Solo in Sydney

Sorry this post is so late; I've been pretty busy over the past week and a half, making my way back to the UK and meeting up with everyone.
On 25th June, the day after finishing my exams, I caught the 3 hour, 6am flight from Wellington to Sydney.
After dropping my stuff off at Central Station YHA I set off by foot down George Street towards the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. There was not a cloud in the sky and it was around 20C so perfect weather for exploring.

Everything seemed very big and busy after a year in New Zealand; it was almost like being back in London but without the rain!
About an hour and 50 photos later I made it to the water front and Sydney's main tourist site. Here I was nearly blown away by the wind as I photographed the Opera House and Bridge from all angles. I sat out in the Botanic Gardens to eat my lunch which included some Kangaroo Jerky from the local supermarket; very much like beef but leaner.
I then went through a stroll through The Rocks; an older district, then under the bridge and up to the observatory to take in the view. After a few laps I eventually managed to make my way on to the Harbour Bridge. I walked half way across and captured the photo below.

Once back down I bought a couple of boomerangs for Joshua and Samuel and a mocha from a lovely little French Patisserie with a cute courtyard out the back.
Around 4.30pm I head back through the Botanical Gardens to Mrs Macquarie's Chair in order to watch the sun set behind the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
On the way back to the hostel I then stopped off in the New South Wales Art Gallery for a spot of culture then the supermarket for some food.

On Day two I went on a tour to the Blue Mountains which aren't actually blue or mountains. The apparent blue colour is due to the refraction of light by the eucalyptus oil in the air and the 'mountains' are actually a dissected sandstone plateaux.
I was picked up by Blue Ribbon Tours at 7.45am and taken via the Olympic park to Featherdale Wildlife Park, where most Australian animals can be seen.

At Featherdale I saw many beautiful birds, a range of snakes and other reptiles, wallabies, wombats, penguins, emus, dingos, tasmanian devils and I was able to pet a koala (surprisingly coarse) and feed some kangaroos.
Next we drove on to the Blue Mountains where we went for a few short walks to see the iconic three sisters and views across the many eucalyptus trees which make up 95% of the vegetation in the area.

In the afternoon we took a walk to a waterfall then visited the town of Leura which has a range of sweet little independent shops; most of which I bobbed into to escape the cold wind.

Finally, at around 6pm we caught a boat back, under the Harbour Bridge, to Circular Quay.
It was a fantastic day and so nice to see a more rural part of Australia. My tour guide was really informative and the other people on the tour were very friendly.

Day three- I made a Ferry trip to Manly. It was yet another beautiful day so I decided to do the Manly Scenic Walk along the coast which supplied me with many paddling opportunities and countless breathtaking views. Overall the walk was about 10km but at the end I got a little lost as I had to take a diversion due to part of the pathway being closed. After wandering the streets for a while I finally found the free bus back to Manly. 
From here I wandered down the main high street and picked up a frozen yoghurt to eat on Manly beach. Before catching the ferry back I wandered down to shelly beach where I collected some beautiful little shells. 

I carefully timed my Ferry back to Circular Quay so it would coincide with sunset. It was certainly worth it as the sky behind the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, streaked with deep pinks and firey reds, made for a spectacular view.
After a waterfront stroll I returned to the YHA for dinner and to say Happy Birthday to Mum over Skype.
Manly is a fantastic spot and I'm so glad I made the trip across, especially for the ferry ride back.

Day 4 - Newtown and Glebe for brunch and a stroll.
I'd been told that Glebe was a nice area to visit on a Saturday as this is when they have their market. When I arrived there at 9am I was not disappointed. I walked the length of Glebe point road, passing colourful, old houses with ornate iron balconies along the way. At the end I came to the waterfront right next to ANZAC bridge.

I loved the bohemian vibe in the area with loads of independent bookshops and cafes. At 11am I went to one of these cafes to meet my friend Kim for brunch. Kim is one of the two Australian's I met when doing the Routeburn and she lives in Sydney so had offered me some advice on the area. It was so lovely to meet up and catch up on everything we'd been up to over the past few months. The cafe we went to, Wedge Espresso, was great; one wall was completely open so we sat looking out on the bustling street whilst soaking up the winter sun. 

We both had an incredible sandwich with avocado, poached egg, gruyère, double smoked ham, chipotle mayo and rocket (yum) and I discovered Sydney's coffees are just about up to Wellington's standard.
After brunch we went for a wander through the market which was full of beautiful handmade items and second hand clothes. I managed to get a top for $3 and a skirt for $2. Kim then went home and I spent the afternoon exploring Sydney University and China town. Around 5pm a random storm blew in for about an hour then the sky very quickly cleared again as if nothing had happened.

Day 5 - Final day, at Bondi beach.
I caught the bus to Bondi beach with the intention of maybe surfing. When I got there, however, the waves were too small even for my level so I instead went for a coastal walk and an iced coffee. The walk was wonderful and really scenic. Bondi beach was much quieter than in most of the photos but a really nice, relaxing way to end such a fantastic trip. 
By 6pm I was on the plane flying back to Wellington for the final 2 days of my New Zealand adventure.
I had an incredible time in Sydney and am so glad that I had the time to pop across there. I was incredibly lucky with the weather and am really thankful that I was able to have such a wonderful experience.