Amazing Oz

I always pictured Australia as a tamer version of Africa: an exotic continent with extensive deserts, peculiar wildlife, and a sparse population. The good thing is the absence of some things African: no famine and no megalomaniac warlords. And at least everybody speaks English. Well, some form of it, anyway. We knew we were not going on any safari, but the pull to go Down Under was still irresistible.

Sydney

Most cities were built around rivers or harbors, and Sydney is no exception. The main business district is built on the land surrounding the central part of its expansive harbor. Sydney’s skyline is not exactly memorable, but turn the other way, and the view is breathtaking. We won’t argue with its Aussie billing as the most beautiful harbor in the world. This area is flanked by the massive iron “Coathanger” Harbor Bridge and the sails of the Opera House. On the land between them is the Circular Quay, transportation hub and romantic promenade. Ferries, speedboats, trains and buses all take off from the quay. It’s quite a spot for dining al fresco and taking a stroll to view the sunset. At the foot of the Harbor Bridge is the Rocks, early settlement area now turned into exclusive housing development. Newly-renovated apartments are going for several million dollars each, and trendy restaurants and shops dot the area.

The unique Opera House, with its sail-shaped trusses, was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon in 1960. Mr. Utzon left the project early in its construction due to a dispute with the managing committee, and has yet to see his creation in person. In 1999, he accepted an appointment to help design future development of the building. The structures are actually inspired by the sections of an orange, and the principle of the sphere is what allows each piece to stay up. We were not able to catch any performance, but the daytime tour of its stunning structure and theaters is well worth it.

One of the best ways to see it all is from the top. The famed Bridge Climb, a moderately-paced three hour journey, saw us across catwalks and up ladders, then up the arch of the bridge, 134 meters from the water’s surface. The bird’s eye view of the harbor while trundling on formidable iron makes for an unforgettable experience.

Of course we had to see the strange creatures unique to Australia. One of them just happened to be a hybrid: family sedan mother and muscle car father: a Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo. Living around crocs and kangaroos must do something strange to the engineers here, because a 4.0 liter inline-6 isn’t quite enough. It had to be turbocharged, too: 326 hp and 450 Nm place it in—and above—BMW 540i territory. All that for a relative bargain: about USD28,500.

As for organic creatures, one of the best places to experience that is a 45-minute drive from Circular Quay (that includes “getting lost” time). Featherdale Animal Park is incongruously located in the middle of a residential area in Blacktown. Petting a koala, feeding kangaroos (including albino variants) and playing “Crocodile Hunter” (well, with the croc behind a double fence, anyway) is literally a walk in the park. Tasmanian devils and duck-billed platypus are among the other strange beasts roaming the park.

Another ubiquitous creature is the Filipino settler and entrepreneur, as evidenced at the Blacktown mall. We stopped for directions at a “Philippines take away” store, and the friendly folks soon pointed us in the right direction. The adobo and lumpia looked tempting.

Also west of Sydney is the Olympic park, site of the 2000 Olympic Games. The park offers tours of the stadium, including the broadcast centers and the team ready rooms. The impressive Aquatic Center is also worth seeing, even if you’re not quite ready to take a dip. If you care to venture further, the Blue Mountains are about three hours away. Similar to the USA’s Grand Canyon, the range gets its name from the eucalyptus trees’ emissions, which turns the surrounding mist blue. Lacking time, we didn’t quite make it there, but we’re we could have found it easily—probably.

Wrong turns aside, we found that Sydney’s roads are easily navigated with a good map. Congestion is not as heavy as that in Asian mega-cities. Even George Street, the CBD’s main avenue flowed fairly quickly. Drivers are disciplined and reasonably patient with lost tourists. Be ready for heavy use your right foot, though. Aussies like to accelerate quickly and they brake just as hard. Our XR6 was quicker than perhaps 90% of the cars around us so keeping up wasn’t a problem. Keeping two quick hands on the steering is a must. Some “highways” are actually long avenues with lane markings just wide enough for a big sedan, so keeping a car between the lines required some concentration.

There’s an extensive selection of world cars in rhd Sydney, from the Peugeot 206cc to the Mazda6 to the Alfa 156. We could have spent a whole day just going around the various showrooms. Sedans seemed to be a default choice of most city-dwellers, with the Honda Jazz hatchback (the trunked version will be our new City) a recent favorite. A popular performance choice is the Impreza WRX. Another strange Australian is the sedan-front / pickup-rear vehicle, similar to the Nissan Ad Resort. Top-selling vehicles Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore both evolved “ute” versions.

Just 7 km or so from the Central Business District is Bondi Beach, facing the Pacific Ocean. The powdery sand, blazing sun and of course the bared essentials are reason to visit for an hour or two.

Sydney goes to bed quite early. Shops close at 5 pm, with only supermarkets available for late-night browsing. Dark Chocolate Timtam and Caramel KitKat, anyone? Starbucks outlets managed to stay open all the way to the wee hours–9 pm. Darling Harbor, just a ferry or subway ride away from the Circular Quay offers late dining as well as the spectacular Sydney Aquarium.

Gold Coast

If Sydney wears a business suit over its Bermuda shorts, Gold Coast dispenses with all the formalities. This is Australia’s playground, with breezy bungalows and towering luxury hotels, all a few steps away from the Pacific Ocean. Surfers Paradise has a long stretch of fine white-sand beach with powerful, bracing waves. First time surfers and exiles from “Blue Crush” can all enjoy the soft sand and cool water.

The CART racing circus comes to town every year, flooding the streets with merchandise, race fans, and babes in bikinis. During our stay, the visitor population was noticeably sparse; not many bikinis in sight, either. The 9/11 terrorist attacks and Asian economic doldrums have taken their toll.

A wide variety of cars prowls the streets of Gold Coast, from the lowered WRXs and Mazda 323s favored by the Fast and the Furious set, to the minivans and large sedans of visitors from the city. Bursts of wheelspin and the howl of revving engines are the occasional background music that plays as you walk along the shops and outdoor restaurants.

A short drive from Surfers Paradise is a cluster of large theme parks, each enough for a day’s amusement: Wet N Wild, Dreamworld with its famed 38-story Giant Drop (I think we left our b***s up there) and the Tower of Terror railcar that goes from 0-160 km/h, and from 0-100 meters off the ground, in 4 seconds. There’s also Warner Brothers Movieworld, with a assortment of movie-themed rides, including the Lethal Weapon suspended roller coaster and the surprisingly enjoyable Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster.

After the merest hint of introduction to this wondrous land, alas it was time to leave. The sure sign of a visit thoroughly enjoyed, we promised ourselves to return just as we boarded the plane. Perhaps we’ll get to drive the famed 1000-km highway between Sydney and Alice Springs next time.

We experienced not a watered-down Africa but a vibrant, confident country just beginning to flex its creativity and economic muscle. The language is English, the “natives” are European, but like its wildlife and varying landscape, Australia is unique and breathtaking.

By Jason Ang | Photos By Jason Ang