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IS A winter trip to Sydney from Brisbane really worth the effort? Can the sub-tropical orchids that are Queenslanders suffer the temperature drop other than to watch NSW humiliated in a State of original football clash?
We made a sudden decision, took the gamble and it paid off. We had a great time.
The first problem with sudden decisions these days is to find a flight that fits the bill. My wife is a piano teacher and her last student’s lesson ended at 5 pm, which limited the flight choice.
This time I picked Virgin Blue and found a 7 pm Saturday departure at the right price and a return Tuesday flight at 10 am, which was perfect and left plenty of time to get back home and to be ready for students in the afternoon. We were carrying hand luggage so I checked in on-line, got two great seats, and began to look forward to the trip.
Then came the first blow: the day before we were due to leave our flight was cancelled and we were given the choice of a 6 pm flight, which was too early, or the 8 pm flight which meant we got to Sydney too late even for dinner.
It was very frustrating and had to settle for the later plane.
Circumstances suddenly changed and we were able to make the 6 pm. After some ‘umming and arring’ the polite Virgin staff managed to fit us onto the plane - and nicely said they wouldn’t charge for the flight change. Mind you that was after we patiently explained that it was them who created the situation in the first place.
So the flight was good and we arrived unstressed and ready to make our way to the hotel the beautiful Sheraton on the Park, right in the city centre overlooking Hyde Park. It is just four stops on the train to St James’ Station, which is directly opposite the hotel so it looked good. But, what a rip-off the train trip is. $13 a head for such a short journey is outrageous. We teamed up with a fellow passenger and grabbed a cab. The fare was cheaper than the train for the three of us.
The Sheraton is a true five star hotel, with a sumptuous marble lobby, extremely polite and helpful staff, and of course the best beds in the business. We stayed in a huge King room overlooking the park. There was a king sized bed, corner lounge unit, working desk with internet connection and 32” flat screen TV – and complimentary morning newspaper.
There was tea and coffee of every persuasion and the service was impeccable. We found a defective kettle in the room, rang customer service and it was replaced within five minutes.
We were given access to the Executive Club and the health club. Up on the 22nd floor is a sparkling professional-sized gym with spa and sauna and a heated swimming pool plenty big enough for doing a few laps. It was very impressive. There was something exotic about a swimming pool at the top of the building.
And the Executive Club on the 21st floor is one of the most comfortable and cosy rooms I’ve experienced anywhere in the world. There are armchairs, alcoves and in the centre a glass case containing flames, which wasn’t hot, but added a wonderful ambience to the room. Hot snacks were there aplenty as the wine was top drawer.
Pre dinner drinks went from 5-7.30 pm, which was perhaps a good job because it would be so easy to settle in for the night.
In the Botanica Brasserie the breakfast buffet is all you can ask for – and it served the best croissants I’ve ever eaten in any hotel!
Over time I have become very fond of the Starwood Hotel Group quality and once again there was no let down.
In any city, anywhere, I am a great believer in using public transport. For one thing it gives a real impression of the place and you get to absorb plenty if local atmosphere. On the Sunday there was a cool breeze, but the sun shone beautifully, so we took a bus ride to Balmoral beach for the Wine and Food fair there. The bus passed through interesting suburbs and we alighted on the beach front. It’s a pretty area and in the shelter of the cove it turned warm enough to dispose of jumpers and coats and wander around in t-shirts.
The fair was promoting Mudgee wines and local produce, and for $20 we got ten tickets which we swapped for wine samples during the day. There was food from all over the world, from wood-fired oven pizzas to Nepalese noodles and Lebanese breads.
It was a great way to spend a day.
Of course a day had to be allotted to shopping and so, on Monday, still in bright sunshine; it was a long wander down Pitt Street and all adjoining shopping arcades. Funny thing about Sydney is that there seems to be David Jones stores on every corner.
It was an eye opener for Brisbane fashion followers with a pre-season look at the coming summer fashions. We did discover one shop, along Castlereagh Street, that caught our imaginations – Voi Designer Outlet. Unlike many such places this was a real designer disposal with some amazing stuff for him and her from, Gucci, Versace, Bulgari, Dior, Prada, Armani and even Valentino. Prices of course were more than you’d pay for department store clothes, but ridiculously cheap for the brands on sale.
We could have spent a fortune in that place.
We met family in the city for re-union lunch before hitting the pavements again and walking until the sun began to set and the chill set in. So it was back to the cosiness of the Sheraton Executive Club for a warming pre-dinner drink. After a big lunch we were content to eat a few hot nibbles and a few glasses of red before retiring to our room, where weary and happy we turned on the TV and relaxed.
Check out the next morning was quick and efficient, but the weather had turned dark and wet so we took the train back to the airport.
The previous morning I had hopped onto the internet and checked in on the 10 am flight back to Brisbane, again nice seats at the front. And again, we discovered when we went to the gate at 9.30 am that our Virgin Blue flight had been cancelled.
The earliest we could leave was at 1 pm we were told. Apologies came along with $12 worth of food vouchers each. “Engine trouble with the plane” was the reason they gave for the cancellation.
But that wasn’t the end, delays and frustrations were the order of the day and by the time we actually left we had been sitting around the airport for five hours. Of course this meant disruptions at the Brisbane end too, with the airport pick-up and of course students awaiting their lessons
Not happy Jan!
It was a gloomy end to the trip, but nevertheless, Sydney is still a great place to visit in the winter.
The Sheraton on the Park rooms can cost anything from $200 up a night on special internet deals. My deal was three nights for $460 on a “buy two get one free deal. The hotel comes highly recommended.
161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000. Phone: (61)(2) 9286 6000 Fax: (61)(2) 9286 6686
www.absolutetheatre.com.au



PHOTO: Our beautiful room at the Sheraton on the Park