Sydney 101
101 11 things you should know about Sydney. This list is still growing, so bear with me till we reach the magic number.
- It does get cold in Sydney. The temperature in July was -1ºC, which is quite cold enough to need coats, scarves, hats and gloves. Too bad I was only here on holiday and didn’t have any of those.
- That tinny racket you hear on the bus is not the Korean student with the uber-headphones sitting next to you listening to a dance remix of The Ting Tings at full volume. It is the driver.
- Taxi drivers generally have NO idea where they are going. If you want to arrive anywhere near your destination, do your research and plan your route.
- Despite all this, transport in Sydney is actually quite good compared to many other major cities. Of course, you still have to complain about it to anyone who’ll listen – some things are the same the world over.
- The national cake is the ‘Lamington’ – it’s a sponge cake dipped in chocolate, rolled in coconut and filled with cream.
- As of 2008, Australia is the fattest nation on the planet. I suspect #5 has something to do with this.
- All drivers in Sydney are assholes. So long as you remember this at all times, you’ll be fine. Forget for an instant and you’ll be stuck in the wrong lane till the second coming.
- There is always something going on. Staying in by choice is one thing, but staying in because you are bored is just not an option.
- Australia doesn’t have any 2¢ or 1¢ coins: if something costs $4.99, and you’re paying with cash, you don’t get any change from a $5 note. That said, if it costs $4.96 you can get away with paying $4.95 and you feel like you got yourself a bargain. Kind of.
- The monorail: proof that Sydney has an identity crisis and thinks it is, in fact, a theme park.
- The only practical use for the monorail is getting from Darling Harbour to Town Hall station when it is raining. Otherwise, it’s a total bust.
