Why do we always complain about the city or place we live in? I always find myself wondering whether life would be better in a different city. The fact that I'm still here, in Sydney that is, I guess goes to show that maybe I don't want to move away from this city I both love and hate.
So lets firstly go through the reasons this city does my head in.
Its freakin expensive! Like super expensive, in every way. House prices are just ridiculous. My weekly grocery bill is crazy, and going out for breakfast can cost an arm and a leg.
Public transport sucks!! I live near a train station which you think would be super convenient right? Well no, its not, the trains in peak hour are so packed you can barely get in, they are so infrequent outside of peak hour. And they are so incredibly slow!! I know they're building a more speedy metro line but the construction won't be complete for another 7 years! Buses I don't even bother with because whats the point, they're slow, get stuck in traffic and are just too hard to figure out. Which brings me to my next point...
- Traffic. Can be very hit and miss! You've really got to pick your times in Sydney. You could have a great run down the highway or you can just be sitting in grid lock for ever while you wait for people to merge from 3 lanes to 2. Plus parking is a massive pain in the ass. I won't go to certain suburbs because I know that there is no way I'd be able to park my car.
Terrain. Yes this is a weird one, but I discovered this to be a problem when one day I got fed up with traffic and parking I decided to start riding a bike. Great idea, solved the traffic and parking problems but oh my god the hills in Sydney nearly killed me! Every time you ride your bike anywhere you have to be kitted up in proper cycling gear because the amount you sweat pushing up a hill is just crazy. Plus drivers aren't used to bikes so you have to make sure you're decked out in fluro and lights so they see you when they crash into you.
Crowds. Especially on weekends. I feel like all my nice, relaxing, quiet spots are being discovered by more and more people every year, making all these once lovely places now unbearable!
So that completes the negative list... Here is a list of why Sydney is awesome...
- The beaches. You've probably seen the photos of Bondi beach right? Well that to me is probably the worse beach in Sydney. Seriously. There are so many better beaches. And some are within 20min drive of my place. The sand is white and soft, theres beautiful parks and cafes by the beach. The water is absolutely amazing! Crystal clear aqua blue. Its brilliant when you consider these are city beaches. I love the beaches on the north side, they're less crowded and you can get parking (most of the time).
- Food. I know I said it was expensive, but the food here is a very high standard. There's not too much weird genetically modified stuff, its very fresh as most of it is local produce so hasn't been stuck on a boat for 6 months. Our meat is mostly grass fed. Labels are also clear as to what it is, and what's in it. We have lots of fresh food markets. Cafe's are now starting to cater for different diets. Great food in general.
The weather. I do enjoy my summers, so luckily in Sydney you can get pretty decent weather most of the year. Winter doesn't tend to last too long and doesn't get too cold. Sometimes you can get crazy heat waves, but relief comes in the form of the southerly buster. We also get really glorious summer storms. It's a great city to have outdoor parties and BBQ's and play sport outside.
The active lifestyle. Sydney is great for active types. Plenty of gyms and out door training groups. Yoga and pilates studios, martial arts, sport teams, swimming pools. The only thing we are lacking is athletics tracks. Probably why our olympic track team perform so poorly.
- The sites. Ok so I wont deny Sydney has some pretty cool landmarks, like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. But we also have some amazing places just to hang and take it all in. Its a safe sitting so you can pull up a picnic rug anywhere along the harbour and just gaze out across the water. You can take lots of nature walks that are within the city but make you feel like you're miles away. Its just a nice city to relax in.
So in conclusion... Sydney ain't so bad is it.
Doesn't look like I'll be moving away anytime soon. I may need a bigger apartment one day, but I'll cross that bridge when it comes. For now, I will enjoy the weather and relax at the beach
Thanks for reading