Not only does Sydney have a great waterfront location, it also offers good food, stunning nature, exciting weekend trips and an English-speaking environment where you can learn while you’re at it. A truly tempting overall package, because a longer stay abroad in Sydney is an incomparable experience. Do you want to live like the locals? Here are our best tips for the lifestyle Sydneysider.
Find your favorite beach
The first rule of Sydney beach life is: don’t get stuck on Bondi Beach. In Sydney you are spoiled for choice every day when it comes to sun, sand and waves. And it’s great fun to try out several beaches until you find the one that best suits your preferences.
Our favorite beaches? Take the ferry from Circular Quay across the harbor to the beautiful two-kilometer-long Manly Beach, home to swimmers and surfers alike. From there, a short walk takes you to Shelly Beach, another local favorite where people go snorkeling. If you’re more in the mood for a quiet family swim, you should check out Bronte Beach. There is a walled rock pool and coin-operated barbecue areas. Nielsen Park also offers relaxed swimming without too high a breaker. Thanks to its walking paths, historic buildings and shady picnic areas, the park is also an attractive day trip destination.
Go on a journey of discovery through South Wales
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the state too! Not far from Sydney, for example, you can follow the call of the mountains: The Blue Mountains are ideal for fresh air fanatics. They are for them Three Sisters-Rock formation famous and offer opportunities for rock climbing, rappelling, mountain biking and hiking.
Do you like drinking wine? Then we recommend a weekend in the Hunter Valley, where wineries, green hills, great food and lots of handmade items await you. New South Wales also has pockets for travelers looking to explore the outback (Broken Hill, Lightning Ridge, Mildura) or in search of snow and winter sports (Jindabyne, Thredbo, Perisher Valley).
Familiarize yourself with the slang
Australians love to abbreviate words whenever possible. On the one hand it’s fun, but it can also take a while to get used to it. A few expressions you’re sure to hear in Oz are: muso (musician = musician), garbo (garbage collector = garbage collection), postie (postman/woman = postman), journalist (journalist), pollie (politician = politician), coldie (cold beer = cold beer), bikkie (biscuit/cookie = biscuit/cookie), brekkie (breakfast = breakfast), veggo (vegetarian = vegetarian), cuppa (cup of tea = cup of tea), avo (avocado), chook (chicken = chicken), snag (sausage = sausage), cab sav (cabernet sauvignon = red wine of the Cabernet Sauvignon variety), arvo (afternoon = afternoon), trackies (tracksuit pants = jogging pants), and uey (U-turn = U-turn), and that’s just a small selection. Be prepared for your name to be shortened too. Just go for it, or as your new friends in Sydney will say, “get amongst it” and get used to the infamous Aussie slang.
Always ensure you have the necessary caffeine intake
It’s no secret that Australians love their coffee more than anything. More and more Australian-style coffee shops are opening around the world. But locally in Oz you come with a plain one “I’d like a cup of coffee”I would like a cup of coffee, not far. As a coffee lover, you should try out the entire menu before deciding on your favorite brew. The so-called flat white is Australia’s most typical way to drink coffee, but also the long black, short black, long mac and short mac you should consider it. Confusing? Don’t worry, the baristas in Sydney are knowledgeable and will be happy to help you find the right drink for your taste.
And eat again and again!
Australia is the only country that eats both of its heraldic animals – the kangaroo and the emu – so meat eaters should try both. Apart from the traditional indigenous dishes, Sydney is now at the forefront of the international competition for good food. You can find Spanish and Latin American cuisine on Liverpool Street, and Italian food in Leichhardt. If you’re more in the mood for Vietnamese, you’ll find it in Marrickville or on John Street in Cabramatta. And in Chinatown you will also find Korean, Japanese and Mongolian restaurants.
At the weekend, brunch is almost a national sport. In the morning or early afternoon, friends gather in cafés and treat themselves to a feast. At a brunch in Sydney you can expect fresh sourdough bread, avocados, eggs, pancakes, bacon, sweet pastries, fruit and of course coffee. Afterwards you should have more than enough energy for the day.
Fire up the blues
Another popular sport – perhaps not quite as popular as brunch – is rugby. The annual State of originChampionship pits the New South Wales Blues (also known as the “Cockroaches” or Cockroaches) against the Queensland Maroons (also known as the “Cane Toads” or Giant Toads) in a series of games. The aim is to do best in three games. Do you live in Sydney? Congratulations, you’re automatically a Blues fan! Celebrate your newfound belonging by watching one of the games in the pub or inviting yourself to a barbecue – where everyone has to wear blue, of course!
Beaches, brunch and a love of sports – life in Sydney sounds pretty good, right? And no lie, life in Sydney is actually really good!
