Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 159

Top Gun
If you have time and money to spare you might want to try your hand at
riding in a real-life jet fighter over trees and water on Sydney's outskirts
There are several options, including a 20-minute aerobatic and patrol run,
costing A$1,595 (US$1,036); a 30-minute low-level simulated attack run
for A$1,995 (US$1,296); and a dogfight (bring along a rich friend) for
A$2,495 (US$1,621). Contact Jet Fighter Flights on & 1800/880 501 in Aus-
tralia, or look them up at www.jetfighterflights.com.

Tips

Captain Cook Cruises, departing jetty no. 6, Circular Quay ( & 02/9206
1111; www.captaincook.com.au), offers several harbor excursions on its sleek
vessels, with commentary along the way. The Harbour Highlights cruise oper-
ates several times daily and takes in most of the main points of interest in 1 1 ⁄ 4
hours, for A$20 (US$13) for adults and A$10 (US$6.50) for children. Another
offering is the Sydney Harbour Explorer cruise, which departs at 9:30 and
11:30am, and 1:30 and 3:30pm and combines visits to five major Sydney attrac-
tions with a 2-hour cruise. You can get off where you want and join the boat
again later. Tickets cost A$25 (US$16) for adults and A$15 (US$9.75) for chil-
dren. An Aquarium and Zoo Cruise, costing A$37 (US$24) for adults and A$19
(US$12) for children, includes the Sydney Harbour Explorer cruise and admis-
sion to either the Sydney Aquarium or the Taronga Zoo.
The company also offers a 1 1 ⁄ 2 -hour Lunch Cruise, which leaves daily at
12:30pm. It costs A$49 (US$32) for adults and A$29 (US$19) for children. A
Starlight Dinner Cruise leaves nightly at 7:30pm and costs A$59 (US$39) for
adults and A$35 (US$23) for children.
Its nightly 1 1 ⁄ 2 -hour Sunset Cruise aboard the John Cadman Cruising
Restaurant boat, departing just before sunset, costs A$69 (US$45) for adults
and A$35 (US$23) for children, and includes a two-course meal and drinks. Yet
another option is the Opera Afloat Dinner (including opera singers of course).
This costs A$99 (US$64) for adults and A$55 (US$36) for children.
Matilda Cruises ( & 02/9264 7377; www.matilda.com.au) offers a 1-hour
Matilda Rocket sightseeing tour leaving the pontoon at the far end of Sydney
Aquarium at Darling Harbour eight times daily beginning at 9:30am (six times
daily in winter, Apr 1-Sept 30, beginning at 10:30am). You can stay on for the
full hour, or get off and on again at Circular Quay, the Opera House, Watsons
Bay, and Taronga Zoo. The last boat leaves Taronga Zoo at 5:10pm in summer
(4:10pm in winter). There's commentary and tea and coffee on board. The
cruise costs A$21 (US$13) for adults, A$11 (US$7.15) for children 5 to 12, and
A$50 (US$33) for a family. The company also runs morning and afternoon
cruises, and lunch and dinner cruises with good food.
WALKING TOURS
The center of Sydney is compact, and you can see a lot in a day on foot. If you
want to learn more about Sydney's early history, then book a guided tour with
The Rocks Walking Tour ( & 02/9247 6678 ), based at the Shop K4, Kendall
Lane (off Argyle St., The Rocks). Excellent walking tours leave Monday through
Friday at 10:30am, 12:30, and 2:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 11:30am
and 2pm (in Jan only 10:30am and 2:30pm on weekdays). The 1 1 ⁄ 2 -hour tour