The Traveling Jade

Mount Coolum Summit at Coolum Beach, Queensland

SYDNEY, NSW

Day 1

Day one was by far the most jam-packed day I had during the entire break. I arrived in Sydney at 9:00am from an early morning flight from Melbourne. Prior to the trip, I had compiled a list of activities and places I wanted to visit. I don’t know about you, but I personally need some kind of itinerary to really make the most of my time at a new place. I don’t follow it to a T, but it gives me an idea of things to do. Without it, I’d probably spend too much time trying to figure out what to do or be completely lost and overwhelmed.

One of the first places I visited was the Sydney Observatory, a heritage-listed landmark with historical significance. It sits atop a hill in Observatory Park and overlooks the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The park is a great spot for a picnic, though a little tough to get to if climbing the Agar Steps from Kent Street. One thing I didn’t expect was how hilly Sydney is. Almost everywhere I went involved climbing several flights of stairs or walking uphill. But the views were always worth it. Seeing the Harbour Bridge in person was, let’s just say, very surreal. There’s something strangely fulfilling about seeing iconic landmarks, especially ones that you’ve only ever seen online or in pictures. I know some people find the experience underwhelming, but that certainly was not the case for me for both the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. If I’m being honest, I actually found the bridge more impressive than the Opera House, mostly because of its sheer size. That brings me to my next destination, walking from Observatory Park to Circular Quay, the heart of Sydney (at least in my eyes). 

This is where I had my first glimpse of the Sydney Opera House from across the bay, well not exactly the bay, but the wharf. The area was packed with tourists taking selfies (including me), dining at restaurants, and having picnics. It was also where I saw a street performer do some insane tricks. The performer balanced on top of a bicycle perched on a pole, then stood on the seat while juggling a machete, a torch, and an apple. The guy’s commentary was also top tier, even making me chuckle at times. Following that, I took a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Wharf. Quick tip for anyone planning to visit Sydney in the future, riding the public ferry is a cost effective way to “tour” both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House from the water without having to spend $50+ on a private tour. The ferry ride was thrilling and surprisingly fast, taking roughly 20 minutes.

Once at Manly, I made my way to Sydney Harbour National Park, which features a trail (Fairfax track) that loops around with a couple of scenic lookouts. The first one, Burragula Lookout, overlooks the Sydney skyline. You can’t see the bridge or the Opera House from there, but it’s a great spot to watch the boats travel up and down the harbour. The other lookout, Yaningma Lookout, faces the cliffs and the Tasman Sea. Watching the waves crash into the rocks was mesmerizing. Everything about it looked like something out of a stock photo. Even the dead trees added to the scenery. Australia (at least the east coast) truly has some of the most stunning landscapes. What I loved most about the park was how quiet it was, no crowds, just peaceful views.

Yiningma Lookout

My only regret is not getting to watch the sunset or sunrise from that spot. Maybe I’ll keep that in mind if I find myself in Sydney again. Instead, I watched the sunset from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, which is known for its view of both the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. I just barely made it in time as the sun began to set behind the horizon. It made for some gorgeous photos, though I was not expecting there to be so many people. There were tripods everywhere, people filming time-lapses, and tons of fellow photographers. It was a bit overwhelming but nevertheless a memorable sunset. All in all my first day there was amazing and incredibly busy.

Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair

Day 2

Of course, I had to spend a day out in the mountains. As beautiful as Sydney’s beaches are, I’d much rather escape to the mountains. I couldn’t decide between Royal National Park and Blue Mountains National Park, but I ultimately went with the Blue Mountains since it was more accessible and the name reminded me of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia. Despite how extensive Sydney’s public transport network is, getting anywhere outside the city can be a challenge without a car. Thankfully, the Blue Mountains are a relatively popular destination, and there’s a train line that runs from Sydney to several towns in the region. The first hour of the ride was honestly a bit boring, but the second half turned into the most scenic train ride ever. Watching the mountains gradually come into view and then being in them was such a fun experience.

