Hello from Sydney!

Some art made during various trips exploring NSW and beyond.

We’re currently in Sydney for the long weekend, visiting mum, my sister Renée, her husband, and their two kids (Roman and Poppy). The winter sun is shining, we’re exploring the narrow, bumpy streets of Erskineville and Newtown, and all camping in mum’s one bedroom apartment.

Sydney still confuses me. We lived here for a few short months just before leaving for Mo’orea, and I thought I’d get a better grasp of the geography. But I’m still as lost as ever.

Playing tourist

Back in the day we had Tiger Airlines, a super low-cost airline that was always delayed, may lose your bags, and flew out of an old shed. BUT tickets only cost $50 to get between Melbourne and Sydney.

When Renée and her husband, Will, moved here from Melbourne, I had the opportunity to come and visit a few times on the cheap. I enjoyed staying in the inner-West and playing tourist in Australia’s most famous city.

Living in Mascot

Just before we left for Mo’orea, we moved in with Martin’s brother and his partner in their little apartment in Mascot. We lived out of suitcases and slept on a thin camping mattress.

We’d make regular trips to the market for fresh fruit and vegetables, buying boxes of cheap cherries and lychees during the season, and to the fish market for fresh oysters.

I met up with an urban sketching group once or twice, walking through Marrickville to sketch in a local park with a bunch of locals and internationals. I worked from little cafes and spent a lot of time wandering the streets listening to audiobooks.

We had a stay near Coogee beach while we prepared ourselves to leave. The weather was stormy and grey, which is not ideal for a beach stay. Still, we hiked, swam and made the most of it. We’d visit Little Bay and eat sea urchins fresh from the water until I couldn’t stomach the thought of more.

As much as I enjoyed our time here, I was relieved when we were finally able to leave for Mo’orea. Sydney felt like a strange pit stop on the way to our real life.

This time…

We’ve had a fairy party with Poppy in the park, we’ve had a few pints in a few pubs, and are soaking up the winter warmth. I find Sydney charming as ever and wish we had more time to spend here.