....2 Travel.... Some Observations About Sydney....

........For those who have not visited Sydney - overseas visitors liken it to London or Los Angeles in scene / going out etc...... But here are a few of my own observations after coming back to Sydney after a decade away........

• Even "on the cheap" Sydney is not cheap - a Rum & Coke is 9$ (6$ in a couple of pubs if it is happy hour); 20$ for a Long Island Ice Tea; and even a cheap place to eat with a main meal and one glass of wine and one soft drink is going to set you back around $50 - there are probably cheaper places to eat but I am thinking you need to be a local to know them - and even many locals admit the cheap places are dying out or becoming just "cheap & nasty".
• The Bears here are ADORABLE !! - and very fun - and very hot. AND they think I am a little bit of alright. Which only added to my holiday really :) - self indulgence over.
• Oxford Street - once the centre of the gay community in Sydney (Think Castro of SF and WeHo in LA) - is now overrun by early 20's straight suburban thugs and their white trash girlfriends. They are openly homophobic and hyper-aggressive with gays and lesbians. I walked to go out my first night whilst here - the rest of the time I took cabs in and out of Oxford Street - I simply did not feel safe.
• Sydney cabs - Uber expensive but clean and there are millions of them everywhere.
• Sydney Gays - depends on which type you want to talk about. There are the (A) Gays (or the ones that think they are the A gays) - Hyper muscled - clothing that shows lots of skin - condescending and arrogant - usual Queens.
• The Bears - see above - just lovely. Lots of fun - welcoming - friendly and not at ALL facile or horrid.
• The Gaysians - Now....there seems to be quite a bit of racism in Sydney's gay scene. Which is something I wasn't expecting. And it appears to work both ways. Gaysians don't like non-gaysians and non-gaysians find the Gaysians annoying and insect like (as I overheard one queen describing them).
• Coffee - dreadful. Being someone who lived for long periods of time in Brisbane and Melbourne - great food cities in Australia - Sydney has a LONG way to go before delivering a good coffee. Sydney PLEASE stop using cheap beans.
• Food - definitely better than it was 10 years ago. But again, use good ingredients. At $20 - $40 dollars a pop for a main meal - step it up to the next level please.
• Streets - dirty and unsafe. Poorly lit at night. Very few police on the streets.

Overall I have had a LOVLEY time here. I have partied and pickled and rested and relaxed and caught up with lovely friends and new friends. But Sydney - whilst a decent place to visit - is still (in my opinion) a place that requires work to become a true "A" class destination.

I will come back to visit my friends and to have an "easily accessible" weekend away. But for a "holiday" - I would recommend Brisbane or Melbourne over Sydney. Locals will probably not be happy about that - but as an objective outsider.....Sydney is still only a 6 out of 10.

You'll have a LOT of fun - but I do not know that you will rave about it afterwards.....Kind of like Chinese food - great in the moment - but leaves you wanting more.

Shalom

Damien

PS These are the ADORABLE pooches that belong to the manger of my hotel and love to keep guests company in the front foyer / sitting room.


.....PPS This is a "sorry" from the Manager coz they were having internet issues......sweet :)....


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