I got off in the town of Katoomba along with basically everyone else. My original plan was to start at Katoomba Falls and make my way to Leura Falls, but that quickly changed when the bus driver was only stopping at Echo Point lookout (Three Sisters) and back. Out of concern he might blow past my stop, I got off early. The lookout itself was nice, but it was hard to enjoy with the massive crowd. I couldn’t even get a good view as everyone was taking selfies or posing with their families. This might be a bit controversial, but in my opinion, to really visit a place, one must actually explore its surroundings and not just go to the iconic lookouts. If you don’t walk the trails or see the lesser-known views, have you truly experienced the place? Also, all the photos from the one lookout end up looking the same. With that mindset, I found the entrance to the Prince Henry Cliff Walk and began making my way toward Katoomba Falls. Along the way, I came across several smaller lookouts, which I personally felt were way better than Echo Point Lookout. I eventually (after taking tons of pictures) made it to what I thought was Katoomba Falls, only to realize (as I’m writing this) that I had accidentally gone to Katoomba Cascades instead. Whoops. While the cascades were more of a trickle than a waterfall it was still a nice sight. My one highlight was probably when I hiked the muddy/slippery path back to the top. I felt like I was out alone in the wilderness until I was met with asphalt again.

Back at the top, I spent the better part of an hour walking back to Katoomba town looking for a meal. But, since it was Easter, most of the shops and restaurants were closed. The few that were open had long lines, and I wasn’t feeling patient enough to wait. So instead, I headed to the trailhead for Leura Falls. Well… not an official trailhead, just another entrance to the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. This section of the trail ended up being my favorite. It felt much more scenic and I was able to really take in the natural beauty of the place. The path followed small creeks, mini waterfalls, rock formations, and stepping stones. Once again plans were foiled when the main path to Leura Falls was closed off for maintenance. There was an alternative trail, but it would have taken too long and was much steeper. I ended up following the current trail I was on to Leura Cascades. Leura Cascades reminded me a bit of Shelving Rock Falls in the Adirondack Mountains, though not nearly as tall and much more rainforest like.

Leura Cascades

The sounds and smell of the rushing water was very relaxing and refreshing. Along the trail, I came across several incredible lookouts, including one that faced Leura falls and another that sat on a groovy rock formation. The lookout on the rock had the most perfect view of the Mountains. I sat there for nearly an hour, admiring the views.  I would’ve stayed until sunset, but given how far I was from the train station and the general advice not to hike in the dark, I decided to make my way to the nearest train station which was in the town of Leura. On the way there I grabbed a classic Aussie meat pie to eat. I know that I probably committed a crime with how I ate it (using a fork and knife and not with my hands like how it’s supposed to be eaten) but it was insanely hot and I didn’t feel like burning my mouth at that moment. All things considered, the Blue mountains did not disappoint, even with all the inconveniences, which only added to the adventure.

Day 3

My last full day in Sydney was spent walking around A LOT. I chose to do the Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach Coastal Walk, a somewhat popular activity that offers the best of both worlds, beautiful beaches and stunning scenery. The walk itself is about 3.5 miles and takes roughly 2–3 hours to complete without any interruptions. I of course doubled that time with the many pit stops I took to take photos and look at the views.

I started the walk from Coogee Beach and quickly found myself at Gordon’s Bay, which felt like a secret cove with its rocky shoreline and cliffs. The water there was incredibly blue, almost like that of the Caribbean. In fact, much of the coastline along the walk had that intense blue color. As I continued along the trail and climbed a kajillion flights of stairs, I came across an Australian Garden Orb Weaver Spider. It was the largest spider I’ve seen in Australia, though not nearly as big as the Golden Orb Weavers I’ve encountered in Florida, but still impressive. I wasn’t too concerned about it as orb weavers are non-poisonous and harmless to people. Honestly, the most dangerous thing at that moment in time were the cliff edges that had little to no safety barriers. People could simply walk up to the edge and dangle their feet and risk falling below on the rocks. Aside from the dangers, those areas were very calming with the sounds of the waves crashing into the rocks below and the occasional mist of sea spray hitting my face.

