(Second) Home Again to Sydney
19th to 27th January 2017
Sydney has been one of the trickiest places for me to write about, mostly because I'm so biased about this city that still feels like a home to me over 10 years since my short stint as a Sydneysider. The city is steeped in nostalgia for me, with every street and place reminding me of adventures from my early 20s. I'm sure I drove poor Nick mad pointing out favourite spots and telling him about things I used to do "that one time I lived in Sydney".
So, I had a chat with Nick on how he would describe Sydney to try and balance my rose-tinted view. As we talked, we came up with some really accurate and interesting words: self-confident, energetic, fresh, unapologetic. These words are definitely Sydney to me. I always feel filled with a sense that I could do anything here. There is so much going on, but never a sense of hurry or stress.
Sydney is full of great things, both natural and man-made, and it knows how good it is. There is no false modesty in Sydney... it stands up to be counted!
You really do have to agree with it as you watch the sun set over the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, or feel the wind and sunshine on your face as you walk the route along cliffs and beaches from Bondi to Coogee.
Each part of the city and suburbs has a distinct personality. We loved catching the ferry to beachy, easygoing Manly to hang out with Owen, Shirley and their two fantastic boys. Seeing the contrast of the CBD (Central Business District) on weekend evenings when it seems deserted, and packed with office workers having lunch on a Monday afternoon was pretty cool too. Spending time in the suburbs of Caringbah and Cronulla with our fantastic Sydney family was relaxed and fun. Hanging out on the Rocks and Circular Quay proved that not all tourist hotspots in this world are jaded, and some landmarks such as the Harbour Bridge and Opera House live up to their hype.
We were lucky enough to be here for Australia Day this year. There is a lot of controversy over the date of Australia Day right now, as it currently falls on the date when Captain Cook arrived on Botany Bay. As you can imagine, that's not really ideal for indigenous people who had already been here for thousands of years, and who see this date as the beginning of a less than pleasant time for their people
However, as we watched the festivities in Circular Quay, with music, Aboriginal cleansing ceremonies, a short film about why Australia feels like home to so many people, and oddly enough, a yacht ballet (it is what it sounds like), I felt the sense of a nation finding a new way forward.
Perhaps the date needs to be changed, or January 26th may come to symbolise something different. Whatever the outcome, it feels like Australians have a real reason to feel proud of their nation, not because of the past, but because of where they are heading.
