Meet hereFree
Darling Quarter playground
Water pumps, streams and jets, a sandpit with a digger, toilets and food right next to it. The natural place to meet for lunch.
Darling Harbour →- Depart
- Wed 2 DecSFO, 8:00 pm
- Land
- Fri 4 DecSydney, 6:20 am
- Home
- Sun 13 DecSFO, 6:25 am
- Hotel
- 10 nights3 to 13 Dec
- Apartment
- 807 ft²1 bedroom, harbour view
☀️
25 to 26°Daytime, early summer🌙
about 18°Nights, light layers🌅
close to 8 pmSunset, long golden evenings🕐
+19 hoursSydney vs San Francisco🧴
Strong UVHat and SPF 50 for PranshRoom for two more
Pransh's grandparents, this trip would be twice the fun with you. Picture the ferry to the giraffes with him on your lap, dosa together at Saravanaa Bhavan, and slow evening walks along the harbour to the Opera House while he points at every boat.
If you change your mind, we will take care of everything. Just say the word.
The shape of it
Ten days on the water, with a conference day or two near the end
We land early on Friday the 4th, which gives two days to shake off the jetlag before anything is scheduled. The AI Event runs at the convention centre in Darling Harbour, about half an hour on foot or ten minutes by taxi, and Pranav is only there for a day or two. Everything else is family time.
December in Sydney is early summer: roughly 18°C at night and 25 to 26°C in the day, with long evenings. Sunset is close to 8 pm, so there is light well after dinner. Pack sunscreen and a hat for Pransh; the UV is strong even when it feels mild.
Ten days, roughly
Day by day
Nothing here is booked except the flights and the hotel. It is a sketch, built around Pransh's nap, not a schedule.
Fri4
Land, unpack, Botanic Garden
In at 6:20 am, taxi to the apartment, ducks at the Main Pond, early night. Cruise ship at the Quay, so expect a taxi queue.
Sat5
Opera House and The Rocks Markets
Round the sails on foot, markets next door, lunch by the water. Busy Quay: another cruise ship turns around today.
Sun6
Taronga Zoo by ferry
Ferry at 9, giraffes and seals, back for the nap. Full plan on the Taronga Zoo tab.
Mon7
Manly ferry and Shelly Beach
The best ferry ride in Sydney, then a calm, shallow beach for paddling.
Tue8
Blue Mountains, or conference
Private car to the Three Sisters, unless a main conference place comes through from the waitlist.
Wed9
The Rocks and the Bridge
Lanes, the lifts up the ridge, and a stroll onto the Harbour Bridge. Optional Nutcracker matinee at 1:30.
Thu10
Aquarium and lunch at Google
SEA LIFE at opening, a walk over Pyrmont Bridge, Pirrama Park, then lunch at Google Sydney and the ferry home. See the Google Sydney tab.
Fri11
AI Event: workshop day
Pranav at ICC Sydney. Arunima and Pransh: Darling Quarter water play, lunch together nearby. Workshop reception in the evening.
Sat12
Workshop day two, or Bondi
If Pranav goes back to ICC: Rocks Markets and the Botanic Garden. If not: bus 333 to Bondi, or Luna Park.
Sun13
Home
Leave at 8:30 am for the 11:50 am flight, and land in San Francisco the same morning.
Pransh's welcome committee
Who we are going to meet
Most of these live at Taronga, twelve minutes across the harbour by ferry. The cockatoos, ibis and the odd kookaburra will find us in the Botanic Garden next door.
Also on while we are there
Worth knowing before planning a day around any of these.
The Rocks MarketsFriday to Sunday, next door to the hotel. Food stalls and crafts.
Fri to Sun
Handel's Messiah, Sydney Opera HouseFri 11 at 8 pm, Sat 12 at 1 pm, Sun 13 at 1 pm (we fly that day)
11 to 13 Dec
The Nutcracker, Joan Sutherland TheatreMatinees at 1:30 pm on Wed 9 and Sat 12. One parent could go during nap time.
9 and 12 Dec
Powerhouse ParramattaNew museum, free, opens 7 November. Pairs well with Harris Park's pure vegetarian strip and the river ferry.
free
Christmas lightsSunset is around 8 pm, so every display starts after Pransh's bedtime
after dark
Not on this yearSculpture by the Sea ends on 2 November, and Carols at the House is not running in 2026
skip
The reason we are going
The AI Event
The world's largest machine learning conference comes to Sydney, the main site for 2026, with satellites in Atlanta and Paris. As far as we can tell it is the first time it has been held in Australia. Pranav has a ticket for the workshop days.