The coastal walk featured several other smaller beaches and lookout points. Eventually once past Stone Circle Lookout, Bondi Beach finally came into view. From a distance, it didn’t look very crowded. But As I approached Bondi, I passed the iconic Bondi Icebergs, which are basically swimming pools that are just above sea level and the waves crash onto the sides.

Bondi Beach

Once at Bondi, there was a little green space just above the actual beach where I stopped for lunch. It was entertaining watching surfers of all levels trying to catch waves. Some were incredibly skilled, riding waves all the way to shore, while others toppled over as soon as they stood up. It was quite peaceful until it started to sprinkle. On the walk I had observed the storm clouds from afar, but did not consider that they were heading my way. I took the opportunity to pop into a few nearby stores and pick up some gifts and postcards. I didn’t linger too long. After Bondi, I made a brief trip to Chinatown, having heard good things. Apparently, it’s Australia’s largest Chinatown, though not the oldest (that title goes to Melbourne). There were tons of authentic Chinese and Asian restaurants and shops. I ended up having dinner there, and it was absolutely delicious. 

Despite the briefness of my trip to Sydney, I managed to get a lot out of it, from the mountains to the beaches. Maybe next time, I’ll dabble more in local events and lesser-known spots rather than heading straight for the touristy places. The second half of my trip was just as fun, though not quite as jam-packed, but at least I had a much needed travel buddy.

SUNSHINE COAST, QLD

Day 4-6

My friend, Amélie and I both flew into Brisbane separately and later met up at baggage claim. Much of the day had already passed, but during the train ride up to the Sunshine Coast where our Airbnb was located, we caught a lovely sunset and glimpses of the Glass House Mountains and nearby ranges. We kept it chill that evening, only making a quick grocery run to stock up for the next few days.

Day 5, however, was much more active. We went to Noosa Heads, a popular vacation spot I’d heard about. It’s a charming coastal community that’s about a 34-minute drive away, but since we were using public transit, it took closer to an hour and a half. While on the bus, we looked up things to do and settled on kayaking. We’d both kayaked before, but never in a double kayak. We figured it’d be fun to try something new. Once on the water, we quickly discovered how uncoordinated we were and it didn’t help that the wind was blowing against us. For the first half of the ride, I was in the front trying to move us forward while my Amélie steered, but the wind kept pushing us off course and our paddles kept clashing. About halfway through, Amélie came up with a system where she’d call out which side to paddle and how many strokes. It worked surprisingly well, until we stopped to take photos, and swapped seats (I don’t know why). The way back was brutal with there being moments where it felt like we were going nowhere. All of our energy was basically spent trying to keep the boat straight. Most of our energy went into just keeping the kayak straight. Once we returned the rental, we dried out in the sun and grabbed some much needed lunch. In the afternoon, we had planned to do the coastal walk through Noosa National Park, but by the time we reached the trail entrance, we got sidetracked by a rocky shoreline. We ended up spending the rest of the day taking photos and swimming while watching the sunset from there. In my opinion it was totally worth it, despite it not being a designated swimming area. But hey at least it was peaceful and uncrowded. Before heading back we stopped at an ice cream truck to get dessert because why not. What made this one stand out was that the person blended the flavors we chose into soft serve. I got Jaffa and cookies and cream, which turned out to be surprisingly good, even though I’d never had Jaffa (orange chocolate candy) before. Amélie had some kind of coconut combo. It was a good end to a thrilling day. 

Noosa Beach w/ Amélie

The next day was our last day in Sunshine Coast, and we decided to go out strong with a hike up Mount Coolum (located halfway between Sunshine coast and Noosa Heads). It’s unique in how it’s basically almost at the water and is a freestanding mountain. That’s something I noticed about this part of Queensland, they have both interior mountain ranges and freestanding mountains like the famous Glass House Mountains that look like giant ant hills. Before starting the hike, there was a sign posted at the entrance that said “for fit walkers only.” Amélie and I exchanged amused glances, wondering what they consider as fit, given that everyone’s perception of fitness varies from person to person. The trail starts with a gentle incline, leading you into a false sense of security, until you turn the corner and are met with the steepest stairs known to man. It was basically a vertical ascent. The climb was intense, even worse than Prospect Mountain in the Adirondacks in terms of steepness. Thankfully, Mount Coolum is only 682 feet (208m) above sea level, about a third the height of Prospect Mountain, therefore the pain and suffering didn’t last as long. The summit made it all worthwhile. There were several lookouts facing different directions. One over Coolum Beach and the ocean, another facing the Glass House Mountains and distant ranges, and one even overlooking Sunshine Coast and the Airport where we could see planes taking off and landing. Of course we had to take tons of photos to document our experiences. 

