Today, we flew from Melbourne to Sydney. Compared to Male Airport, Melbourne Airport is a well-oiled machine. The queue for the Qantas counter was short and there were plenty of self check-in kiosks and automated bag check stations available to service passengers.

After arriving at Sydney, we took a taxi to our hotel in Kings Cross and dropped off our bags. After a quick break, we took a train to Circular Quay to view the famous opera house, our first tourist sight. Next, we boarded the ferry to Manly to meet my second cousin Chris. The ferry ride offered great views of the harbor. We arrived in Manly about 2 hours before Chris, so we strolled down the coastal footpath and admired the scenery. Chris picked us up and drove us to a restaurant serving “the best ramen in Sydney”. Afterward, he dropped us off at a gelato shop serving “the best ice cream in Sydney” (which is also the #1 rated restaurant in Sydney) near our hotel.

Later on, we learned that Kings Cross is known for being a red-light district in Sydney. Interspersed with the trendy restaurants were strip joints and soup kitchens. However, on the whole, the area seemed fine and not at all dangerous.