Sydney has 2 parts:
1) first arrived to Sydney from
Brisbane, from there got the bus to Melbourne for 2days
2) back from Melbourne and wait for Mr Starkies arrival, another 2 days in Syd before going on our east coast road trip.

1)...
I arrive into Sydney and take the hostel shuttle bus directly to the hostel. I check in to 'Xbase' which is a very popular hostel (but not the cleanest and nicest I have been to) and i meet my roomies before heading to Darling Harbour to meet one of my local travelling buddies. We walk around darling harbor watching the various street performances on the way to the opera house and harbour bridge. It was a very very hot day and lovely clear blue skies. We then take a little ferry boat back to darling harbour for a few evening drinks before getting a taxi to another area (can't remember the name) and I have a scooner of a few Australian beers (schooner is like 1/2 pint ish). My favourite- Hahn.
The next day my roommates and I walk to the botanical gardens, which are really amazing and full of flying fox bats. When I say full, I mean FULL! Every tree had these huge bats hanging from them and it was a little scary actually. We then end up at the opera house and take a ferry back to darling harbour (again). A trip to the aquarium was next, looking at lots of fishes, sharks and sting rays and huge nautical themed lego statues. That evening I have my first experience of 'goon' which is basically a box of wine. It's probably the cheapest alcoholic drink you can buy here for its volume- $14 for 4 litres. And as you can guess, it's not very pleasant! My roomies and i mixed it with lemonade and played a few drinking games in the hostel room before heading to the club next door for a night of more games and dancing!
Next day i headed to Melbourne on a 12 hour over night bus which was rediculously uncomfortable and I spent the trip elbowing my neighbour who kept sitting moving over onto my chair!

2)....
Second time in Sydney and another overnight uncomfortable bus journey. I sat next to a nice old lady from Brisbane who taught me about the history of the aboriginals and Australia. It was nice for a few hours until I tried to sleep and she continued to talk, I did feel a bit rude as I quite obviously put on my neck pillow and blanket and yawned repeatedly but she didn't take hints very well. I arrive in the early hours on Australia Day to a drizzly and cloudy Sydney and await the arrival of Mr Starkie. Eventually he rocks up to the hostel 2 hours later than expected after delays at the airport. Once settled we go for a walk around darling harbour as the locals prepare for the evening spectacular. A quick return to the hostel for a shower and change of clothes and then back out to see how the Auzzies celebrate Australia day at darling harbour. Must say, we were slightly disappointed. It was very crowded and very humid and the show was slightly boring. From the part we saw they were re-enacting a helicopter rescue. It was strange and confusing and we couldn't decipher what was happening from the very muffled commentary. We didn't stay long, and finished the night with a couple of glasses of goon and a fast food chicken meal!
The next day was slightly more productive and we started the day with a bus trip to bondi. Alex had been before, so following the pro, we get of the bus at bondi town, which is "right next to the beach". Only to learn, after 45 minutes of walking, that it's slightly further away. Beach towels down, swimwear on, books out... maybe 45 minutes or so and the overcast clouds, bitter winds and just general cold send us back towards the bus. But it was nice to see bondi! Another thing to add, was that during the entire length of the day Alexs flipflop fell apart perhaps every 100m or so. It was funny at first. He would fix it, and we would carry on. But then after the 20th time, it was pretty annoying. Back in Sydney centre and we walk around many many shops searching for the perfect replacement pair...not found. (The broken flip flops clung onto life for several days before being flung into the bin at Byron Bay once suitable replacements had been purchased.) That evening we went up the city tower and was able to see the beautifully lit up city centre- coudnt see the opera house as someone had built a skyscraper in the way, but it was still pretty.
the next day we checked out of our hostel and went to pick up our home for the next few weeks. Our spaceship (google spaceship campervans) called Space Marine- nickname Marina. At first they tried to palm us off with an old rusty one, but I complained (typical) and we were given a beautiful brand new one (complaining always works). After being shown how everything works and filling up our water tank, choosing our DVDs, getting petrol...we set off up the coast and waved goodbye to Sydney. Hello to living like a hillbilly...