ICC Sydney, 6 to 12 December
The conference week
Sun6Expo day
Mon7Tutorials, opening reception
Tue8Main conference
Wed9Main conference
Thu10Main conference
Fri11Workshops, evening reception
Sat12Workshops
Highlighted: the days our ticket covers. The main conference is sold out and Pranav is on the waitlist; places are released in mid October and late November.
📍
ICC Sydney14 Darling Drive, Darling Harbour🧑🔬
48 workshopsOne-day, in person, 7 to 9 hours each🌏
Sydney is the main siteSatellites in Atlanta and Paris🥂
Fri 11 receptionWorkshop reception, eveningGetting there
F4 ferry from Wharf 5 to Pyrmont BayThe easy way with a pram: the lift opens onto the Quay. Then about 10 minutes over Pyrmont Bridge.
about 35 min
TaxiDrop-off at Iron Wharf Place or Zollner Circuit, both off Darling Drive
about 10 min
Light rail L2 or L3 to Town HallThen 12 to 15 minutes on foot. The Convention stop is on L1, which does not run from Circular Quay.
about 25 min
WalkThrough the city and down to Darling Harbour
about 30 min
While Pranav is in sessions
Pranav goes on his own. If Arunima and Pransh fancy meeting him for lunch, Darling Harbour is built for families, and everything here is within about ten minutes of the convention centre.
Free
Tumbalong Park
Lawns and a water park with 26 jets, right beside ICC Sydney.
Under 5 free
Chinese Garden of Friendship
Carp, waterfalls and pavilions, with a teahouse. Quiet and shady.
Darling Harbour →Vegan menu
Lunch at Planar
On the ground floor of ICC Sydney, open from 8 am, with a full vegan menu (so no egg) and a kids' menu. The safest egg-free lunch on site.
Vegan menu →🗓️ Good to know
- Badge and registration details arrive by email nearer the time.
- Workshops are one-day, in person, 7 to 9 hours each.
- Workshop reception on the evening of Fri 11 December.
- Waitlist places for the main conference: mid October and late November.
🍼 At ICC Sydney
- Parents rooms on the Convention Centre ground floor and level 2, with change tables, microwave and sink.
- Most accessible toilets have change tables.
- Prayer rooms on Exhibition Centre level 3.
- First aid on the Convention Centre ground floor.
Lunch at Pranav's office
Google Sydney
Two buildings on Darling Island in Pyrmont, right on the water, about 25 minutes from our door by ferry. A family lunch in the cafe, with a harbourside playground five minutes away.
⛴️
25 minF4 ferry from Wharf 5 to Pyrmont Bay🚶
6 minFlat walk from the wharf🛝
Pirrama ParkPlayground and water play, 5 min🌱
6 StarFirst 6 Star Green Star office in NSWThursday 10 December
Fish, a bridge, and lunch at Google
Darling Harbour and Pyrmont sit on either side of the old Pyrmont Bridge, so the aquarium, the walk and lunch fit into one morning, with the ferry home for the nap.
- 9:15Ferry to Barangaroo, or a taxi
To SEA LIFE at the east end of Pyrmont Bridge.
- 9:30SEA LIFE aquarium
Sharks overhead, the dugong and the penguins, about 90 minutes. Pransh needs a child ticket here.
- 11:15Walk across Pyrmont Bridge
The old swing bridge over Darling Harbour, flat and car-free, about 1 km to Darling Island.
- 11:35Pirrama Park
A shaded harbourside playground with water play, a sandpit and a roundabout, to work up an appetite.
- 12:15Lunch at Google
In the office cafe with Pranav, looking out over the water.
- 1:15F4 home from Pyrmont Bay
About 25 minutes back to Circular Quay. Nap on the boat, or straight after.
Another option: on an AI Event day, Arunima and Pransh can take the F4 to Pyrmont Bay and meet Pranav for lunch. ICC Sydney is a flat 19 minute walk along the foreshore, or two stops on the L1 light rail.
The buildings
Since 2009
Workplace 6, 48 Pirrama Road
Six storeys on Darling Island Wharf, finished in 2008 and the first building in NSW to earn a 6 Star Green Star rating. Google opened its Sydney headquarters here on 1 June 2009.
About the building →One Darling Island
Google's second Sydney building, a few minutes' walk away on the same little peninsula.
Google offices →
Being built
The old navy yard next door
The Royal Edward Victualling Yard, the first navy yard in the Southern Hemisphere, with warehouses from 1890 to 1911. Google is turning it into offices, with a curved new building called the vessel.
ArchitectureAU →🧸 Nearby for Pransh
- Pirrama Park: water play, sandpit, toilets, shade. The water play is reported to run daily except Tuesdays.
