Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 163

A Surf Adventure
If you've always fancied learning to surf, then head for Waves Surf School
( & 1800/851 101 in Australia, or mobile [phone]; www.wavessurf
school.com.au). They take budding surfers on 1-day trips from Sydney to
the Royal National Park with equipment and lunch provided. Trips cost
A$65 (US$42). If you're young enough to sleep the night in a “double-
decker party bus” then you might consider a 2-day surfing trip to Seal
Rocks, north of Sydney, for A$169 (US$110). The company also takes
adventurous travelers on a 4-day surfing trip for A$399 (US$259).

Finds

Iron Woman competitions, during which Australia's fittest struggle it out in
combined swimming, running, and surfing events.
YACHT RACING While sailing competitions take place on the harbor most
summer weekends, the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race on Boxing
Day (Dec 26) is something not to be missed. The race starts from the harbor
near the Royal Botanic Gardens.

9 Shopping
You'll find plenty of places to keep your credit cards in action in Sydney. Most
shops of interest to the visitor are located in The Rocks and along George and
Pitt streets (including the shops below the A.M.P. Centerpoint Tower and along
the Pitt Street Mall). Other shopping precincts worth checking out are Mosman
on the North Shore and Double Bay in the eastern suburbs for exclusive bou-
tique shopping, Chatswood for its general shopping centers, the Sydney Fish-
market for the sake of it, and the various weekend markets (listed below).
Don't miss the Queen Victoria Building (QVB), on the corner of Market and
George streets. This Victorian shopping arcade is one of the prettiest in the world
and has some 200 boutiques—mostly men's and women's fashion—on four lev-
els. The arcade is open 24 hours, but the shops do business Monday through Sat-
urday from 9am to 6pm (Thurs to 9pm) and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.
SHOPPING HOURS Regular shopping hours are generally Monday
through Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 or 9am to 6pm, Thursday from 8:30
or 9am to 9pm, Saturday from 9am to 5 or 5:30pm, and Sunday from 10 or
10:30am to 5pm. Exceptions are noted in the store listings below.
Several other arcades in the city center also offer good shopping potential,
including the Sydney Central Plaza, beside the Grace Brothers department
store on Pitt Street Mall; and the Skygarden Arcade, which runs from Pitt
Street Mall to Castlereagh Street. The Strand Arcade (between Pitt St. Mall and
George St.) was built in 1892 and is interesting for its architecture and small
boutiques, food stores and cafes, and the Down Town Duty Free store on the
basement level.
On Pitt Street Mall you'll find record shops, including HMV, a branch of
The Body Shop, and boutiques such as Just Jeans, Jeans West, Katies, and Esprit.
Oxford Street runs from the city to Bondi Junction through Paddington and
Darlinghurst and is home to countless clothing stores for the style conscious.
You could quite easily spend anywhere from 2 hours to a whole day making your
way from one end to the other. Detour down the small William Street once you