Sydney Supplement

Steve asked a question about where we stayed in Sydney, the Oaks Sydney Hyde Park Suites. 

I don't fully understand how the building is divided but as I can understand part of it is a normal hotel, where we have stayed, but where we normally stay are individually owned apartments. There are permanent residents there, and a number of suites are available via a business woman who manages them. She meets and greets you and introduces to your suite. You cannot use the hotel desk for anything. They as for your room number. You're accommodation has nothing to do with them. If we have any issues, we contact her. It is a strange setup, but we do like the hotel. 

We had no problems with Sydney public transport. It was easy to use, to understand, with good wayfinding signage and with a fare cap of $2.50 a day for old people like us, very cheap. However, there are issues with Sydney's eastern and south eastern bus services, and I am well informed about them and what appears to be disastrous privatisation of Sydney buses. But as tourists, it was all good. Its modern double deck trains are most excellent.

These are quite comfortable ferry seats, with removable coverings that can no doubt be laundered. We were on the ferry for twenty or so minutes. If we were on a train, tram or bus, the seat would be awful. Public transport seat comfort has gone so backwards. Why can't public transport have comfortable seating like on the ferry?    

Sydney people seem more friendly. As a couple in Melbourne, we might seem unapproachable but in Sydney, anyone in a bar will talk to you, individually or as a couple. It is a very nice aspect to the city. 

While I do like seeing men's legs, I am of two minds of how many young and old men wear shorts. There was a severe lack of nicely fitting shorts, mostly men looking like they were wearing their boxer shorts underwear, boxer shorts being for me a real passion killer. The internet is full of advertising guys wearing nicely fitting and flattering shorts. Get with the programme guys. 

Note, in no Sydney post did I complain about the standard of coffee. All good. Sydney has caught up.

A few days around 8.30am I sat on one the beautiful designed public seats where Oxford Street begins and watched the stream of workers walking to their city jobs or to Museum Station. It seemed such a contrast to Melbourne where such walkers would have their phone in one hand and a cup of take away coffee in the other. Oh gosh, there were some some very attractive people among the throng.

As we travelled to the airport I wasn't concentrating on our journey and I heard the name Mascot from  the automated announcement system. Now, I suspect you have to be of a certain age to know that Sydney airport was once  referred to as Mascot Airport. I am not sure if that was official or not and I doubt young people would really connect the name Mascot closely to Sydney Airport Domestic but there you go. I did and so did R and off the train we went. As I was doing so, I thought why wasn't there an announcement that this was the stop for the domestic terminals of the airport. Of course it wasn't the station we needed, being one station too short. We had plenty of time...

During our one hour late flight home, we wondered about the purpose of these clip thingies that were on the seat backs in front of us. I've no idea. Do you know or make an intelligent guess?