- Pyrmont Bay Park and the Maritime Museum's ships, by the ferry wharf.
- Darling Quarter playground, across Pyrmont Bridge.
- SEA LIFE and WILD LIFE, at the east end of the bridge.
Twelve minutes across the harbour
Taronga Zoo
Giraffes with the Harbour Bridge behind them, seals that splash the front row, koalas, platypus and the smallest penguins in the world. Free for Pransh, and the ferry ride there is half the fun.
🕤
9:30 to 5Open every day🧒
FreePransh, and all under 4s🎟️
A$51.30Adults, online (A$57 at the gate)⛴️
12 minF2 ferry from Wharf 4🚌
Bus up, walk downThe zoo is on a hillA morning, home for the nap
Our zoo day
The zoo sits on a steep hillside above the harbour. The trick is to ride up to the top gate and spend the morning drifting downhill, ending at the ferry wharf at the bottom.
- 8:35Leave the apartment
A flat stroll along the promenade to Wharf 4.
- 8:45F2 ferry to Taronga
Twelve minutes, past the Opera House. Tap on with a card or phone; Pransh rides free. Check the departure time in the Opal app.
- 9:10Bus 238 up the hill
From the zoo wharf to the Main Entrance at the top. (The Sky Safari cable car is closed until late 2027.)
- 9:30Nura Diya: Australian animals
Koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, and the platypus in Nocturnal Country. Koalas are most awake early.
- 10:15Forest Adventure Playground
Run around, snack, and meet the capybaras and lemurs next door.
- 10:40Giraffes and the skyline
The famous photo. Optional Giraffe Encounter: A$39.95 covers all of us for a two minute feed, booked in the Taronga app from 9 am.
- 11:00Seals for the Wild
The seal show. Get seats by 10:45. The front rows are a splash zone.
- 11:20Little penguins
Through the underwater windows at Great Southern Oceans, right next door.
- 12:00Free Flight Birds
Condors and cockatoos swooping in front of the harbour. Then a picnic on Harbour View Lawns.
- 12:45Lower Entrance, ferry home
Three minutes to the wharf. Pransh will probably nap in the pram on the boat, and we are back by about 1:20.
If he fades early: skip the bird show, leave after the penguins at about 11:45, and be home by 12:30. A Sunday visit (6 Dec) means the cheapest Opal fares but weekend crowds; a weekday is quieter but has school groups.
Who lives there
Around the zoo
Tap any photo to see it bigger.
For Pransh, and for us
Things to tell him on the ferry
🐨
KoalaSleeps 18 to 20 hours a day, and almost never drinks. Its call sounds like a loud snore and then a burp.
Australian Koala Foundation🦘
KangarooA newborn joey is about the size of a jellybean. Kangaroos cannot hop backwards, and a group of them is called a mob.
Tourism Australia🦒
GiraffeIts tongue is about 46 cm long and dark, maybe to stop it getting sunburnt. It has seven neck bones, the same as us.
San Diego Zoo🦆
PlatypusA furry mammal that lays eggs, closes its eyes, ears and nose underwater, and finds food with its bill.
Australian Museum🐧
Little penguinThe smallest penguin in the world, up to about 40 cm tall, and it lives in Sydney Harbour.
Australian MuseumShows before nap time
Times change: check the board at the top entrance or the Taronga app on the day.
Seals for the WildSea lions and fur seals. Free. Also at 2 pm.
11:00
Free Flight BirdsBirds of prey and cockatoos against the harbour. Free. Also at 3 pm, weather permitting.
12:00
Giraffe EncounterA two minute feed, A$39.95 for up to four people. Book from 9 am.
10:40
Keeper talksRhinos 10:40, reptiles 11:00, meerkats and Tasmanian devils 11:30, lions 12:00, chimpanzees 12:15
all morning
🍃 Food without egg
- Pack Pransh's lunch. Picnics are allowed, and Harbour View Lawns is the spot.
- Forage & Graze (top entrance): feta and zucchini baguettine, couscous salad, fruit salad, yoghurt.
- Saltwater Bistro (Fri to Mon, 11 to 3): kids' penne with tomato sauce, fried cauliflower.
- Avoid: every pie (including the veggie ones), quiche, muffins, cakes, brownies and banana bread. Ask about the croissant and the aioli.
🎒 Pack
📣 What has changed
- Sky Safari cable car: closed, rebuilding, back in late 2027.
- Elephants: moved to Monarto Safari Park in South Australia in 2025.
- Free shuttle from the wharf: school holidays only, so not on our dates. Bus 238 does the job.
