Solo Travel in Sydney

Welcome to the third post in this month’s Iconic Cities series. Guest writer Porsche is a born and bred New Yorker who now calls the UK home. You can read about her experiences on her blog, Spinster’s Compass.

Circular Quay, Sydney Cove

I am a lifelong travel lover and enthusiast. Australia was always on my list of places to visit. So when a high school acquaintance found a great deal on flights and posted it on his Facebook page, I was intrigued. He challenged his friends to take advantage of thisonce-in-a-lifetime Australia deal, stating that if none of them took up the deal, then he had a lame bunch of friends. I thought it was hilarious and decided to take a look.  

It was a really good price – to be honest, a price like that may never come around again. I began doing a little research on the down-low, asking questions and searching online, even going so far as to post on forums and message an Australia expert on TripAdvisor. A couple of people expressed interest in going with me, but time waits for no man and I wanted to go solo anyway, so I purchased my ticket and awaited my departure date.

Solo-friendly Accommodation

For most of my trip I stayed at the Sydney Central Youth Hostel which I enjoyed for the central location, decent facilities, outbound travel service center, and of course, the reasonable price. As a solo traveler, I also appreciated the opportunities to meet others. Something as simple as sitting in one of the TV lounges can gain you at least one new acquaintance.

Sydney Harbour Bridge by Night

Although I consider myself an introvert, I met two Australian men who introduced themselves to me. One of them had a sister who was giving birth to his first nephew as we were chatting. It was nice to have a brief impromptu celebration with them, Australian beer in tow, with the new uncle crying tears of joy. They didn’t even know me, but they were comfortable and friendly and open enough to share that moment with me.

For the last two nights, I took advantage of a great sale and stayed at the Vibe Hotel Sydney. While I didn’t meet anyone at this hotel, it certainly doesn’t mean that a solo traveler can’t meet anyone here. The restaurant and lounge areas are prime spots to come across potential new friends.

Travelling solo offers the chance to travel on your own terms: to just “be”, without the constraints that traveling with others places on a trip. One of the things I did was just wander around and, as a result, I discovered the North Shore across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I walked the 1.5 mile length of the bridge to Kirribilli. It seemed posh, as evidenced by the many doormen and gardeners I saw, and quiet save for the youths playing in their schoolyards. While meandering over there, I unwittingly walked to the Admiralty House, which I had NO idea (until returning home) was the Prime Minister’s residence!

The Lovely Queen Victoria Building

Seeing Ghosts and Making New Friends

I also went on The Rocks GhostTour toward the end of my trip, something that was interesting to me but may not have been to any potential travel companions. Taking place at night, it’s a cool and quirky way to learn about Sydney’s history.

In the course of my travels, I met a British man who happened to share the same hostel room. We did the ghost tour together and learned about everything from adulterous marriages that led to murder, to the origin of the phrase “dead ringer”, to sicknesses galore. Afterwards, we hung out together, walking around Sydney and taking amazing nighttime photos of the city.

Don’t Resist the Call

Sydney has meshed modernity with history, much like an expert seamstress makes intricate designs for the most exquisite dress or classic tailored 3-piece suit. One can walk to St. Andrew’s Church, run into the massive Queen Victoria Building about 1 block away for high-end shopping, or walk a little longer and hit old Sydney, where much of the ghost tour takes place.

This is just a snippet of the many things that Sydney has to offer. Sydney is cosmopolitan, world-class, colourful and historical. It beckoned me, whispered to me softly. Don’t resist the call.

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