We went to Sydney to see West Side Story on Sydney Harbour. I had booked the Long Term Carpark at Melbourne Airport well in advance for the two nights for $61. It took us ages to find a vacant space. You then have to catch a bus to the airport from a nearby pickup point. At least the buses are well organised now, with a weekday frequency of four minutes. When we returned after our Sydney visit, I overheard a passenger survey person interviewee on the bus saying he was upgraded to the undercover walking distance car park once, when the Long Term Carpark was full. I noted there was no spare spaces when we returned and a polite woman stalked us as we walked to our car from the bus station. We desperately need a train to airport, but it looks like it won't open until the late 2020s. I am sure I will be dead by then.
To the cost we had to add road tolls in both directions of about $15, so the cost is now up to $76 with us having to make a huge time allowance, plus petrol. For $110, we could have just caught a cab, door to door in both directions, without the huge time allowance.
Oh dear, our Sydney Opal travel cards were in deficit. I topped them up. The increments weren't so friendly, so I made a $30 top up and then a $5 top up. That amount covered our deficit and after our travel, we have a couple of dollars left on our Opal Cards. The usurious airport train gate fee was covered by the weekly Opal travel card cap for oldies at $26. That covered all our train fares and ferry fares, as well as the airport train.
The train trip to Museum Station was as painless as it always is and the station is close to where we stay.
We stayed at the Hyde Park Plaza on College Street. We have stayed there three times already, but in the private part of the hotel, where the owner comes alongs and gives you the key. It was a sudio where we had stayed before, large and with a balcony, but rather dated. When I looked at her prices this year, it was up to $190 per night. Using a hotel booking app, I found what looked like a better room for under $180 as a normal hotel guest. We were astonished when we entered the room(s). It was fabulous, modern, all equipped and with a separate bedroom with two beds. One of our two balconies overlooked Hyde Park and the intersection below.
Ok, not all perfect. As we arrived in Sydney, a cool change hit and it was quite windy on the balcony. In the place we had stayed at in the past, it would have been sheltered.
We shopped for breakfast food, snacks and drinks, remembering the IGA and BWS places nearby.
Via email we had arranged to meet blogger
James O'Brien that evening for a drink, and if that went well, maybe even a meal. Our friend
Victor in Sydney was to join us. I kept Victor informed during the day that I had not heard back from James. I was becoming quite annoyed. I thought James would be a reliable person. R said I should email James to find out what was happening. Stubborn pride stopped me. Yet in the back of my mind, I knew something tech had gone wrong and I knew R was right. I really wish I had contacted James via email.
We had a drink at the open window of the Colombian Hotel in Oxford Street, such a good people watching spot and then a nice dinner at Belloccio where mine host came and chatted to us.
Bleary eyed, the next morning I woke at 6.30 and rose from my slumber. There was an email from James, and he had suggested such a cool place to meet last night, but had sent the email to himself instead of me. I then beat myself up about not contacting him the day before when I had not heard from him. His mistake was not my fault, but I really should have contacted him as I knew full well he was reliable person.
Oh well, we have a whole day in Sydney before West Side Story, what shall we do? As you would expect it will be in the next Sydney post.
Here are a few photos.
The very steep Wentworth Avenue, which does not look so steep. For our last Sydney visit, we stayed down the hill at The Travelodge, which was good.
Buses have numbers on their roofs. What a good idea.
While I don't know what they are like inside, I love the apartment building opposite.
Drawer dishwasher even. We did not use it. It kept beeping and I did learn how to kill the beep.
The renovations to War Memorial are complete and it looks just wonderful.