- No lockers at the zoo. Bring only what fits on the pram.
- Babies: Taronga has announced red panda twins, a pygmy hippo calf and baby chimps.
🙅 Skip at his age
- Wild Ropes: minimum age 3.
- Koala Encounter: A$60 for five minutes with no touching. Koala Country is free.
- Roar and Snore overnight: ages 5 and up.
- Christmas Live on Sat 5 Dec: an evening event.
The postcard, in person
Sightseeing
The best of Sydney is free, outdoors and on the water. Everything here is chosen for two adults and a toddler in a pram, with honest notes where it does not work.
The six we would not miss
Ranked for this family. Pransh rides every train, bus and ferry free, so the harbour ferries are the cheapest sightseeing in the city.
Top pickFree outsidePram OK outside
Sydney Opera House
Walk right round the sails and the forecourt: free, flat, nine minutes along the promenade, magic at sunset. The one-hour tour inside has about 300 stairs and no prams, so one of us goes while the other has Pransh.
Tours →
Top pickPransh free on the ferry
Watsons Bay, The Gap and Camp Cove
The F9 ferry ride is the treat. Then a calm little beach, a playground with shady trees by the wharf, and the cliffs at The Gap, reached by a ramp. Picnic on the lawn.
FreePram OK
Barangaroo and the Wulugul Walk
A flat 1.9 km harbourside stroll from the Quay, under the Bridge, past Campbell's Cove to a sandstone headland park. Boats the whole way. Stay on the foreshore: the Hickson Road footpath is closed near Munn Street for metro works.
Getting there →
FreeLifts
Walk across the Harbour Bridge
The footway across the Bridge is free, with the Opera House below and ferries crisscrossing. Lifts at both ends mean no carrying the pram up stairs. There is no shade, so go early.
FreeIndoors
Australian Museum
Dinosaurs, 400 animals in Wild Planet, and Burra, an immersive play space for small children. Free and air-conditioned: the best answer to a hot or wet day.
Plan a visit →
FreeLifts
Art Gallery of NSW
Two buildings, one of them brand new, a 15 minute walk through the Botanic Garden. Free, with lifts, harbour views and a children's art library. The underground Tank playground has closed, so do not go for that.
Plan a visit →More, if there is time
Pransh free
The Manly ferry
Thirty minutes across the harbour past the Heads, and the best ride in Sydney. Pair it with Shelly Beach (see With Pransh).
FreeCarrier
Hornby Lighthouse, South Head
A short loop from Camp Cove to the red and white striped lighthouse at the mouth of the harbour. Steps and cobbles, so bring the carrier, not the pram.
NSW National Parks →Under 5 free
Chinese Garden of Friendship
Ponds, pavilions, waterfalls and very large carp, a calm corner of Darling Harbour. The lower garden is fine for prams; the upper garden has steps.
Darling Harbour →Free entry
Cockatoo Island
A UNESCO listed convict and shipyard island with tunnels and giant cranes, a 20 minute ferry ride away. Hot and exposed, so go in the morning.
Plan your trip →FreeCarrier
Bondi to Bronte
The famous coastal walk is not pram friendly: there are stairs down into every beach. Do the first stretch, Bondi to Bronte, early, with Pransh in the carrier.
The walk →Full day
Blue Mountains
The Three Sisters and the blue eucalyptus haze, two hours west. A private driver makes it work with a toddler; the coach tours start at 7 am.
Ticketed
Museum of Contemporary Art
Art on the west side of the Quay, eight minutes away. It now charges about A$25 and is closed on Tuesdays. Low toddler appeal: one parent, one rainy hour.
Visitor information →Ticketed
Sydney Tower Eye
250 m up, with a view to the mountains on a clear day. Adults about A$29 online, and Pransh pays a child fare. Honestly, the ferries give better views for free.
Prices →🚫 Closed or not for us
- Fort Denison is closed for conservation works through 2026 (alert).
- BridgeClimb has a minimum age of 8, and the Pylon Lookout is 200 stairs.
- Hop-on harbour cruises: the public ferries see the same views for an Opal fare, and Pransh rides free.
- Hyde Park Barracks: a 90 minute audio tour, better for one adult alone.
📸 Photo spots
- Mrs Macquarie's Chair: the Opera House in front of the Bridge, a flat walk round Farm Cove.
- The ferry back from Taronga: sit outside on the right for the Opera House.
- Our own balcony at sunset, close to 8 pm.
- Dawes Point Park, right under the Bridge.
