Visiting Sydney - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2013, 07:02:07 pm
content: Hi Guys,I'm flying to Sydney tomorrow for a two week vacation. I'm sure I'll find many touristy things to do and see there. I was wondering though whether there was something nerdy to bee seen as well, however? It's a shame I'm too early for the maker faire, but maybe there is something else? A meetup maybe, or an interesting tech museum? Suggestions are most welcome!Cheers!

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2013, 07:24:26 pm
content: definitely the powerhouse museum in the city

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 16, 2013, 09:55:49 pm
content: Yes, powerhouse museum.Apart from that, you've come to the wrong place for nerdy things!You have two solid weeks in Sydney? That's a long time. Going anywhere else?

author: johnboxall
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 16, 2013, 10:39:34 pm
content: there's a very good hackerspace,http://robodino.org/perhaps you could say hello during an open day.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2013, 10:56:48 pm
content: Quote from: Maxlor on October 16, 2013, 07:02:07 pmI hear the dumpsters of office buildings are a good place to visit.

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 12:08:42 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 16, 2013, 09:55:49 pmWhile staying in AU I don't know yet, I'll decide spontaneouslyI only decided to go last sunday, I guess I don't like to plan too much in advance. On the way home I'll stay for a couple days more in Hong Kong.It's not so much about seeing as much as possible. I want to get an impression of how Australians tick, what Sydney is like, and so on, basically to find out whether I'd feel comfortable living there for a while. I'm especially courious to find out whether the blue mountains feel mountainous enough to me

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 12:17:32 am
content: I'm really torn... If I ever visit Australia I'd like to visit Sydney and maybe say hi to whoever on the forum is in the area, yet my company has an office and manufacturing facility just outside of Melbourne that I'd like to visit just about as much.That's a fairly long drive for a visitor with a rental car.Or worse if for some reason I have to go there on business and am on the company's schedule I'd never get to go to Sydney.

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 12:25:37 am
content: Quote from: Stonent on October 17, 2013, 12:17:32 amSeeing how Melbourne and Sydney are two economic hotspots in AU, I assume there are several affordable flights between the two cities every day?

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 12:29:45 am
content: Quote from: Maxlor on October 17, 2013, 12:08:42 amConsidering your base reference (country) you may call them 'The Blue Foot Hills"!!!. However its definitely a nice day trip.Maybe a trip to Canberra which is not too far from Sydney. Check out Questaconhttp://www.questacon.edu.au/perhaps.Yes cheap flights between the two cities can be had , only around an hour flight time.

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 12:33:00 am
content: Rent a car and visit the Blue Mountains, lots to see up there and some interesting bush walks can be done in a few hours. What are your interests?Flights between Sydney and Melbourne every half hour or so from 6:00AM until 11:00PM, choice between Tiger, Jetstar, Virgin and Qantas (in order of cheapest to most expensive). One way fares range from $40 to $90 depending on airline and method of booking.

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 12:50:20 am
content: Quote from: GeoffS on October 17, 2013, 12:33:00 amMotorbiking actually :] but for this trip I'll stick to hiking.Quote from: GeoffS on October 17, 2013, 12:33:00 amThat's what I thought, great. An overnight trip sounds like a nice idea then.Mmh I'm really looking forward to the trip (well, the arriving part, not so much the spending a day on planes part.) In a few hours I'll be off the ground, better get a bit of sleep until thenThanks for your ideas so far, if you have more, please add them!

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 01:47:40 am
content: Quote from: Maxlor on October 17, 2013, 12:25:37 amMaybebut after I posted this I got to thinking I'm sure there's a bus or some other kind of inexpensive mult-person transport that goes between the two cities.Out of curiosity I tried to find a train route but the site said the distance was too far to calculate a route to choose an intermediate stop. So I tried Canberra but still said it was too far.I tried a few other cities along the route but nope. I finally gave up.

author: kizzap
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 01:53:44 am
content: Quote from: Stonent on October 17, 2013, 12:17:32 amIt's only 870km....easily done in a day, Hell earlier this year I did Toowoomba to Ayr (Queensland) which is 1200 in a day.If you go with a decent rental car place as well you should be able to leave the car in the other city once you get there too.However the better option would be flying, roughly $100 for a one way trip.-kizzap

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 01:58:13 am
content: Quote from: kizzap on October 17, 2013, 01:53:44 amWith gasoline prices about 3 to 4x what they are in Texas it might be cheaper to fly.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 02:41:15 am
content: Quote from: Stonent on October 17, 2013, 01:58:13 amAh yes. The cheap Houston gas prices. ~If you were in Melbourne, you could visit TrioSmartCal...

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 02:57:44 am
content: Quote from: echen1024 on October 17, 2013, 02:41:15 amYou could also do that in Sydney !!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 03:23:12 am
content: Quote from: Maxlor on October 17, 2013, 12:25:37 amSub $100 inc taxes if you book in advance.But add in transport too and from the airport too.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 03:23:54 am
content: Quote from: lowimpedance on October 17, 2013, 02:57:44 amJust a stones throw from the lab.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 03:25:35 am
content: Quote from: kizzap on October 17, 2013, 01:53:44 amThe XPT train is also an option (overnight or day), and is about $115 and 11 hours.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 03:31:47 am
content: Quote from: Maxlor on October 17, 2013, 12:08:42 am2 weeks in Sydney and surrounds would be a waste IMO. A couple of days for the tourist stuff, a couple of days in the blue mountains, and you are done. Say 5 days.Personally, given the long distance to get here, I'd cram in as much as possible in case you never get back.Melbourne is nice, then we have our cool outback stuff like Uluru, or places like Kakadu, Tassie etc, depends what you are into and how much you want to spend.But if you are seriously scoping out places to live, then that's another story.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 03:40:41 am
content: Quote from: Maxlor on October 17, 2013, 12:08:42 amCompared to Switzerland, chalk and cheese.Australia isn't the flattest continent on earth for no reasonJust over 1000m height from the Sydney Basin, and you drive up and over the top, not through. So don't expect to drive through 1000m high cliffs.

author: aargee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 03:50:47 am
content: From Switzerland? My son spent six months in Lausanne studying last year!There is really a lot to do in Australia, it's just that it's spread over vast distances. I'd suggest visiting Queensland e.g. Fraser Island/Barrier Reef but that would take too much of a chunk out of your two weeks. Maybe when you move here for a little longer...Sydney is nice but pretty intense (big city stuff), same with Melbourne, but a little more relaxed. Having said that, Brisbane is getting that way too.Have a look at Trip Advisor for less nerdy things to see and do.- Rob.p.s. I agree with Dave, the hills here are no comparison to the Swiss alps - chalk and Gruyere.

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 04:48:46 am
content: Try Hobart, no big city vibe down here.

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2013, 07:21:07 am
content: Yeah I'm from Switzerland, Zurich to be specific. And I went to the ETHZ, the EPFL's sister school. I only wish now that I had paid more attention during the EE lecturesI really only cared about software then.As for the mountains here, I realize that the alps and the blue mountains are rather different in height, temperature, shape... But it's about something else, I've always felt uneasy in totally flat country, I like having something on the horizon to get my bearings. Doesn't have to be particularly imposing. Anyway, I'll find out soon.