A tale of three cities

I was told Melbourne was the ‘liveable city,’ and many people prefer it over Sydney. I was keen to make my own opinion, so visited with my parents over the Easter weekend.

Our hotel was situated very near the river and the southbank, which is an area I’d been advised to explore, so after dumping our luggage we headed there. Coming from Sydney and its massive harbour areas, and having lived in London with the Thames southbank, I have to say I was expecting something a little bigger. Quaint is perhaps a word that would spring to mind. And a bit of ‘Oh, is this it?’

Surprise number two was when we sought out Federation Square, the main events square in the city. Once again, with images of Trafalgar Square and Martin Place as my benchmark I was surprised. This time it was for the lack of the traditional. I would be pushed to call it a square; more an irregular quadrilateral, with its modern walls of jerky angles, mixtures of glass and stone, and a sloping floor. But good on them. For once the Australians hadn’t tried to copy a part of Europe, but had instead come up with something unique and totally their own. I actually became quite fond of it.

Somewhere they did imitate Europe was with their new London eye style observation wheel in the docklands: the southern star. Alas, it is a stationary wheel. A month after it opened at the start of 2009 it was closed due to ‘structural defects’, including buckling and cracks. The rumours were that the 40 degree temperatures melted the metal, but according to wikipedia it was an engineering mistake, not the sun. Ooops. That’s a bit embarrassing for the engineers.

I’m afraid that, overall, Sydney and London still win by far. Sydney’s main market in china town is far more central than Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Markets. The Opera House and Harbour Bridge take a lot to beat, and what we saw of Melbourne’s botanical gardens didn’t outdo Sydney’s.

And London’s London…with its massive history, great museums, beautiful parks, and amazing landmarks. It would take something stunning to eclipse my capital.

However, in three days I developed a certain affection for Melbourne, so in three weeks or three months who knows what would happen. It’s still being developed, and the population is still growing, so I’d like to see it in a few years time. The shopping is really good and offers variety, with enticing side streets and alleys to explore, and the cafes are plentiful with lots of character. And of course they have a beautiful casino…

Hail to the bus driver, bus driver, bus driver...

Something which struck me in the first few days I arrived here was the pleasant Sydney bus drivers. It sounds a trivial thing, but it makes such a difference to the feel of a city if when boarding a bus you are welcomed with a smile and maybe a vocal greeting. Passengers do not hesitate to ask the driver questions about the destination of the bus, and if it is not the correct bus the driver will more often than not give directions to the right one. The pleasantries are reciprocated by passengers, as it is normal practice when getting off a bus to call ‘Thanks driver.’
I suppose the only other place I’ve used public buses on a regular basis is in London. The London bus system requires the passenger to buy a ticket before boarding, which seems to create the impression that there should not be any communication between passenger and driver. A lot of the drivers certainly like to encourage this practice with their rude and short responses on any questions. I obviously do not speak for every London bus driver, as some are very pleasant, but it’s quite a contrast to Sydney. I have actually found myself shocked when coming in contact with a moody bus driver here, as it’s so unusual.


I suppose that in a way bus drivers are ambassadors for their city. Who else do tourists and locals come in contact with every day? Shop owners perhaps, or taxi drivers, but their business may be affected by their manner. Not so with bus drivers. They get paid as long as the bus gets from A to B.


I cannot say for certain the reasons behind the pleasant Sydney drivers, but I can make a few guesses. The first is the fact that Sydney bus drivers are trained well. We had a talk at university orientation from the Sydney transport system. The drivers are well educated in the routes and zone system of Sydney, and are therefore equipped to answer questions from passengers. I suppose then that it is part of their job to be helpful.
Another reason might be that there is respect between driver and passenger. It is a relationship which seems to have gone sour in London, where I’ve witnessed many arguments at bus stops. Here in Sydney even drunk passengers at night seem to respect the driver, whereas in London they would be more likely to throw abuse.

The last explanation is the most simple. It is a fact that people are happier when the sun shines, and it shines a lot in this part of Australia. The passengers are happy, as it’s easier to get up in the morning when the sun shines through your window, and it’s easier to de-stress at the end of the day when you walk out of your office block/college into the a bright golden environment. I love riding the bus when the sky is blue, as everything looks gorgeous, and the drivers are allowed to appreciate that all day.


I’ve experienced a lot of new things since arriving here, but perhaps the most unexpected was this morning when an idea entered my mind; if bass playing doesn’t work out, I’d quite like to be a bus driver.
No, I must be more specific, I’d quite like to be a Sydney bus driver.