Built around a two and a half year old
With Pransh
Out in the morning, home for the nap, early to bed. Our whole stay falls in school term, so weekday mornings are quiet everywhere, and Pransh rides every train, bus and ferry free.
His top eight
Number oneUnder 4 free
Taronga Zoo
Giraffes with the city behind them, seals, koalas, and a ferry ride to get there. Free for under 4s. The whole day is planned out on its own tab.
FreeWater play
Darling Quarter water play
A 100 m water channel with pumps, Archimedes screws and dams, plus a sandpit and slides. Exactly right at his age. Pack a swim nappy and a change of clothes.
Darling Harbour →Under 3 freeIndoors
Cook + Phillip Park pool
An indoor leisure pool with an ankle-deep bubbling beach, a sloped entry and fountains. Rain-proof, a 15 minute walk away, and under 3s swim free.
Entry fees →
FreeCalm water
Manly ferry and Shelly Beach
The best ferry ride, then a flat 15 minute pram walk to a calm, shallow beach inside a marine reserve. No surf. The best beach morning of the trip.
FreeIndoors
Australian Museum and Burra
Burra is an immersive play space that follows an eel's journey, with sensory walls and play zones. Dinosaurs upstairs. Free, and next door to the pool.
Burra →FreeNext door
Royal Botanic Garden
Next door and free. Ducks and eels at the Main Pond, huge shady figs, lawns for running, and cockatoos shouting overhead. Our everyday morning and evening outing.
Plan a visit →Ticketed
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Sharks swimming overhead, a dugong, and penguins. Big tanks hold a toddler for about 90 minutes. Pransh needs a child ticket here (only under 2s are free).
Tickets →
FreeWater play
WILD PLAY Garden, Centennial Park
Sydney's best free toddler water play: artesian streams, bamboo tunnels, turtle mounds and a treehouse slide. Ages 2 to 12. There is no shade over the water, so hats on.
WILD PLAY →Also fun
Height rules
Luna Park
Free to walk in, under the giant smiling face. Under 85 cm, only the carousel and Ferris wheel. From 85 to 106 cm, the little kiddie rides open up. Measure Pransh before going.
Opening hours →
Free
Balmoral Beach
A calm netted beach with rock pools and a fenced, fig-shaded playground on the sand. Pairs with a short zoo morning.
FreeIndoors
Singing and Stories, Customs House
Songs, stories and craft for ages 0 to 5 in the library five minutes from the hotel. Free, no booking, on selected Tuesday mornings at 10:30. December dates are not out yet: check in late November.
Rhyme and storytime →Daytime
Christmas at the QVB
A 20 m Christmas tree under the domes and a Santa grotto on Level 2, from 19 November. The best daytime Christmas outing. Skip the Santa high tea: scones and cakes contain egg.
A game for the trip
Spot it!
Tap each one when Pransh spots it. It remembers on this phone. More eyes would find the koalas faster, grandparents.
☔ Rainy day backups
- Australian Museum, then the Cook + Phillip pool next door
- SEA LIFE, plus WILD LIFE on a combo ticket
- Customs House library and the QVB Christmas tree
- The hotel's heated indoor pool, 6 am to 10 pm
🙅 Not at his age
- Powerhouse Parramatta: its kids' show is for 4 and up, and the ferry is 80 minutes each way
- Featherdale: lovely, but 90 minutes away, and Taronga covers it
- Martin Place Christmas light show: starts at 8 pm
- Christmas Live at Taronga on 5 Dec: an evening event
Snacks: none of these places publishes egg-free information, and gelato often has a custard (egg) base. On zoo and beach days, pack snacks from the apartment.
Our back garden
Parks nearby
The Royal Botanic Garden starts five minutes from our door: 30 hectares of lawns, giant figs and harbour views, free, 7 am to 8 pm. Beyond it, a ring of playgrounds and beaches a short ferry ride away.
The Royal Botanic Garden
Free, open 7 am to 8 pm in December, with wide sealed paths for the pram. There is no children's playground or water play here (that one is in Melbourne), but there is plenty for a two year old.
DailyFree
Main Pond and the lawns
Ducks and eels in the pond, the Band Lawn and Flower Bed Lawn for picnics, and Farm Cove Eatery nearby (8:30 am to 4:30 pm). Toilets and baby change at the Visitor Centre.
Plan a visit →
By donationIndoors
The Calyx: Alchemy of a Rainforest
A glasshouse with a huge green wall and a walk-in satin bowerbird bower, with rainforest sounds. Air-conditioned, entry by donation, until 31 December.
Exhibition →
FreeFlat
Farm Cove to Mrs Macquarie's Chair
A flat seawall path round Farm Cove to the classic view of the Opera House in front of the Bridge. About 25 minutes each way, with boats to watch.
