Living in Sydney, Australia

I first came to Sydney in the early 80s from Malaysia to attend high school and university. As a student with a budget, Sydney life was very different at that time compared to what it is now 25 years later.

I lived in Malaysia after finishing university but I moved back to this beautiful place in 1998 and have been here ever since. I think Sydney is truly one of the most cosmopolitan and multicultural cities in the world. Although, this city is not in the same scale as London or New York in terms of size and population, I think it's natural beauty being a harbour city with its coastal landscapes and its close proximity to Asia gives Sydney a unique food, cultural and lifestyle dimension.

The following are my top 10 things which one should experience when visiting this beautiful city.

1. Take a guided climb over the top of the Sydney Harbour bridge ~ truly a view from the top of the world.

2. Lunch at the Sydney Fish Markets, think ~ sashimi, freshest Sydney rock and Pacific oysters, lobster mornay and king prawns, mussels etc etc.

3. Kayak from Spit Bridge at The Spit to Balmoral beach, then reward yourself with a cold beer and fish and chips from Bottom of the Harbour cafe.

4. Take a stroll or short jog at Cremorne Point to Mosman ferry wharf.

5. Have pre-dinner drinks at the Horizon bar at the Shangri-la Hotel and take in the breath-taking views of the harbour by dusk.

6. Take a water taxi from anywhere around the harbour to Pier restaurant at Rosebay for lunch.

7. Wander down the Pho An restaurant in Bankstown for a bowl of Vietnamese Pho (beef noodles) ~ truly the best in the world, Hanoi and Ho Chih Minh city included.

8. Listen to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, now conducted by maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy at the Opera House.

9. Check out Tetsuya's restaurant ~ truly world class!

10. Vacuum pack a slab of the finest Waygu beef from Vic's Meats and a fresh whole salmon from the Sydney Fish Markets and remisnisce about Sydney when you're back home.

Would be great if you have more suggestions of things to do around Sydney!

Another key aspect of Sydney which is unrivalled is the climate and weather. There are not many other places in the world where one can go surfing on a sunny winter day, and there are many warm and sunny days in Sydney each year! Therefore, a lifestyle which involves outdoor activities such as biking, kayaking or simply having a picnic by the water is truly a joy for Sydneysiders.

Bondi beach, one of Sydney's most famous attractions is still a place where one can enjoy the a day in the sun. I hope you like the photos!

There are more photos and information about Sydney and Australia here.

Many people visit Sydney to sample its melting pot of cuisine and food culture. Cosmopolitan Sydney means that one can sample an almost endless array of restaurants and cafes many of which are set in al fresco dining often with breath-taking views of Sydney harbour and its water foreshores.

Visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to food. Sydney's offering of cuisine includes Japanese, Modern Australian, Chinese, Korean, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Loatian, Indonesian, Italian, Greek, Mediterranean, African, Spanish, French, Brazilian and the list goes on and on.

Having lived in Sydney for many years, my favourite recommendation to visitors are the following list of restaurants and because we are spoilt for choice, this list keeps changing!! Enjoy and bon appetite!!

My top 5 money-no-issue Sydney restaurants:

1. Tetsuya's ~ French / Japanese

2. Wildfire ~ Churrasco

3. Guillamme at Bennelong ~ French

4. Claudes ~ French

5. Pier ~ Modern Australian / seafood

My top 5 money-is-an-issue restaurants:

1. Golden Century ~ Chinese

2. Ratu Sari ~ Indonesian

3. Chat Thai ~ Thai

4. Pendolino ~ Italian

5. Waqu ~ Japanese

Any other suggestions from fellow foodies would be great!!!

This is one Sydney melting pot where you can grab a bargain from t-shirts, shoes, jewellery to snacking on 50 different variety of nuts, ice-cream and fruits.

Compared to those of London, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver and Toronto, Sydney's Chinatown is among the most vibrant with its array of Chinese restaurants, butchers, seafood, vegetables vendors and grocers. Some restaurants are open almost 24 hours a day and there is no shortage of Chinese food from different regions ~ Cantonese, Sze Chuan and Hainan to name a few.

Seafood is obviously a delicacy with most restaurants offering fresh lobsters, mud crabs and life fish. The quality of Chinese food here is truly world class and comparable to the finest from Hong Kong and China.

Come day or night, one can expect this place to be bustling hub. Sydneysiders are indeed a lucky lot!

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