Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 102

( & 13 30 39 in Australia); and Thrifty, 75 William St., Kings Cross ( & 02/
9380 5399). Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty also have desks at the airport.
Rates average about A$60 (US$39) per day for a small car. One of the best value
operations is Bayswater Car Rentals, 180 William St., Kings Cross ( & 02/
9360 3622), which has small cars for A$48 (US$31) a day and A$25 (US$16)
a day for 6 days or more.
You can rent a motor home (called a camper van by some Aussies) from Britz
Campervans, 653 Gardeners Rd., Mascot, NSW 2020 ( & 1800/331 454 in
Australia, or 02/9667 0402; www.britz.com). Plan on about A$105 (US$68) a
day for a two-person van in winter and around $145 (US$94) in summer. You
can drop off your van at most state capitals and in Cairns, a convenience that
costs an extra A$200 (US$130).
FAST FACTS: Sydney
American Express The main Amex office is at Level 3, 130 Pitt St., near
Martin Place ( & 02/9236 4200 ). You can cash traveler's checks here, and it
also acts as a travel booking service. It's open Monday through Friday from
8:30am to 5pm and Saturday from 9am to noon. Another foreign
exchange office is located on the walkway leading up to the Sydney
Opera House ( & 02/9251 1970 ). If you've lost your traveler's checks, then
you need to go to the head office at 175 Liverpool St. ( & 02/9271 1111 ).
It's a locked security building so you'll need to call ahead first.
Babysitters Dial an Angel ( & 02/9416 7511 or 02/9362 4225) offers a well-
regarded babysitting service.
Business Hours General office and banking hours are Monday through
Friday from 9am to 5pm. Many banks, especially in the city center, are
open from around 9.30am to 12:30pm on Saturday. Shopping hours are
usually from 8:30am to 5:30pm daily (9am-5pm Sat), and most stores stay
open until 9pm on Thursday. Most city-center stores are open from
around 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
Currency Exchange Most major bank branches offer currency exchange
services. Small foreign-currency exchange offices are clustered at the air-
port and around Circular Quay and Kings Cross. Thomas Cook can be
found at the airport; at 175 Pitt St. ( & 02/9231 2877 ), open Monday
through Friday from 6:45am to 5:15pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm;
and on the lower ground floor of the QVB ( & 02/9264 1133 ), open Mon-
day through Friday from 9am to 6pm (until 9pm Fri), Saturday from 9am
to 6pm, and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.
Dentist A well-respected dentist office in the city is City Dental Practice,
Level 2, 229 Macquaire St., near Martin Place ( & 02/9221 3300 ). For den-
tal problems after hours, call Dental Emergency Information ( & 02/9369
7050 ).
Doctor The Park Medical Centre, Shop 4, 27 Park St. ( & 02/ 9264 4488 ), in
the city center near Town Hall, is open Monday through Friday from 8am
to 6pm; consultations cost A$40 (US$26) for 15 minutes. ( Note: If you plan
to take a dive course in Australia, get your medical exam done here. It costs
A$70/US$46, about the cheapest in Australia.) The Kings Cross Travelers'