Sometimes you don’t have to go that far to have a great experience. I have decided to find the closest thing to an overseas experience without having to jump onto a plane.
In this post:
Ferry Challenge: Circular Quay to Manly vs San Francisco to Sausalito
A great way to see San Francisco is to catch the ferry from San Francisco Ferry Terminal to Susalito. A 30 minute trip across the Bay and you arrive at the hipster town of Sausalito where Fleetwood Mac recorded their best selling album Rumours. On route you will pass Alcatraz and see The Golden Gate bridge and Marin Headlands.
Compare this to Circular Quay to Manly ferry which also takes 30 minutes. On arrival at Manly you will find beaches you can swim at for most of the year. With a choice of surf or still. You will pass the iconic Sydney Opera House, Pinchgut Island (a mini Alcatraz) and Middle Head, North Head and South Head (one head more than San Francisco).
Walking Challenge: Sydney Harbour Bridge vs Brooklyn Bridge.
The best way to walk the Brooklyn Bridge is from the Brooklyn side toward Manhattan. At 1.7km long the Bridge is a must do and not something to be hurried. With easy access from the subway. It also is also worth taking a detour to the Instagram worthy Dumbo shot. This is a walk to be done at least twice; day and night.
Completed 49 years later is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The east side is set aside for walkers and the west bike/scoter/blade riders. The same length as the Brooklyn Bridge with iconic views to the Opera House. My favourite time to walk it is during the Vivid festival when the harbour front is lit up. The Instagram shot is provided during November when the Jacarandas are in full bloom and the tourists are literally lying on the streets.
Vietnamese Food Tour Challenge: Cabramatta vs Hanoi.
Last year we had an amazing food experience in Hanoi. We spent the evening walking the back streets and trying foods you only find on Instagram. It was a pretty special experience and one that is hard to replicate.
Unless you live in Sydney where you can do a food tour in the other Vietnamese food hub Cabramatta. Regular reader Mel recommends Maeve O’Meara’s gourmet safaris tours. If Vietnamese is not your thing there is also Turkish, Lebanese, Korean, Italian and more.
Nudist Challenge: Cobblers Beach/Obelisk Beach vs Englischer Garten Munich
I remember as a wet behind the ears 20 something walking through Englischer Garten Munich and seeing more German sausage than I needed to see in a lifetime. In Germany it’s a hugely popular thing to strip down and overload on vitamin D during the summer months. Imagine picnicking in Centennial Park and discovering you were grossly overdressed!
There are lots of places in Sydney that welcome nudist, they are just more discreetly placed. If you catch the 244 bus to Chowder Bay and get off at Middle Head Rd opp Balmoral Naval Hospital you are a five minute walk to Sydneys nudist beaches. You will need sturdy shoes for the scramble down to the beach but little else.
Hiking Challenge: Blue Mountains vs Cruex De Van Switzerland
To be fair, Switzerland is my favourite hiking destination bar none. One great walk is Cruex De Van a couple of hours outside of Zurich. It has a vertigo inducing 160m drop to the valley below. Like all Swiss hikes there is nothing to stop you wandering off the edge. The walk follows a natural amphitheatre with gorgeous views. My friend Peter took Julie and I there a couple of years ago.
I am a big fan of the Blue Mountains which has some of the most stunning walks and scenery in Australia. It’s less than two hours from Sydney by car. Our economy class blogger Annie is also an accomplished hiker/canyoner and recommends Govetts Leap Lookout as a walking starting point.
Other Challenges
There were lots of other challenges we could have covered like the one’s below, but we’ll leave that for another post.
Fish Challenge: Sydney Fish Markets vs Tokyo Tsukiji Fish Market
Beach Challenge: Bondi Beach vs Any Beach
Golf Challenge: Palm Beach vs Pebble Beach
Summary
Sydney is a world class city and one that visitors from around the world love to visit. With a harbour, bridge, opera house, beaches and more to compete with the best in the world now is the time to savour Sydney.
Leave feedback on your favourite challenge in the comments section below.
