16 March 2016:- AUSTRALIA & NZ :- Brisbane>>Sydney (1st Phase)

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND :- Brisbane>>Sydney

11th Day: 16.03.2016 

I woke a little bit earlier then my IPhone rang. It was 08.30. I packed all my stuff and went out from the Hotel in order to have a breakfast and to buy spare shorts for me. My Hotel Mantra Midtown is very close to the shopping center. I plan to come back to the hotel at 10:00 o’clock and to go to the airport.

Just on the Albert Street upwards I had distinguished some cafés and breakfast bars.

There is also a big shop called “Kathmandu” for the outdoor gear and clothing. First I walked there and bough walking shorts and a T-Shirt. This part of the earth is heading winter, the clothing for summer are in sale. I made good trade!

Coming back I sat in a café at the side of the street and ordered a Spanish omelet with added cheese and a cappuccino. I paid 17.-AUD. After the breakfast I walked around the corner and arrived at the hotel. At 10:04 I was out and walked with my trolley bag to the Central Station which is only 15 minutes’ walk. The best choice to get to the airport is to take this train. I had bought two way ticket and now I am at the platform 3 where the train

departs at 10:31. Around 11 o’clock we arrived at the Domestic terminal of the Brisbane Airport.

Our flight to Sydney is at 12:25. I have achieved the check-in and baggage drop of through

One of the Qantas Kiosks by myself. It is very practical to give the luggage.  Then I spent some time in the Terminal. I walked, I looked around, I took a coffee etc. Brisbane Airport is a modern and big building. The food court and the shops are comprising a lot of variety and choices. While sitting at the gate I also downloaded pictures in my NX1 Samsung camera into the Iphone. They took us into the plane at 12:05 and we took of exactly at 12:25. The journey to Sydney took only 2,5 hours max.

After landing at terminal 3 and claiming the luggage I went out in order to find the shuttle service to my hotel. Airport Hotel Sydney is very close to the Airport and I am planning to stay here because next day I have the early flight to Auckland. I do not want to take the risk of traffic. The hotel is located in Arncliffe and as per the information received from hotel reception there should be a shuttle company named “Redy2Go”. As I found their office in Terminal 2 I asked the guy about the service but unluckily he said that the service starts after 5 P.M. It was 13:45 right now. I decided to take a taxi from the airport and we drove in 10-12 minutes to the hotel. I paid 30.- AUD which is really too much for 4-5 kms.

Arncliff Station, Sydney

I put all my stuff in my room. Then I walked about 700 meter to the Station Arncliffe. I bought a two way ticket 9.6 AUD and get into the next train after 15 minutes. The train took me to the Central Station. I started to walk at around 16:00. It is most probably the rush hour and there are a lot of people on the sidewalks and on the streets.

There are a lot of famous brands’ shops. The people are from various origins. It is like New York City at the first glance. As I was at the old Post building the rain started. I went inside of the Post Building. It is a huge building but it is no more serving as Post Office. 

Inside of the Post Office

Stairs of the Post Office (entrance of the Hotel)

Stairs of the Post Office

On the lower basement there are nice bars and restaurants and on the upper floors there is an exclusive hotel. I sat at a bar in the basement and drank Campari with soda and a slice of orange. It was nice. Then I stepped out and saw that the rain has stopped. I walked in the direction of the kay where there should be also the Sydney Opera House. After a short walk I suddenly met people at a corner where they were working for a movie. It was a stunt and there were actors and actresses in appearance of nineteen forties. I watched them for a while and then walked downwards to the kay.

People making movie (?), Stunt of the movie.

People making movie

It was dark. Lights of the city and boats were fantastic. I took a lot of pictures of the city, of the boats cruising in the harbor, of the bridge and including the Sydney Opera House.

I was lucky. After I finished taking fotos the rain started to rain again. There are nice bars and restaurants on the connecting galeri of the Sydney Opera House to the Main Kay.

All of these have protection against rain and this sheltered walking galery is very well designed. I walked in the direction of the kay and sat in a restaurant having view to the sea.

After having the dinner I walked to the train station ant took my train to the Arncliff.

As soon as I was at the hotel I asked the lady in the reception to book me on the Ready2Go

shuttle servive for tomorrow morning at 06:45. My flight to Auckland is at 08:45.

Then I went to my room in order to have a good sleep.