Playgrounds and parks
Click the map pins for detail. Green is walkable, blue is a short ferry, grey needs a bus or taxi.
The apartmentWalkFerryBus or taxi
Best playgroundFree
Bradfield Park, Milsons Point
A shaded playground with a separate under-5 zone on a soft surface, looking straight at the Opera House. Kirribilli cafes next door.
North Sydney Council →FencedShaded
Cook + Phillip Park playground
The closest real playground: fenced, shaded, rubber surface, a toddler swing. Pairs with the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park and the pool.
City of Sydney →FreeCar-free
Barangaroo Reserve
A car-free headland park for scooters and running, with rock pools at Nawi Cove. The swimming cove is not for toddlers: no lifeguards, slippery rocks.
NSW Government →Free
Dawes Point Park (Tar-ra)
A lawn right under the Harbour Bridge with ferries passing. Flat if you go round by the water at Campbells Cove.
The Rocks →
Steps
Wendy's Secret Garden
A magical terraced garden above Lavender Bay with harbour views. Lots of steps and no cafe or bins: carrier, picnic, and take rubbish home.
Visiting →
Climb
Observatory Hill
The best Bridge view from a shady lawn, up on The Rocks ridge. Stairs or a steep ramp from Argyle Street make it hard with a pram, and there is no playground.
City of Sydney →
Free
Hyde Park
The Archibald Fountain, pigeons to chase and a long shady avenue of figs. No playground, but Cook + Phillip is next door.
Free
Nielsen Park and Shark Beach
A calm netted harbour beach with big shady lawns and a kiosk in a 1914 building. Check the shark net before swimming.
NSW National Parks →Also close: First Fleet Park at the Quay for a quick run between ferries (6 min); Government House grounds, Friday to Sunday 10:30 am to 3 pm with free tours; Blues Point Reserve by ferry to McMahons Point, with a small playground and a skyline view; and The Domain, which may be fenced for summer event set-ups.
United Airlines · Boeing 787-9
Flights
Non-stop both ways on a Boeing 787-9. Three seats booked, plus a fourth seat bought as an extra so nobody is holding Pransh for fourteen hours.
↓
about 11,900 kmSan Francisco to Sydney
about 15 hoursnon-stop, UA 829
4 seatsa row of three plus one, so Pransh can stretch out
1 day skippedand given back on the way home
SFO
8:00 pm
Wed 2 December
UA 829
about 15 hours
SYD
6:20 am
Fri 4 December
SYD
11:50 am
Sun 13 December
UA 870
about 13.5 hours
SFO
6:25 am
Sun 13 December
The date line works in our favour on the way home. We leave Sydney at 11:50 am on Sunday and land in San Francisco at 6:25 am the same Sunday, earlier on the clock than we took off.
Seats and cabin
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | Boeing 787-9Economy is three blocks of three: ABC, DEF, JKL |
| Going | Row 33Arunima 33J and Pransh 33L, with his extra seat between them. Pranav 33F, just across the aisle. |
| Coming home | Row 34Pransh 34A and Arunima 34C, with his extra seat between them. Pranav 34D, just across the aisle. |
| Pransh's own seat | A fourth seat, just for stretching outWith the armrests up, he can lie across the row and sleep properly. Nobody has to hold him for fifteen hours. |
| Bags | Three big suitcases, up to 32 kg eachPlus one more of up to 23 kg. Hand baggage is one bag plus one small item each. |
Airport to apartment
Taxi from the arrivals rankNot Uber: NSW law requires a proper child car seat for a two year old in a rideshare car, and Uber does not supply one. Taxis are exempt. 13cabs will fit a child seat free if booked by phone. A cruise ship docks at Circular Quay the same morning, so the rank may have a queue.
25 to 35 min
Train, T8 line to Central, change for Circular QuayCheaper, two flights of escalators, not worth it at 7 am with bags
35 min
Hotel check-inThe apartment is ours from the night before, so we should be able to go straight up, shower and sleep.
from 2 pm
At 6:20 am you will have the whole day ahead of you. The usual advice for this flight is to stay awake until a normal Sydney bedtime, get sunlight in the morning, and accept that day two starts before dawn.
Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour · 61 Macquarie Street
A one-bedroom apartment on the edge of Circular Quay
Not a hotel room: a full apartment with a bedroom that has a door, a separate living room, a kitchen, a laundry and a balcony over the water. The lift opens onto the harbour promenade, so there is no hill and no stairs between the front door and the ferries.
