Before this trip, I never thought very highly of Australia as a holiday destination... Sure, trips to Perth/ Melbourne as a teenager/ young adult were enjoyable, but somehow its appeal has waned over the years, when European/ American or even just Asian holidays seemed more exciting/ happening :P But now I think I was a little narrow-minded... cos Sydney was really a great place to visit and possibly live in - it's blessed with lovely beaches, beautiful mountains, great weather... Outdoor/nature stuff aside, there's also a tonne of things to do in the city - good shopping, yummy food... Only grouse though is that things are not cheap :P

Sydney Opera House from the Harbour Bridge. Embarked on the climb after a long day of walking, but it was worth it. Great views of the opera house... It was certainly not worth it to pay over A$200 to climb the Harbour Bridge though...

The SOH actually looked pretty old/ slightly run down - so it might not actually seem that impressive from close-up. But we went on an excellent tour of the SOH, which gave us a much better understanding and appreciation of the toil/ politics that went behind the scenes. It took some 16 years to complete at a cost of $102 mil, with diff architects responsible for the outer sail/ shells and design of concert halls..

View from Bronte beach - after a 2 hr coastal walk in the afternoon. The blue ocean/ ocean waves were gorgeous.

Dramatic skies at Blue Mountains... abt a mere 1.5 - 2 hrs drive West of Sydney

One of my fav paintings by an Australian painter at the Art Gallery of New South Wales - a suburban home in pop-artish colors

AVOCA - Avocado smoothie with ice cream, fresh cream, honey and pistachios... heavenly.
Home-made veal fettucine with sun-dried tomatoes. The outstanding creation of two holidaying chefs. Looks pretty yummy hor :P

Stylish lobby at BLUE Sydney - a splurge for the last night, but totally worth it