A Date with Sydney

The question we got so often, even from each other, was whether we prefered Melbourne more or Sydney.  It's hard to say... both have such great attributes.  They say you date Sydney, but you marry Melbourne.  And that makes a lot of sense, because I could see me spending my younger days in Sydney, enjoying the vibrant city and panoramic views, but I'd eventually want to settle down in Melbourne, which is more down-to-earth and homey.  And what made it so difficult for us to decide, I suppose, is that we're right at the cusp of the "crazy-wild-fun" part and the "settled-down-start-a-family" part of our lives.

We took some time to enjoy some of the local flavor of Sydney.  Sure, the Taronga Zoo is probably more on the touristy side, but we had to make sure we saw kangaroos and koalas, in case we didn't make it out to the Outback.  Thanks to Sharmila Bhabhi's connections, we got in for free, and so we didn't feel so bad leaving early because of the intense heat.  But the zoo itself is pretty awesome.  Of course, we saw kangaroos and koalas in their natural habitats (and by natural habitat, i mean "Australia" and not the man-made pens).  And you also get some impressive views of the Sydney Harbour, including the Opera House, which I can never get tired of looking at.

Kangaroo - Yes, it's alive

Emu

Koala

One of the things we've tried to do while traveling is try a local, popular pizza place.  Lucio's came up in the search, and the recommended half-margherita half ham calzone meal was incredible!  We grabbed the pie to go, staked out a few park benches in Hyde Park, popped open a few bottles of wine, and had an awesome picnic under the stars.  The park was perfect for Sahil, who could run and run and run and run and we didn't have to.  And just as we were wrapping up dinner, a free live concert suddenly assembled right next to us.  It was one of those evenings you could not plan to be so perfect, it just had to sorta happen that way.  And one of the reasons why it's so much fun to explore a city with the locals.  Thanks Vipul and Sharmila!

Late night Pizza in the Park

On our final night in Sydney, we got to partake in another traditional Australian custom: the barbie.  My cousin threw together a delicious feast of meats... lamb, chicken, veggies.  And he also provided a wide selection of Australian beers.  I felt like a kid in a candy store.  It was a most excellent way to cap off our visit to Sydney.  We hope we can return soon.

Me and my cuz

Little Sahil

Good times