The building
Quay Grand sits on the eastern arm of Circular Quay, between the Opera House and the Botanic Garden, with the ferry wharves three and a half minutes away along a flat promenade.
Pool, gym and the restaurant
A heated indoor pool and a gym share a glass wall on the level 2 deck. The pool opens at 6 am, which matters more than it sounds when a two year old is awake at five.
Practicalities
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates | Thu 3 December to Sun 13 December, 10 nightsStarting the night before we land, so the apartment is ready the moment we arrive |
| Room | Deluxe Apartment, 1 bedroom, harbour view, 1 king807 ft², refurbished 2022 |
| Check-in / out | 2:00 pm / 11:00 am |
| Breakfast | In our own kitchen most morningsChai on the balcony, and a café on a few mornings (see the Food tab). The hotel restaurant serves a set menu on Level 2, 7:00 to 10:30 am. |
| Cot | A cot for PranshBeing arranged with the hotel |
| Hotel contact | +61 2 9256 4000Reservations +61 2 9256 4190 · H8779@accor.com |
Worth knowing: the building is a residential tower where the hotel runs about 68 of the apartments, so service feels more like a serviced apartment than a big five star hotel. Reviews praise the location and the space, and grumble about tired bathrooms, old televisions and weak wifi. There are no connecting doors between apartments.
Eating well, without compromise
Food and dining
We are Indian vegetarian and we do not eat eggs. Sydney makes this easy: there is a serious Indian population, two of the big delivery apps, and a kitchen in the apartment for everything else. Nothing below contains egg, though labels should always be checked.
🍽️ The table has room for two more. Masala dosa and filter coffee taste better with grandparents.Delivered to the door
Uber Eats and DoorDash are the local Swiggy and Zomato. Both deliver to 61 Macquarie Street, typically in 30 to 45 minutes. Menulog shut down at the end of 2025 and Deliveroo has left Australia. Tipping is not expected.
| Place | What it is | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Saravanaa Bhavan263 Clarence Street | The global South Indian chain, pure vegetarian. Opened in the Sydney CBD in 2026. Dosa, idli, vada, uttapam, thalis, filter coffee. | 20 min walkor delivered |
| Govinda's112 Darlinghurst Road | Hare Krishna vegetarian buffet, a Sydney institution, with a cinema upstairs. Best for a sit-down dinner without a toddler. | short taxi |
| The Spice RoomCircular Quay | Indian, 4.4 out of 5 from over 1,100 reviews, and the closest good Indian meal. Not pure vegetarian, so ask about egg in the breads and desserts. | 5 min walk |
| North Indian delivery | Dozens of restaurants on both apps: paneer butter masala, dal makhani, chole, biryani, naan. Filter for vegetarian and read the allergen line. | to the door |
| Thai, Lebanese, Italian | Sydney does all three very well and all three are easy to eat vegetarian. Good for the nights when nobody wants Indian food. | to the door |
Delivery to the hotel: couriers cannot come up to the apartments. The front desk takes deliveries, or you meet the driver in the lobby. Tell them the Macquarie Street entrance, not the Quay promenade.
Within walking distance
Circular Quay and the Rocks are full of cafés. These are the ones that work with a small child and a vegetarian table.
The hotel restaurant, ground floorHarbour Bridge through the glass, booth seating, noisy at lunch. It has said it cannot do dairy-free, which does not affect us.
downstairs
Circular Quay promenade cafésCoffee, sandwiches, gelato, right on the water. Outdoor tables, so a pram or a wandering toddler is fine.
3 min
Opera Bar and Opera KitchenUnder the Opera House steps. Go for the view and a drink rather than the food. Vegetarian options exist.
9 min
The Rocks Markets, Friday to SundayFood stalls, fresh juice, people watching. Sandstone lanes, slightly uphill.
10 min
Harris Park, Sydney's Little IndiaSweet shops, chaat, pure veg restaurants. A river ferry from Circular Quay makes the trip itself an outing.
75 min by ferry
Breakfast out
There is no Indian breakfast nearby: Saravanaa Bhavan opens at 11 am. These cafés all have named vegetarian dishes without egg. The plan is to cook most mornings and treat ourselves on a few.
The Fine Food Store, The RocksThe pick of the group: 4.3 out of 5 from 758 reviews, high chairs, and the most egg-free dishes
10 to 12 min
Caffe Gigi, 14 Circular Quay EastOpens 7 am, almost at the front door
1 to 3 min
Piccolo Me, Botanic Garden Macquarie Street gateOpens 6:30 am on weekdays, good for the jetlag mornings
5 min
Winnie's, at the Opera HouseBreakfast with the best view in the city
9 min
Skip Pancakes on the Rocks: the pancakes contain egg.
