25 Things I Love About Sydney – Part 1

Gobsmackingly, it’s been over 25 years since I first flew into Sydney.

Back then I was just a young scuba diver with a manual typewriter. 

And look at us all now!

I’m an old ocean swimmer these days, lugging a laptop and surrounded by the boisterous bairns.

Sydney hasn’t changed as much as we have though, and the things I first fell in love with remain close to our hearts.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary milestone, here’s my list of the 25 Things I Love Best About Sydney, divided into five posts.

1. Flying into Sydney airport

It’s always a thrill whether you come in past the Harbour or over the southern beaches. It’s all water, water everywhere and then suddenly you land!

 More lovely photos here.

2. Living near the beach

My first room in a share house overlooked Tamarama Beach, what a view. It cost $60 a week back in 1987.

Since then I’ve always tried to live nearish to the water. There are no harbour or ocean views from our house in the ‘burbs now, but the Northern Beaches aren’t too far away and they’re going to get their own mention.

Most Sydneysiders don’t live on the beach, but if you can manage to live close to a beach, even for a few months, you’ll never forget the experience.

3. Sitting Outside in Cafes

You’ve got to appreciate that very little of this had ever happened before I moved to Sydney aged 23.

Blues Point Cafe was a favourite weekend routine for years when I was young, free and single. Just me, whatever hapless boyfriend was around, loads of coffee and a huge pile of papers. Still miss it!

Having the boisterous bairns put a bit of a damper on the whole sitting down and reading the paper routine.

But I have dedicated myself selflessly to finding great cafes beside playgrounds and by the beach, then sharing their secrets and great joys.

The cafe in the picture is at Little Manly Beach, exquisite spot.

4. Watching Surfers On The Waves

It’s always a beautiful thing to sit by the briny sea and watch those timeless moves. There’s elegance, elation and plenty of tumbling and pratfalls.

These days I’m loving watching the kids playing with boogie boards and learning to surf a little.

This photo is actually from Jervis Bay, it was my wee daughter’s first attempts to use a big board. Not successful!

5. The Great Aussie Milk Bar

Many of these venerable establishments haven’t changed in the 25 years I’ve been in and out of Sydney.

They probably hadn’t changed for the 25 years before that.

I love a daggy old milk bar with a bell that rings when you push through the fly screen door.

I used to buy myself Twisties but now I buy chips and ice blocks for the boisterous bairns.
My first trip to Sydney lasted 3 years, I came straight after uni and stayed until 1990, then came and went for several years.

We moved to Sydney permanently as a family of three in 1998. Now we are a family of six and very much at home here. Much as there are very hard times for all of us immigrants, Sydney is a fantastic city to call home.

Four more parts of this mega post are coming this week.

And I so need to snap a photo of a milk bar!

What are your favourite things about Sydney?

 This was 25 Things I Love About Sydney – Part 1….. find  Part 2 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here and Part 5 here.