Mount Coolum summit w/ Amélie

The descent was faster but not without mishaps (i.e. tripping and falling on the rocks). We spent the remaining afternoon and early evening in Coolum Beach, eating food and browsing local shops. The beaches were lovely, though the skies were overcast and the waves were a bit rough. I did enjoy spotting some shorebirds, which I’ve discovered are uncommon to see in Australia at least in Melbourne. It was fun brushing up on my bird identification skills. Although I wasn’t able to identify them all, I was able to classify most into more general types like terns and gulls. 

While our time at Sunshine Coast and the places above were coming to an end. Being there was such a lovely experience and definitely a breath of fresh air compared to the bustling metropolis of Sydney. One thing I won’t miss is running to the bus stop each time because my Amélie insisted we’d make it despite the bus being scheduled to arrive in 5 minutes and were still 7 minutes away.

BRISBANE, QLD

Day 7-8

The final days of my break were spent in Brisbane and, oh boy, was I kind of disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, the city is beautiful, but there was literally nothing to do. Part of that was due to timing. Our last full day just happens to fall on ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day), a significant public holiday honoring the lives of Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in WW2. It was an opportunity to observe how Australians commemorate such a solemn occasion. Veterans and active military personnel wandered the streets in full uniform while people cheered for them waving flags and such. A parade had also occurred, though we only caught the tail end of the parade. Nevertheless, I felt honored to experience something like this.

Despite most of the shops and stores being closed, we did get a chance to watch a couple of street performers. One used a wheel (like that of wheel gymnastics), but unfortunately had to end it prematurely due to the rain creating potentially dangerous conditions. The other performer on other hand chose a much smarter spot that was located under a covered overhang. I was impressed by his ability to climb and balance on the ladder with no support or assistance for several minutes at a time while also catching objects. After the performance I did what I do best, walking. We wandered through the CBD and eventually found an arcade center where we played a round of laser tag. Unfortunately we both lost to a 7 year old child who practically followed us throughout the entire game. Would love to do a rematch but maybe this time with no kids. Later, I walked through the Botanic Gardens and realized one of the lookouts I’d wanted to visit, Kangaroo Point, was nearby. The trail hugs the cliff’s edge (yes there are cliffs in the middle of the city), with warning signs about falling rocks posted every few meters. Kangaroo Point itself had stunning views of Brisbane’s CBD and its iconic bridges such as Kangaroo Point Bridge and Story Bridge. I continued along the trail and reached the Brisbane sign, another notable landmark. It ended up being the perfect sunset spot as the skyscrapers reflected the colors of the sky. 

Brisbane CBD from Kangaroo Point

Alas came my final day of break and we spent it at the beach. You would think Brisbane, a coastal city, would have nice beaches, but nope they don’t. Even the closest beaches aren’t all that great, but we made the most of it. We spent the day at Redcliffe beach, which we discovered to be more of a family beach as there were a considerable number of older people and families. We had planned to swim, but upon seeing the piles of seaweed that lined the shore, we decided not to. Amélie still wanted to sunbathe, but we had packed our towels in our suitcases. So we made a trip to a nearby Salvation Army thrift shop.I ended up buying a towel with an Aboriginal-inspired design that became my favorite souvenir of the trip. It was the perfect size. We laid on our towels eating some snacks and watching the seagulls fly overhead. It was a very picturesque moment at the beach that I will forever remember. This break was much needed.  It reminded me why I wanted to come to Australia in the first place, to experience its raw natural beauty and immerse myself in its culture.