Sydney hasn’t changed that much in seven years. The landmarks, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, are still there. The city looks busier but it may be because it’s summer—it was fall last time we were here and the weather was getting cold. There are more tall buildings and King’s Cross, Sydney’s sketchier district, was cleaned up much like Carnaby Street in London.

Last time, in 2003, I had fallen in love with Sydney. I was a bit tired of travelling at the time and briefly considered living in Australia for a while. That was before I moved to Canada. Settling in Sydney had sounded easy at first glance: lots of backpackers seemed to find work easily and posting boards in hostels were a mine of information. Sydney looked like a dream city: close to the water and laid-back, it had a great public transportation network and all the amenities of a big city.

But of course, it was just a fantasy. I didn’t have a work visa (French nationals weren’t eligible for a Working Holiday Visa at the time). Feng did and he briefly looked for work but there wasn’t much outside of fruit-picking in farms. I couldn’t really picture myself living in a hostel as a long-term resident and money was running out. We had flown back to our respective countries without much regret.

Looking back, I don’t think I would have enjoyed settling in Australia, even though I truly love the country as a backpacker. First of all, it’s so damn huge and far—far from of anywhere in the word (even New Zealand is a five-hour flight away) and huge because well, outside the East Coast, getting around is hard. Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane are within reasonable distance but you must cross a few deserts to go to West, Center or North, where population is scarce. It’s a different world Down Under and I feel disconnected from it. Must be a cultural thing—I feel closer to North America or to Latino cultures than the British.

I think I also changed a little bit. Immigrating to Canada taught me that there is a huge different between travelling to a place and living there long-term. Being a traveller is easy since you simply take the best of the place and don’t have to deal much with every day’s little annoyances. You basically don’t get to see the “dark side.”

And that’s how I chose to visit Sydney this time again. I’m enjoying it as a traveller, always on the road.

Circular Quay
Sydney Subway
The Queen Victoria Building
Circular Quay
Having Lunch
Cook Landing in Australia
Sydney Harbour
Downtown Sydney
The Queen Victoria Building
Sydney Harbour
Sydney Harbour Bridge

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6 Comments

  1. Cynthia December 17, 2010 at 8:07 am

    Beautiful pictures 🙂

    I’d love to move down there but I would have to put Akira on quarantine and I’m not sure he would like it.

    Reply
  2. micki December 17, 2010 at 1:32 pm

    I like the “subway” shot! Thanks for sharing this beautiful place~~

    Reply
  3. Linguist-in-Waiting December 17, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    I loved this post. Somehow, I had the same stereotype with Australia (I haven’t been, so a stereotype is all I have). I would love to visit it someday, but I don’t think I would want to live in it, unless there is a lucrative job that is waiting for me.

    You are right that it is so far away from anything else (Canberra and Wellington happen to be the two most remote capital cities of the world). That happens to be a big constraint for me, given my itch of travel. Thus, for me at least, ideally, if I can get a job in Europe, that would be awesome (Europe has flights to all continents that are available to you without having to connect in another continent).

    Oh well, it’s nice that you get to visit Sydney again after 7 years to see what has changed. I plan to do that too with the other places that I have been to, especially to those places that I have been when I was still too young to appreciate traveling. But for now, I’ll go to places that I haven’t been first.

    Reply
  4. barbara December 18, 2010 at 1:51 am

    Salut Zhu,
    Its Saturday and I am going slow today with my work(almost through!). I am allowing myself to catch up with my friends.
    I am just sitting here and soaking up your views of Sydney.Gorgeous pics.

    I never have been to Australia. I have the feeling also that it is very far from everywhere. And huge! A whole continent!

    You have hit on one of the truths about expat life. As you said:
    “…there is a huge different between traveling to a place and living there long-term”.
    Yes!
    Bises 😉

    Reply
  5. kyh December 18, 2010 at 2:50 pm

    Well, Oz is the nearest Western country that we ever get here! :p

    Reply
  6. Zhu December 19, 2010 at 12:02 am

    @Cynthia – Would they? I thought only British did that!

    @micki – Thank you!

    @Linguist-in-Waiting – Even in North America, we are lucky. It’s easy to go to Canada/USA/Mexico, not to mention Europe is only 6-8 hours away, as well as Central America.

    @barbara – Australia is a bit of a crazy place, it’s remote and civilized, British yet Americanized. But it’s beautiful… and hot!

    @kyh – 😆 I see what you mean!

    Reply

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