SYDNEY IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR
Hi all. My leg cut is healing up well thank you very much, so it’s time to move on and reflect on our longest stay of our trip. We’ve had three (mostly) relaxing weeks in Sydney and manged to see quite a bit of the city and its residents, while admittedly spending more time on their slow transit system than we would have cared to. This extended time has given us the time to explore the city at a slower pace and gain impressions that we might have missed in a 3 or 4 day visit typical of most tourists.
We got haircuts, China visas, and even some new clothes. We shipped our bikes and gear via sea freight (fingers crossed), attended a symphony, and visited two doctors offices. The gloss of a few days as a tourist were replaced by the reality of trying to live a more normal (and car free) life in the city. [o.k. minus the work thing of course] As for my impressions…..well, I don’t feel the strong urge to pack up and move here permanently as it’s not a great place to live car-free, cycle, or even walk for that matter. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a big, vibrant city that has tons going for it and some really cool old neighborhoods on the inner trains lines, and a fairly vibrant culture, but could I live here? Yes. Would I prefer it over SF? No.
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE IN YOUR FACE
Sydney has coastal areas with beaches and landscape that are some of the most beautiful that I have ever seen. Anywhere in the world. (which is bigger now) Absolutely crystal clear and soft water, with good surf if you want it or gentle bays if you want that. If you’re into the water and can afford a place with a good commute, then it certainly seems to rate up there in the quality of life. And enjoy the water we have! Our local beach has the somewhat famous Bronte “Bogey Hole”, which consists of a series or large rocks that protects a corner of the beach from surf and creates a giant outdoor swimming area with fish, rocks, and soft sand. With swim goggles, it’s often like swimming in an aquarium. Of course Bronte also has an amazing actual saltwater pool that is also great to swim in. It’s really cool at high tide when the swell is big as waves break into part of the pool.
BRONTE POOL OVER TOPPED BY WAVES
Our little corner of Bronte beach really is one of the nicest coastal nooks that I have ever seen, especially with so many people near it to enjoy it at all hours a day. It’s no wonder that the Aussie’s have such a spectacular swimming record in competition; as it’s really part of the culture with pools everywhere to fill in away from the beaches. You can see 6 year-olds diving and swimming with goggles like little pros. The ocean and harbour coasts have loads of walkways and paths to explore and provide some very peaceful locations to live as there are many stretches with limited and quiet roads.
ME AND MY (FORMER) BOSS AND FRIEND MIKE ON THE SPIT TO MANLY WALK
Needless to say, property values along the quiet waterfront areas have gone into the stratosphere during the recent property boom here. However, just head over the first ridge from the ocean and the city sprawls to the North, South and West in a often drab and classic suburban pattern that gives the cyclist or pedestrian the feeling of not really belonging. It offers lots of opportunities for new immigrants and my impression is that it is not be a bad place to raise a family. If you have money and can afford to live by the shore, then it is a fantastic place by many measures. However I noticed while biking that the wealthier Eastern suburbs seem to have even more cars zipping around which jams the rest of the city up for the transit dependent and lesser affluent. Another big problem is the lack of pedestrian right of way (by law) and the lack of nearly any stop signs. Cars zip around with the expectation that pedestrians will stay out of their way. To add insult to injury (which are frequent for pedestrians here), you have to push a button at every traffic light crossing in the city: even in the densest downtown grid. It’s crazy as you often just miss a light cycle by a second or two and have to divert left or right to find the button. It’s really nasty for the elderly or mobility impaired. It’s also really uncivilized for such a “developed” country and makes California’s pedestrian rights and drivers look like a dream.
The other problem for me living here is that away from the coasts, there aren’t really that many parks and some of the biggest that we explored either have cars circling around inside (Centennial) or a highway cutting though them (The Domain and botanical gardens). Hyde Park is right in the business district and has some beautiful old trees, but is too small and ringed by traffic clogged streets to give you any real feeling of oasis such as you can find in other urban parks such as Central Park, NY, or even Golden Gate Park. The Botanical Gardens are extremely well maintained, signed, and served with bathrooms and benches which make them one of the most pleasant places to stroll in Sydney. They also connect the waterfront to the fabulous Opera House building which really is an impressive building. We got an even better look at it a few nights ago while attending a symphony performance in the main concert hall. The harbour, quay, and bridge really are one of the most beautiful waterfronts I’ve seen and seem to warrant all the raves that I’ve heard over the years.
