Certain cities around the world, when mentioned, prompt instant images in people’s heads. That’s certainly the case with Sydney, Australia, as people tend to immediately think of the famous opera house, bridge or harbor when this beautiful place is mentioned. Now that I’ve been there, I can tell you that these iconic and beautiful images are a pretty accurate picture of what this city is all about. I very much appreciate the opportunity that came along for me to spend 24 hours there, but it almost didn’t happen at all. I had a chance to jump on a flight from a different part of Australia, but I had literally 5 minutes to find a hotel room in Sydney on my own, or I would not have been able to go. I didn’t think it was going to happen, either, but I decided to see what was out there that could help me.
I pulled out my phone and searched for an app that helped people find last-minute hotel rooms. I found one called HotelTonight. I hadn’t used it before, but I was short on time and decided to open it to see what it could do. I searched for Sydney hotels and was surprised that it returned so many choices. I also noticed that these were nice hotels and that the rates were quite reasonable considering I’d need a room immediately. I chose one that seemed right for me and decided to try to book a room. I was stunned, as my room was confirmed with a tap and a couple of swipes. As it turned out, I had 3 minutes to spare. All I needed to do now was figure out where I was going to go on my one-day adventure in Sydney.
Why not start a day in Sydney in an area that sits between those two iconic sites that are the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House? I could see both of them from where I was, but continued to walk around looking at all there was to see. There was a botanical gardens spot here, so I walked through that and got a good idea of what the plant life was like in these parts. I also saw a lot of street performers, artists working on their craft and people milling about. I asked a few of them about what I should do that day, and every single person was incredibly friendly and helpful. It had been a good start to the day.
The Rocks is a small neighborhood that a lot of people don’t necessarily know about unless they spend a good amount of time here. There were a lot of older buildings in this part of town, and you could almost see the history emanating from them. There were also some cafes here and there, and I decided to stop at one and have a coffee and take a break, as I needed a recharge. I enjoyed my coffee thoroughly, talking to someone who was at the next table. She provided me with a lot of insight as to what I should do and where I should go as I made my way through Sydney.
I wanted to see The Gap, which is a section of sea cliffs that are about as stunning as any land formation you’ll ever see. I walked around and enjoyed the scenery for a while and talked to some people who were there. It seems that the locals enjoy spending time in the sun right here, and I understood why. I asked them about a good place to eat, and they sent me to a seafood place that they said served extremely fresh food. I found the place and realized when I had my lunch that they were correct. The seafood was amazing, as was my view.
I had seen the opera house and the bridge, but I wanted to see one more iconic location in Sydney in Bondi Beach. This is a place that’s legendary with sun worshipers, surfers and vacationers. I got there and was happy to walk the sand and smell the sea. I also strolled down some nearby streets where you could find some unique stores. I made use of them for gifts for the important people in my life, so with that done I started looking toward my final stop of the day.
My final stop of the day was in Glebe, which was clearly a neighborhood filled with young professionals. There were lofts, small office buildings and a lot of pubs, restaurants and shops. I asked some people for a recommendation on dinner, and they pointed me towards a diner that served all the best Australian food. I wanted a steak done in Australian style, so when I got there I was pleased to see it on the menu. It was a delicious treat. They take their steaks seriously in Australia to be sure, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
It was time to call it a day and head back to my hotel. I was fine with that, as I was looking forward to relaxing there. It was a very nice room, and without HotelTonight I would never have found it or possibly any other Sydney hotel room, especially on such short notice. When I traveled again in the future, I would definitely do so with HotelTonight at my side.
