Escape from Sydney

I've managed to return from 4 days in Sydney to try and wrest back control of my Blog from the badly punctuated, English educated, Tram driving (you'll need to look for that one) person attempting to take over.

For those who haven't been to Sydney (and I guess I speak as a Melburnian) its bonkers mad different from its sister: far and away biggest two cities in Aus. Actually sisters is pretty accurate, as I've found out that they bickered for years as to who should be the Capital. In the end they compromised and the purpose built bureaucratic hell that is Canberra appeared, equidistant between the two.

The best way to describe Sydney is its like London in the 80's: loud, brash, big and glassy, and generally full of itself. It also contain a number of traits reflecting London that are so different to Melbourne.

Want a restaurant? In Melbourne you wander out your door, randomly select a street, and randomly choose any one of the 50 restaurants on that street. The chance of finding a restaurant that isn't goood value for money or serving culinary delights to make Heston quiver is pretty non existent. Sydney does have good restaurant's, but like London you need to carefully find the 1 in 10 that meet the criteria.

Want to cross the road? In Melbourne the blind man gives his dog away, and throws himself out into the traffic, in the full knowledge that there will be a screech of tyres as every Melbournian driver spots a pedestrian and stops to let them cross. Sydney is a like a mix of Death Race 2000 and Mad Max, where I continually looked for the points available card pinned to my back.

My final comment on Sydney (before I'm banned from ever flying there again) is the road system. Being British I utlimately prefer its quirkiness to the regimented structure of Melbourne. Sydney roads though were designed by Captain Cook on his first night after 10 pints of grog celebrating the trip: narrow, wide, twisty, random - god its London. Melbourne on the other hand was designed by some visionary who saw the car, tram, and my wife coming, and has built the most logical grid iron road pattern you've ever seen.

OK, one final point just to sort of even the score. I much prefer Melbourne, its just a bit more civilised, but Sydney has got the most gobsmacking never really get bored of it Bay, Bridge, and Opera House view. Everytime I see it it just catches your breath a little.