We are in the WOX Travel Contest | Week 6
I have chosen a different location where I lived and enjoyed my weekends at a cost which is unbileable. I mostly carried my food if I traveled alone so in most cases it cost me AU$2.60 including all expenses.
That weekend I wanted to go by ferry when every public transport was free, as one can travel to any place within the Sydney Transport Service area for a one-time payment of AU$2.60 under the Opel Transport Card. On weekends, one can take any mode of transport (bus, train, small train, or ferry), with no restriction on distance or number of trips.
I reached Parramatta ferry station at about 8 in the morning, but the first ferry that was ready to leave was a fast one, which I intentionally missed because it had just one stop between Parramatta and Circular Quay so it goes straight and I wanted to see them all.
I did this in Sydney, which has various ferry routes that cover almost the entire Sydney metro area. So this time, I left my bike at the ferry station's bike parking area and took this ferry to go to different places.
As the ferry left Parramatta and we came out of the wharf area we witnessed some wonderful buildings which we otherwise passed through every day but never cared to see they stood so tall and magnificently.
I wanted to go to see different places on that Sunday morning, and I had a choice to use different transport facilities, so I took a bike and went up to the Parramatta ferry station from my Harrispark residence, at a distance of about 3 km away. Incidentally, Harris park is part of the Parramatta CBD.
But by the time we reached Rydalmere ferry station it has started raining so we came inside the ferry leaving the deck. I barely managed a shot of the ferry station which looked barren. Or maybe there was a passenger or two whom I missed to notice. But the ferry stopped there and left in a minute as scheduled.
We were sailing along towards Sydney Olympic Park
The rain has stopped for a while so we were back on the deck.
I could see there two persons sitting with their bikes but no one boarded from there but yes a couple got down.
Let me give you a short description of the Parramatta River, which is perhaps one of the smallest rivers and the pride of Sydney and which provides a beautiful waterway from Blacktown CBD in western Sydney to where it meets the Lane Cove River in the east and flows into Sydney Harbour.
As I said, wanted to enjoy the entire journey, so I waited for the next one, which was a slow one, and stopped at every station along the way. Meanwhile I took a picture of next one ready to arrive at jetty.
Now we were approaching Meadowbank ferry station and the helpers were ready to tie the ropes. No one got up but a couple of passengers got down. The journey continued.
My description of Parramatta river continues as well. The total area of this river is approximately 21 km in length. I am describing the area between Parramatta CBD and the point beyond where this river joins other rivers and finally the Tasman Sea.
Meanwhile we passed through Kissing Point ferry wharf , Cabarita ferry station, Abbotsford ferry station and Chiswick ferry station but I don't want to give you all the pictures because that would be too many of them besides it was raining again so there is nothing much to show as well. Oh yeah I saw some activity at "Kissing Point" for sure and a couple of couples getting down 😉
I was enjoying my trip from my seat and sometimes going to the deck to take photos amid the loud cheers of fellow passengers. I didn't want to take my eyes off what I was watching on both sides of the river and the bridges that we passed through on that beautiful journey.
Sure, you can walk in the harbor area and visit the Museum, and other important tourist points of Sydney here. In case you are interested in bushwalking, you're at the right place. Or go to Opera House. Everything is in walking distance. But I will give you nothing else in this post which is not waterways relayed.
Of course, I used other methods of transportation like buses, trains, and city rail on that Sunday. I traveled about 250 km that Sunday, and it all cost me AU$ 2.60 (the rates have gone up slightly now). Sydney transport allows concessional fares to travelers on weekends to promote tourism and restrict the use of private vehicles. But people in Australia prefer their personal cars so most public transport ply almost empty.
Have you seen Sydney Opera House from this angle?
Or from this angle?
I could have gone to Circular Quay by train or bus, which take less time, but I wanted to travel by ferry, and that too by a slower one, so I could see all the ferry stations on the way.
Circular Quay, where I got down, had different ferry ports for 37 more ferry destinations
If you look at the sides of the river, on one side, as you travel along the river, you see mangroves along the river.
This provides wonderful scenery until you see the next ferry station, especially on the other side of the river.
Enjoy watching sailing boats and speed boats as sailing and yachting clubs bring a number of boaters on the River. I saw a few of the clubs on my way to Sydney Central, like Parramatta Sailing Club near Gladesville ferry station, Concord & Ryde Sailing Club, and Abbotsford.
It's a lot of fun watching experts and novices do sailing and boating while sitting in a ferry that sometimes comes too close to the ferry, and as we cheer them, they cheer back.
My first part of the ferry journey ended right in the heart of the Sydney metro Ferry System, the Circular Quay.
As I told you earlier, there are five more ferry stations at this point from which visitors can go to various tourist interest points in 37 different locations within Sydney's transport system that come within that $2.60 fare range for the weekends, but these ferries are available seven days a week at the normal rate. So everything is inclusive. Just take another ferry here and go to another route.
Or if you wish to enjoy the most happening part of the Sydney City, you're at the right place.
Have a look around-
You can see Sydney Harbour Bridge,
the Sydney port, where you can watch big ships, eat listen street music and of course watch big ships without any restriction
At this point I am signing off for the day as I have taken a ferry back to Parramatta ferry station
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