Business meets bliss
A trip to Sydney gives the opportunity for some work-life balance.
Words Jenny Rudd
Why bother flying somewhere fun if you aren’t going to give yourself the time to enjoy it? This year I’ve been back and forth to Australia for work, and last time I went to Sydney, instead of cramming everything into a couple of days and whizzing back home, I extended the trip and turned it into a wee holiday for one. It was just the right blend of career and care.
A top-rated apartment in the CBD was found on booking.com, made all the more luxurious as they organised and paid for a taxi on arrival. I did nothing. A message popped up on my booking.com app as soon as I’d landed, telling me where to meet the driver. A great start to the week.
A CITY WALK
I’d been sitting in a plane for many hours, so fresh air and leg stretching were first on the list. An easy loop started at Hyde Park with giant fig trees and the Archibald Fountain, a tribute to the Franco-Australian relationship. You can walk straight over to the Botanical Gardens, and follow the water’s edge round to the money shot - the Sydney Opera House. The garden holds deep cultural significance as it’s situated on the traditional lands of the Cadigal people. You can learn about Aboriginal heritage with artwork, and interactive displays explain indigenous plant uses and the connection between Aboriginal communities and the land. Past the Opera House, I settled in for the French menu at Whalebridge. Warm evening light, a view of the bridge over the harbour and rippling water. I was ready for work the next day.
BONDI
It’s oh so easy to travel in Sydney. I just tapped my Visa card on and off trains, buses and ferries. Staying by Town Hall station made everywhere seem like a few minutes away. I had a meeting in Bondi, so we met at Blackwood Cafe. Bright pink tuna crudo eaten in the sunshine and talking to ambitious founders of a business bound for the States was followed by a walk round the iconic beach. I’d stuffed my bikini in my handbag so got happily smashed about in the waves before heading back to the CBD.
LIGHT UP
I’m not much of a party girl these days, but I do love to walk around cities at night. Each year Sydney’s buildings and skies light up with their Vivid Festival in May. Hundreds of drones take to the skies and videos of artworks cover landmark buildings. Follow the light walk from Circular Quay and grab snacks en route.
BARANGAROO
Everyone here likes to have early meetings, which has been perfect as I get the rest of the day to explore. The morning was spent with Startmate, one of Australia and New Zealand's best-known tech startup accelerators in the Stripe offices at the incredibly hip WeWork building. The whole area, Barangaroo, has been recently redeveloped. The land is named after an influential Aboriginal woman from the Eora Nation. Gleaming buildings line the water, it’s a pretty magnificent working environment. The development has turned an inaccessible industrial area into a waterfront for everyone to enjoy, and linked up some of the central Sydney points with the Wulugul (kingfish) Walk.
SHELLY BEACH
Take the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Beach and walk the picturesque pathway cut into the cliffs round to Shelly Beach. A towel, snorkel, mask and a good book are all you’ll need to while away a good part of the day. There’s a lovely beachside restaurant called the Boat House which doesn’t take bookings. And a huge reef round the headland at the end of the beach, which is where your mask and snorkel comes in handy. If you’re hot on the walk back to Manly to catch the ferry, stop off at Cabbage Tree Bay and have a quick dip off the rocks.
INDOOR WATERFALL
Okay, I think this is my favourite thing in Sydney, and I found it by accident walking through Town Hall shopping centre to get to the train. An actual waterfall covering an entire wall in Eternity Café. I went there every day. It’s got a very kitsch vibe. I was a big fan of the smoothie bowls and salads.
Top tips for solo travel in Sydney
Use booking.com app for the best one-bedroom apartments in the CBD.
Eat outside peak restaurant hours to get the best seats in town.
Walk everywhere! You’re on your own schedule.