We've arrived in Australia's largest city! I dozed for most of our journey here, waking only as we were driving into Sydney, past all the skyscrapers and tower blocks. I got really excited when I spotted the Opera House (it looks smaller than I'd imagined) and when we drove over Sydney Harbour Bridge!

Unfortunately, it was p*ssing it down when we arrived and the grey sky is spoiling all of my photos! We checked in at our hostel and bumped straight into a load of people we'd met further up the coast. So the plan is to meet up with them tomorrow night for some drinks in Kings Cross. Wake Up, the hostel, is very slick with its fancy key cards and banks of computers and our room is on the top floor (number seven) with a view over the city from the massive window. It's a ten bed dorm though so I think the insomnia will continue for me...

Anyway, Jim and I dumped our bags and went for a wander up George Street into the CBD. Because of the pants weather we decided to go to The Art Gallery of New South Wales. I know nothing about art but there was a wide range of styles from different periods, all of it aesthetically pleasing (give the girl a job in art criticism!) so we really enjoyed it.

When we emerged from the gallery the rain had subsided so we walked back through Hyde Park, past Sydney Tower/Skywalk and the cathedral, to Darling Harbour. It's a really pretty place, buzzing with cafes and restaurants and we stopped for tea and cake. Tonight we went for tea in China Town and back to Darling Harbour to see all the lights in the river - beautiful!

Navigating is proving to be a doddle (unlike in Japan, they actually have street signs here so that's a big help) and everything seems to be in walking distance. On first impressions, Sydney is big, imposing and glamourous without being intimidating (as Jim put it "It shouldn't work, but it does!"). We like!

Love you all x x x