First Impressions: Sydney

I dig this town. 

It's much more international than Melbourne, and a whole lot more laid back.  Melbourne is trying to be a big city, with it's underground culture and emphasis on the arts (which is in no way a bad thing), but Sydney is like the Big Sister that is just like "here I am, take me as I am."  The people are more laid back, the clothing is more colorful (I began to really dislike the Melbourne Black fashion...), and the city has a bright vibe (remember, this is just the first day).

I went walking around the CBD with my new couchsurfing friend, Peter.  He's a Chinese who has emigrated to Sydney, and lives in a suburb 20 min outside.  He showed me the big sights, and we just kind of meandered around the main area of the city for a while, which was great (I love peoplewatching, as we know).  The Sydney Opera House is more amazing than pictures.  I'm a sucker for cool archetecture, and every aspect of the building is just awesome.  The curves are everywhere, the rooves are actually made with tile (I'm sure some of you knew that, but I'm ignorant... and anyways, I touched it!), and it is just this stunning piece of building that fits in perfectly with the harbor (harbour?).  The bridge is nice, but it's a bridge.  The rest of the city feels like a cleaner, more open version of New York, but a whole lot warmer, and based around the harbor rather than the rivers (or the fact that it's an island).

I've gotten multiple offers of places to sleep, including a guy in the check-in line at the Melbourne Airport who offered me a place in Adelaide, and a couple that wants me to house/catsit for them in Sydney (here's hoping!  I replied, but we'll see).  The Aussies are so amazing to travelers, probably because so many of them do it, and understand the trials and tribulations of moving around the world so quickly.  I guess it helped that I looked like a haggrid backpacker, with my 23 kilo bag of random crap (that I wish I was rid of), and an unshaven face...

Anyways, this is a great place, and when I'm not dealing with airport crap (or hauling my luggage around), every place I stop is one that I could see myself ripping up my ticket for...