SYDNEY SANDSTONE ALONG THE SHORE AT THE BOTANICAL GARDENS
So what does everyone in Sydney constantly talk about? All the time? Rugby and traffic, but not in that order. We hear and see daily the nightmare of traffic clogged streets that just seem to be getting worse by the month. The problem is simple…the fact that almost everyone here buys into the car culture and wants to drive as soon as they can get the opportunity, despite a massive public transit system. They fund transit, but they fund roads and new highways even more. Transit is clearly neglected and not prioritized in the transportation planning the way it should be. Not that the transit system isn’t used, but it is clearly a small minority who use it by choice, especially the buses. The rail lines and ferries are quite efficient and seem to be better run than the buses. This is similar to the situation in hundreds of big cities around the world right now, but he accommodation for cars here is immense and there are highway tunnels everywhere, and new ring highways planned. Again, they have built a new rail line (and one light rail line) in the past 10 years, but that doesn’t really help such a burdened system. They clearly need to limit or charge private autos who are delaying others and give it back to to the one million people who take transit daily here. A congestion charge may be a big answer here.
I also suspect those in charge of transit here may not really understand what people want who depend on transit. Dozens of buses (the system is so confusing) running down loud traffic clogged streets is not a replacement for the old trams they had apparently until the 1950s. Luckily, there is already a call to bring back one of the trams, as these can provide much better street level transit in the well-developed neighborhoods here.
Good Planning? There has been some traffic calming in some of the nice old downtown neighborhoods which has created some very livable streets and even allows bikes to get around in some peace for at least a few blocks. But from my perspective biking, walking and riding the buses for 3 weeks, these efforts fail due to the general accommodation for cars in 99% of the city. Cars are aggressive towards bikes and pedestrians and it shows in the cyclists and walkers behavior.
YES SYDNEY, PLEASE SLOW THE $%&# DOWN!
People dash and cower as walkers, while cyclists are rebellious daredevils, with slower bikes often illegally plying the busy sidewalks to stay alive. Again, it’s really shocking for a western country and has made both Cheryl and I a bit pissed off. If we WERE living here, there would be a new advocacy group started tomorrow! (Cheryl did write the big local newspaper with our impressions as travelers)
Another extremely positive impression of Australians are that they really are exceedingly friendly, just about everywhere, and will go out of their way to help you out at the drop of a hat. However, there is also a huge drinking culture that permeates society, as heavy drinking seems to be a sport of choice for many people here which you can see on the streets and read about in the papers (all the problems). Of course, an 18 drinking age and bars open t’ill 5 or 6 a.m. does not help. It’s rowdy and fun at times, but kinda a big problem for the health of the society.
SYDNEY, I’M SORRY IT’S JUST TIME TO MOVE ON
So that’s all I’ve got for now on Sydney as yesterday we departed Sydney Central on a lovely 2-hour train ride up to the Blue Mountains. We’re loading up a bit on fresh air and practicing our Mandarin phrases and getting in a few days of nice hiking in the sandstone canyons and hills that have served as Sydney’s closest natural park getaway for a 100 years.
GRAND STAIRWAY – BLUE MOUNTAINS NP
Then it’s back into Sydney for a night and off to Singapore on Thursday. As always, a new adventure awaits and this always gets us reinvigorated for the travel life. In addition, Singapore knows how to do transit and I’m sure we’ll be feeling less like marginalized outcasts on their well funded and effective system for moving 4 million people with a very low car ownership rate. And Cheryl has already got the best food courts and street stalls figured out…should be tasty.
So goodbye Sydney; we’ll never forget you, but I suspect we won’t be running back until you give back some rights to people who just want to cross the street…buy groceries without a car, and get across town on a bicycle. What a concept.
Tags: Australia, planning, Sydney, Transit, Travel, Tag Index
rich.coffin