the , to say the truth for me has well little to do with the apple considering that and is bigger and the pulp it has the consistence of the ice cream with very big seeds and a particular taste. 

For the excursions on the coral reef there are hundred of possibilities, from diving (even for the one that doesn't have the certification) to the snorkeling, I chose to make snorkeling on Green Island, it concerns a small coral island that I could define simply wonderful. Besides the passage in boat there is the possibility to rent fins and mask (that I had brought from Italy) or to make a trip with a submarine; to walk between the corals the plastic sandals are absolutely essential. The more beautiful point to swim was around the wharf around 20 meters from the beach. I remained absolutely AMAZED, I swam in the middle of hundred fishes of all dimensions and colors; before leaving the island someone has thrown from the boat some pieces of bread, after a few second there were ten and ten of enormous fishes (they seemed some epinephelus). I also made a turn with hydroplane on the barrier and I took some beautiful pictures. 

An excursion that unfortunately I wasn't able to do was the excursion to the village of Kuranda, that it is able to reach with a train that crosses very suggestive landscapes or with an cableway that passes above the Rain Forest. 

Left Cairns the following stop was Airlie Beach, good base of departure for cruises in sailboat between the Whitsunday Islands. 

To move me along the coast I acquired a Greyhound pass that has a very capillary net buses. The buses are very comfortable, to whom it generally travels alone the place of side is usually left free, the disadvantage is that they are very slow considering they stop in each town and in some they make standstills of 1-2 hours; for trips of 400-500 Km they take around 8 hours. It has me very amazed to notice like l’80-90% of passengers were backpackers. 

During the trip between Cairns and Airlie Beach there are due to stop to a kind of customs, the customs officers have climbed on the bus and they checked all the purses attentively to the search of fruit. I have discovered so that the zone of Cairns was under quarantine because  fruit was infested by the 'fly of the papaya', are necessary therefore to avoid to bring fruit between a city and the other or delivering it, penalty salty fines. 

Airlie Beach is a very small town, is worth the punishment to stay only if it has intention to make some cruise. 

A few moment before embarking me, my agency communicated that my cruise was cancelled proposing me of it another, I would have sailed on the Iceberg. I had never been on a sailboat, I have owed to adapt me so to narrow spaces, to the rationing of water and the jolting. The first day was decidedly pleasant, we sailed between an island and the other, I finally enjoyed a little bit of relax taking the sun; the skipper stopped in a pair of islands bringing us with the raft in some bays particularly rich in sea fauna, were almost impossible to swim as there were so many fishes!!! 

Unfortunately with the evening started the troubles, a perturbation was about to arrive, that has made me discover to suffer the sea sickness, so while my companions dined with a beautiful dish of lasagnas, I was in box with the nausea. The second day the situation was not able what to worsen, in fact with the sea moved decidedly we would have owed to cross a narrow enough binding, so while the boat was inserted between a breaker and the other, I was hocked to not vomit, fortunately the tablets anti sea sickness that I brought home, done owing. The third day the situation improved slightly, so before returning to the base we have gone down on an island to do a walk the forest. 

When have finally put again definitely the feet to earth, I would liked to do like the pope when he kiss the ground!! For half hour then while I walked, I had the impression that everything how much around me it rippled. 

The following stop was Hervey Bay, point of departure to visit Fraser Island, the island of sand more great 's of the world declared from the UNESCO Patrimony of the humanity; in the period between end August and October besides cruises are organized to sight the whales. 

It's possible to visit the island autonomously but it moves only with 4WD cars and is necessary to make a permission relaxed for the guide and the camping. The hostels organize some tours for the backpackers furnishing jeep, maps and camping utensils, once formed the groups (4-5 persons) they create a common box for the acquisition of the foods and they plan the visit of the island keeping in mind that the group will owe to manage the unexpected possible autonomously; the principal advantage of these tours is the cost, if I don't remember badly the expense for 3 days was 120 A$. For lack of time I chose the tour with guide of 2 days. 

My group was composed from around 20 persons and it moved with a big 4WD bus. To arrive on the island we took a small ferry; arrived in proximity of the beach, lowered the anterior hatch and the vehicles have started to disembark, the scene remembered so much to me the unloading of the Marines seen in so many films of war!! 

The island and covered from a sharp pain forest that is crossed from small street  not beaten and therefore the guide and quite difficult. 

