Sydney – home of the wonderful Opera House! (Nov 2018)

The first great thing about this trip was the fact that the plane turned as it approached Sydney Harbour, and having a window seat on the right side of the plane meant that I had the perfect view of the Opera House and Bridge from the air! Little did I know that I was going to be even more impressed on arrival at my hotel to find that I could actually see the Opera House from my bedroom window! I’ve always loved the Opera House and couldn’t wait to see it in the flesh, so to speak. So, after arriving at my hotel and checking in, the first thing I did was to go out and visit the famous landmark which is one of the most-photographed buildings in the world.

It didn’t take long to walk to the Opera House, along the stunning promenade at Circular Quay that is lined with restaurants, bars, and cafes. When I saw the Opera House looming up in front of me it looked every bit as spectacular as I had imagined - there are a lot of steps to climb before you reach the entrance. Apparently, the sail-shape design of the Opera House was decided by running a competition in 1957 that was won by Danish architect, Jorn Utzon.

You can book shows at the Opera House and do tours, but I decided, since it was my birthday whilst in Sydney, that I would go and watch a play there. – what a way to spend a birthday! So, I booked that and went back a day later in the evening. I really enjoyed the whole experience, and it was great to see the place lit up at night. During my few days in Sydney, I made the most of every opportunity to see the Opera House!