Happy New Year...

If you are in Sydney, you must have seen 1 of the many fireworks around Sydney. The best is of course at Sydney Harbour.



I had to queue for 1 hour before I could get in to Mrs. Macquaries' Chair for the free access. But it was worth the wait...After sitting for 9 hours under a tree you get to see 2 fireworks at 9PM and midnight plus a lot more. Even people watching was fun.

OK everyone....more to come soon...(Australia Day, etc) Have a great 2008.

Free bus ride in Sydney CBD for Christmas Shopping

Have you done your Christmas shopping? or just in town for sightseeing? Sydney Bus is offering a free bus ride around CBD area from Circular Quay to World Square. The free CBD bus shuttle also know as "Tinsel Trail" will be available for a week from Monday, 17 December to Monday 24 December 2007 staring from 10 am to 2 pm.



The bus shuttle uses vintage double decker buses and also the newer buses using route number 75 to commemorate 75 years of bus service.

Click here to get more information or to download the map (PDF link).

New Years Eve 2007 in Sydney

Do you want to see some great fireworks? Come to Sydney for the New Years Eve 2007 and experience one of, if not the best fireworks displays in the world. This year the fireworks will be bigger and better and supposed to be 3D (how do you get a 3D fireworks?)



Sydney city council has a website if you want to find out more information on activities in Sydney for the new years eve. Around the city you will see red and yellow banners celebrating the new years eve (Sydney NYE 2007). Oh and if you want to come to the Sydney CBD, please take the public transportation.

Don't be LOST in Sydney

If you manage to loose yourself in Sydney...it's because you don't know how to read map (hardcopy or via internet), don't have a map (why ???) and/or shy to ask. People are friendly in Sydney so don;t be shy to ask for directions. The chance that you'll be conned (is this even a word?) is low. Get a map! Your school/uni will sometimes provide you with a map. If not go to the several tourist/information centres and get yourself some maps. How do you get to this places? Find your way using internet.



Sydney is pretty well mapped out digitally so you can find places just by searching the web. If you are bringing a computer to Sydney, don't forget to install Google Earth. It's free !. But the most important website related to maps and directions in Sydney are Google Map Australia and WhereIs Australia. Google Map is available as a flash application to be installed on your mobile phone and WhereIs Australia has a mobile internet version (don't for to activate your internet for mobile). Another good website for planning your travel around Sydney is the 131500 Transport Infoline where it will suggest the appropriate bus, ferry and/or train to take you to your destination. You could also call 131500 from any phone and get directions from the operator.

Another option is to check out the Sydney Bus, Ferry and Train website for more information on planning your trip. However you'll find that using the 131500 Transport Infoline is good enough and it has a mobile internet version. Remember plan your trip and don't be lost in Sydney.

Bring your mobile phone and find a GSM operator

You are coming to study in Sydney...I think it can be safely assumed that everyone of you already use one or more mobile phones. If you have a GSM mobile phone, take it with you. If you have a CDMA, leave it at home and/or give it to someone else. You'll only be using your GSM mobile phone here in Sydney. If you are staying more than 1.5 years...you might be able to get a mobile phone for free when you sign up with one of the several operators (more about this later on...).



In Sydney there are several GSM operators such as Telstra, Optus, Vodaphone, 3, Soul, Dodo (just to name a few). Ask your friends, most will be using one of the first four major operators. Each with their own package for pre-paid and post-paid (contracts). There are certain packages that allows you to make cheaper calls to your home country. The ones with contracts/post-paid sometimes come with a free phone. The catch is your are locked in to a certain period of time and your handset will be locked to the operator. It will be unlocked at a certain cost or after a certain period of time.

The good thing about mobile phone numbers in Australia is you switch operators but use the same number. Also 3G coverage is quite good in Sydney. You won't see too many cell towers as you might see back home but the signal is good if not great. 3G and GPRS are not cheap but it's worthwhile activating it for future use (will discuss some future use in future blogs).

Check-out the following websites for more information:
[Link]
Telstra
Optus
Vodafone
3
Soul
Dodo

So...you've chosen Sydney, Australia

After some considerations (maybe involving praying, dreaming, etc.) you have selected Sydney as the city of choice for your next level of study. Oh and welcome if you are already in Sydney. Whatever your level of study...this blog is for you!

If you choose to study somewhere else in Australia (why on earth would you do that????...just kidding), you might find some interesting information for those time that you will stumble upon and discover Sydney.

I am not going to kid myself by claiming that I know everything. Just the opposite. This is a blog to share whatever you know that could be useful for those thinking about or will come to Sydney. So please share me your detailed (insiders) knowledge on Sydney...