The principal road races to west along the Seventy-Five miles Beach, to say truth this beach also acts from footstep of take-off/landing for small airplanes; climbed on one of these for a panoramic turn of the island I have discovered that a girl of my group was Italian, Iaia was the only Italian backpackers that I met in 1 month in Australia. The only drawback of the island is that it's not able absolutely to take a sea bath considering that is infested by the sharks, in remuneration there are a lot of brooks and little ponds with clear and fresh water. 

The points that I more liked, the Waddy Point from which dolphins, sea turtle and mantas can be sighted, the Champagne pool, the Lake McKenzie and the Lake Birrabeen. To reach another small little pond the Lake Boomanjin we made a beautiful walk crossing a small 'desert'. On the island are very common the dingoes, this wild dog eats of everything; while we were in the camping for the lunch we saw one eat a hat, after some minute that we observed it one Swedish man of the group noticed that the hat was his, it remained to recover it remained, if nothing else he brought home a particular souvenir. 

Returned on firm earth, I had a night transfer to Brisbane, quite a lot persons I talked, said that it was not worth the punishment to visit it, but  I liked it. I made a stroll for the center and in the afternoon I took the bus for the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where I was finally able to see from near these nice marsupial. 

Last stop (sigh!!) of trip was Sydney, I would have reached it in 18 hours with the bus that coasts along the whole coast. For the first 400 Km it can be observed some beautiful landscapes with immense and uninhabited beaches, I saw in distance the outline of Surfers Paradise the Australian 'Riming', this city is full of skyscrapers that do a little bit to fists with the surrounding landscape. A little afterwards Moreton Bay (sets that many has pointed out to me like very beautiful) the bus is penetrated from the coast and therefore the trip becomes monotonous. 

The arrival to Sydney was decidedly exciting, the bus has crossed the bay allowing me to admire the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House illuminated by a suggestive light. Unloaded in front of the station I worked hard for looking for a setup, I have to say that to Sydney the level of the hostels is slightly lower in comparison to the rest of Australia. I opted for the CB Private Hotel that it finds in strategic position for the visit of the city, considering that unfortunately it was full I had to opt after different phone calls for Backpackers Connection that it finds in the district of Kings Cross, the 'red' district, in Sydney. 

To see the city with the public transport different types of pass can be acquired, the more complete give the possibility to use all the means for 3 days (even the ferries) to the cost of 60 A$, according to me however it is not worth the punishment to buy it as the city is not enormous, I took the pass for the buses that costs 10 A$ a day and when necessary I used the subway. 

I like The city, it has an atmosphere perhaps all particular, it's more chaotic city  of Australia but in every case very liveable. The first thing I made was going to the zone of Circular Quay to see the mythical Opera House and the Harbour Bridge that I have photographed in all the sauces. From this the ferries that turn for the whole bay also depart, it is worth the punishment to take the one arrives to Darling Harbour that for 1,5 A$ give the possibility to cross one of the more beautiful bays of the world. Under the Harbour Bridge is found The Rocks, a series of old stores that have been restructured and that they now entertain shops and restaurants, from here it is able to reach one of the pylons of the bridge, from top is enjoyed a beautiful sight. 

In the zone of Darling Harbour it is found a beautiful aquarium, a commercial center where excellent acquisitions can be made, museums and also possible to visit a Russian submarine. From this district it also passes the monorail that it also crosses part of the center and on which and pleasant to make a stroll. 

The district of Kings Cross like already said is and full of  night-club, while I walked along the main street I was "attacked" by the  night-club agents looking for new customers; besides this however it's the zone with the highest concentration of hostels and good occasions are been above all for buying/selling of cars. 

Just  in the city center is found Sydney Tower, 305 meters tall, I decided to go up in the evening to go off some pictures, once arrived in top I have discovered however that really in front of the tower there is a little skyscraper more 's lower, that ruins the whole sight covering completely the part of the bay in which it finds the Opera House. 

The last but one day I was proposed me to go to Bondi Beach to see the surfers and to take the sun, naturally the sky was covered and the sea calm so I walked along the beach, the occasion was served however to do a panoramic turn of the city by bus, I crossed the district of Paddington where it can be admired some beautiful houses in Victorian style. 

The day of the departure naturally the sun shone, so while my roommates went to the beach I took the bus to the airport from which in only 26 hours of flight I would have reached house!!!

Copyright © 1999 Giuseppe Ruperto. All rights reserved.