Sydney

A new city and country welcomed us to start the day but rain slapped against our raincoats and ricocheted off the pavement as we ventured outside for breakfast. Thunder rolled off the sky’s anvil as an open fire pricked at our skin and hot banana porridge kept hunger at bay.

Yet it was not long before the sun's chariot charged to scatter the angry clouds. Its light refracted on the window onto our faces, calling us outside. We crossed tree lined streets with English names, passing brick terraces with metal verandas whilst glazed condos and office blocks looked over us. Palms, a reminder of warmer times, hung their broad leaves in a melancholy nod to passers-by.

The clock tower of the city’s central railway station guided us toward the Oz Experience office, where we confirmed bookings for our upcoming journey north to Cairns. Before this lay Belmore Park, its edges lined by the worn out colour of shanty town tents, an unavoidable reminder of the city’s homelessness and a stark contrast to the towers of big business surrounding it.

Northward in Hyde Park we came across the haunting ANZAC memorial, which invited ‘silence to be your contribution’. The sun bleached the art deco windows whilst the domed ceiling carried thousands of stars. Steps led down to a reflection pool lined by winter bare trees whose bark is scarred with a myriad of graffiti. Along the avenue Hills Figs lay thick intertwining roots into the soft rain nourished grass, past which lines of uniformed school children signalled the time of day.

The weather and a search for bearings let time slip away. As the light faded we planned our next moves for exploring the city from tomorrow.Read more