Destination Sydney: Seaplanes Above the City & Whale Watching Adventures!

Day 4 in Sydney. The BIG day. Why the big day? Because not only had I booked a reservation with Sydney Seaplanes for a 15-minute flight over the city, but I'd also hitch a ride on a 3 hour whale watching adventure out in the Pacific. Man, Sydney was just that awesome!

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It was early morning, and with that, ​​I threw on some clothes, hopped on a ferry, and arrived at the Sydney Seaplanes Terminal at Rose Bay by 10:45am. Let's go!

Sydney Seaplane Adventure

Greet the pilot? Check. Heck, he looked younger than me. Meet the other 3 passengers joining in on the action? Cool. Safety instructions? Done. Grab a spot in the co-pilot’s seat because I was the fattest of the group? H-A-L-L-E-L-U-J-A-H! 

By the way, our pilot was actually quite cool. He engaged us, and before take off I asked how many times he flew a day on average, of which he replied, “About 18." Talk about one of the coolest jobs in the world. 

And just like that we strapped up, the engine roared, and we were off to the races, 500 feet above Sydney in a matter of seconds.

Our first flyover? The Gap, a picturesque ocean side cliff that landed a top spot on my list of most breathtaking natural scenery I’ve seem across the world. Seriously, if you do decide to head to Sydney, don’t leave without paying it a visit. 

And next up? Bondi Beach, which I must say was pretty cool to see that high above the ground after  having paid it a visit less than 24 hours before. 

And that’s when it happened: I looked up, and before I knew it we were soaring 1000 feet over Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Sydney’s Central Business District. 

It's crazy, in that blink of a moment, I thought about just how lucky I was to not only have this extraordinary view of Sydney right in front of me, but also just how blessed I was to be living out my dreams traveling the world and having enough time and money to do so. You ever have that kind of a moment?

And well, that type of view will do that to ya'. Afterwards, we’d make a U-turn and splash back down at the Seaplane Terminal at Rose Bay. On to the next one ...

Whale Watching

Whale watching. Ah, it was the final leg of my Sydney tour. I'd join the Captain Cook Whale Watching Sydney Harbour Cruise and depart promptly at 1pm from Circular Quay.

And after about an hour in and miles away from Circular Quay, there was silence. To the left? Nothing but the most beautiful blue water I’d ever laid eyes upon. To the right? More water, and as far as our eyes could see. And out in front? More wa... Wait a sec, where were freaking whales!?

We waited. And waited. And waited. Seconds turned to minutes, and those minutes turned into a full blown hour before...

"Quick! Quick! Quick! Suddenly, in the near distance, two whales popped their fins out above the water.  

It’s funny, everybody on the boat--kids included--jolted and whipped out their cameras. 

And then again! "Over there! Over there!" Another whale, or the same whale, out in the distance. Then another.

We wound up catching sight of about 6 whale  in the span of the next hour and a half. Yeah, it was that slow, but it was an unforgettable experience I’ll never forget. 

Tell me, you ever been whale watching?

Homeward Bound ...

​And just like that, my awesome adventure in Sydney, Australia had come to an end. I’d catch a return flight to Shanghai, China the next morning, share tales of my crazy failed-India-trip-but-made-it-to-Sydney-Australia escapade, and go on to prepare for my next trip. Hmm…where do you think I should go next? Safe & happy travels!