Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 93

waterfront. To reach the area via
public transport, take a CityRail
train to Kings Cross. From the next
train stop, Edgecliff, it's a short walk
to Double Bay and a longer one to
Rose Bay along the coast.
Paddington/Oxford Street This
inner-city suburb, centered on
trendy Oxford Street, is known for
its expensive terrace houses, off-the-
wall boutiques and bookshops, and
restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs.
It's also the heart of Sydney's large
gay community and has a liberal
scattering of gay bars and dance
spots. To reach the area via public
transport, take bus no. 380 or 382
from Circular Quay (via Elizabeth
St.); no. 378 from Railway Square,
Central Station; or nos. 380 and
382 from Bondi Junction. The
lower end of Oxford Street is a
short walk from Museum CityRail
Station (take the Liverpool St. exit).
Darlinghurst Between grungy
Kings Cross and upscale Oxford
Street, this extroverted, grimy ter-
raced suburb is home to some of
Sydney's best cafes. It's probably not
wise to wander around at night.
Take the CityRail train to Kings
Cross and head right from the exit.
Central The congested and pol-
luted crossroads around Central
Station, the city's main train sta-
tion, has little to recommend it.
Buses run from here to Circular
Quay, and it's a 20-minute walk to
Town Hall. The Sydney Central
YHA (youth hostel) is here.
Newtown This popular student
area is centered around car-clogged
King Street, which is lined with
alternative shops, bookstores, and
ethnic restaurants. People-watch-
ing is the thing to do—see how
many belly-button rings, violently
colored hairdos, and Celtic arm
tattoos you can spot. To reach the

area via public transport, take a
CityRail train to Newtown Station.
Glebe Young professionals and stu-
dents come to this inner-city suburb
for the cafes, restaurants, pubs, and
shops along the main thoroughfare,
Glebe Point Road. All this, plus a
location 15 minutes from the city
and 30 minutes from Circular
Quay, makes it a good place for
budget-conscious travelers. To reach
Glebe, take bus no. 431, 433, or
434 from Millers Point, The Rocks
(via George St.), or bus no. 459
from behind Town Hall.
Bondi & the Southern Beaches
Some of Sydney's most glamorous
surf beaches—Bondi, Bronte, and
Coogee—can be found along the
South Pacific coastline southeast of
the city center. Bondi has a wide
sweep of beach (crowded in sum-
mer), some interesting restaurants
and bars, and plenty of attitude and
beautiful bodies—and no CityRail
station. To reach Bondi via public
transport, take bus no. 380 or 382
to Bondi Beach from Circular
Quay—it takes up to an hour—or a
quicker alternative is a CityRail
train to Bondi Junction to connect
with the same buses. Bus no. 378
from Railway Square, Central Sta-
tion goes to Bronte, and bus no.
373 or 374 travels to Coogee from
Circular Quay.
Watsons Bay Watsons Bay is
known for The Gap—a section of
dramatic sea cliffs—as well as several
good restaurants, such as Doyles on
the Beach, and the Watsons Bay
Hotel beer garden—also run by
Doyles. It's a terrific spot to spend a
sunny afternoon. To reach it via
public transportation, take bus no.
324 or 325 from Circular Quay.
There's a limited ferry service daily
from Circular Quay (Wharf 2),
starting at 10:15am on weekdays,
9:15am on weekends and holidays.