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Olympic Advice for Visitors to
Sydney
When in the water at Bondi, always be sure to wave enthusiastically to
the lifeguard, so he'll know exactly where you are.
The tolls on the harbour bridge are voluntary. You should only contribute if the
toll officer sings for you, or at the very least
plays an instrument.
When visiting the top restaurant "The Rockpool", be sure to joke with
Neil Perry about how he lost his Good Food Guide hats last year. Neil is
very relaxed about it, and finds the jokes "hilarious".
It is traditional to bargain with Sydney taxi drivers over the fare. On
no account pay what is on the meter, as this will be sure to cause
offence.
Before attempting the traditional climb of the Opera House sails,
always remove your shoes.
Money lost at the Star City Casino is refundable at the end of the
night. Just have a word to one of the kindly security guards.
You'll find Kerry Packer's luxury yacht, Arctic P, moored in the
harbour. Just clamber aboard, as Kerry loves surprises.
The Olympic "Clearway" lanes are kept completely clear of traffic so
as
to provide cheap parking.
The monorail is no longer in service. The metal track, though, is now
available to New Zealand visitors for roller blading, or simple sunbaking.
When surfing at Bondi, do not be surprised if a hooter sounds and the
swimmers around you head for the shore. This is a local custom to allow
our visitors to have uncrowded enjoyment of the waves.....and if you
happen to have a shark appear - they are very tame and love to be patted on the
nose.
Sydneysiders love to hear constructive feedback especially if given
with our favourite accent: British. If you can think of any way to improve
our city - perhaps in your country you've found a better way to do something -
tell the Sydneysiders you meet in as much detail as you can. They'll thank you
for it.
Tourists crossing the Harbour Bridge will be pleased to know that
Bureau de Change offices are installed in all lanes, where you can
change your home currency for Australian dollars. Feel free to haggle to
get the best exchange rate.
Sydney has vibrant drinking houses and a lively tradition to match.
Join in the fun by following a local custom - after every third drink, catch the
eye of as many people as possible and call out loudly, "It's my
shout!".
Parliament House is open to the public .....From the Public Gallery it
is possible to see one of Australia's finest actors, Robert Carr,
perform in the role of Abraham Lincoln.
If sunburnt while in Sydney. A good remedy is to sleep naked between
fresh bed sheets, which have had a hand full of Bondi sand sprinkled
liberally between them.
Keep an eye out for one of the hundreds of delightful creatures that
decorate our beautiful beaches, The Blue Bottle. You'll have hours of
fun picking these creatures up by the tail and swinging overhead.
Visitors to Sydney will notice a unique road service provided to assist
tourists: special sightseer lanes on the Harbour Bridge and elsewhere,
marked B-U-S, which stands for Banned Unless Sightseeing.
Don't worry about getting to the station early - Sydney trains always
run on time.
The 'T" lane means Tourist Lane, so that Tourists can stop on the
Harbour Bridge to look at the Opera House.
Small silver scooters are ubiquitous throughout the city and are
provided free by the State Transit Authority....just approach someone
riding one and ask them firmly to give up the scooter...they may
protest...but don't be put off. You may need to physically wrestle the scooter
from the other rider.
Unless you have 'top cover' travel insurance, do not attempt to drive
across the Harbour Bridge as the trip up and over the arch is extremely
hazardous.
Should any visitors have any problems when travelling please call 9333
1000 where the large number of helpful staff will offer all advice and
assistance.
Vegemite is a very mild flavoured chocolate for putting on bread. To
fully appreciate it you should spread it at least 1 inch thick.
Most Australian families leave all their clothes at the front door (a
bit like the Japanese do with their shoes). If you are invited to an
Aussie's home, disrobe as soon as you enter the front door.
When a local says he's going to "shoot through" take it literally -
and
run for your life.
If you want to see kangaroos, stand on George Street at 5.05 pm and
yell "cooee" five times - reminding them to come out of their
burrows under the Queen Victoria Building.
When visiting the Opera House - rows A to K are best for mobile phone
reception and for flash photography....
The viewing windows from the Sydney Harbour Tunnel are open to the
public outside peak hour. The best access is via the southbound tunnel:
parking is provided at intervals along the tunnel.
Due to the huge number of international tourists visiting our city and
touring around the countryside, the government has decided to
temporarily amend the road rules. All tourists will be allowed to drive on
the right side of the road until the end of the Olympics.
The locals at Bondi Beach have invented their own competition. So far
Mark from Ireland has managed to consecutively hit 4 tennis balls
directly onto the volleyball court from the beach. Anyone who beats this record
will have their name recorded in the local newspaper's special Olympic edition.
:)
Copyright Allen Jesson :) 2000
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