Reading Australian labels
Allergens are printed in bold in a "Contains" line on every packet, and the same information is on every product page online. Egg hides in more places than you expect.
| Contains egg | Safe swap |
|---|---|
| Brioche, milk buns, pikelets | Plain sandwich bread, crumpets, English muffins |
| Fresh pasta, egg noodles | Dried pasta, rice noodles, hakka noodles |
| Mayonnaise, aioli | Heinz Vegan Mayo |
| Arnott's Scotch Finger, Monte Carlo | Marie, Milk Arrowroot, Parle-G, Oreos |
| Most muffins, cakes, waffles, pancake mix | Make your own, or buy from an Indian sweet shop |
| Woolworths own-brand butter chicken sauce | Patak's, Sharwoods, Passage to India |
A kitchen changes everything
Groceries, delivered
Woolworths is Australia's largest supermarket, the local Safeway, and it delivers to the hotel. Its Indian aisle is better than most people expect. Order a shelf-stable box to arrive on the 3rd, then a fresh order once we are in the apartment.
Indian staples at Woolworths
Prices are in Australian dollars and move every week. Everything here is egg free.
| Item | What they stock | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Atta | Aashirvaad whole wheat, 5 kg | $15 |
| Rice | Woolworths basmati 1 kg, Daawat 5 kg, Tilda microwave pouches | $4 / $14.85 / $3.80 |
| Dals | Katoomba toor and moong 1 kg, McKenzie's chana dal | $4.70 / $4.80 |
| Paneer | Lemnos 200 g, the only brand they carry | $8.50 |
| Ghee | Amul, 1 litre | $20 |
| Spices | Maharajah's Choice 250 g: haldi, jeera, dhania, garam masala, chilli, rai, hing | $2.50 to $3.85 |
| Besan | Not stocked. McKenzie's chickpea flour 330 g is the substitute. | $4 |
| Sooji | Green Hill semolina 900 g | $2.85 |
| Chai | Wagh Bakri masala chai, Red Label, Parle-G biscuits | $8.50 / $2 |
| Snacks | Haldiram's bhujia and namkeen, 200 g | $3.20 |
Not available: urad dal, raw poha, fresh curry leaves, kasuri methi, okra, green chillies (bird's eye chillies instead, about 14 cents each). For those, try the Indian grocers BigTrolley or Box of India. Both deliver in Sydney, but check that postcode 2000 is covered before ordering.
Five minute dinners
For the jetlag days when cooking is not going to happen.
Ready to eat, 300 g, about $3.50
MTR Dal MakhaniMTR Chana MasalaMTR Palak PaneerMTR Dal FryMTR Bhindi MasalaHaldiram's Minute Khana
Microwave rice pouch plus one packet plus a frozen paratha is a complete dinner in five minutes.
Freezer
Spring Home paratha, 5 pack $3.50Simson's mini naan $3.50Street Foodie veg samosas, 8 pack $3.30Mr Chen's veg gyozaFrozen peas and corn
Simmer sauces from Patak's, Sharwoods and Passage to India are all egg free.
For Pransh
Fruit and veg pouchesRafferty's Garden, Bellamy's Organic, Little Bellies
$1.50 to $3
Rice crackers and puffsSakata, Woolworths own brand, Little Bellies
$2 to $4
Little One's nappy pants, size 4 or 5Woolworths own brand, the local equivalent of Pampers
$17
Wipes, sunscreen, swim nappiesCancer Council Kids SPF 50+. December sun is strong.
$2 and up
Mangoes, cherries, stone fruitKensington Pride mangoes are in season and excellent, about $3.90 each
seasonal
How to order it
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| 1. Set up the account | Create a Woolworths account before leaving, with the hotel address: Pullman Quay Grand, 61 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000Delivery is A$2 from Tuesday to Thursday, with a A$50 minimum. |
| 2. Shelf-stable box first | Rice, dal, atta, spices, chai, ready meals, nappies, wipes, dish soap. Roughly A$144.A first order cannot be left unattended, so ask the front desk to receive it |
| 3. Fresh order after check-in | Milk, yoghurt, paneer, bread, fruit, vegetables, frozen paratha and samosas |
| 4. Top up on foot | Woolworths Metro at 333 George Street, 12 minutesThe Woolworths at 60 Margaret Street is 14 minutes but may be closed at weekends. Check opening hours before walking over. |
| 5. In a hurry | Milkrun, Woolworths' rapid delivery app: about 40 minutes, A$5.99Coles delivers through Uber Eats |
Measured walking routes, not estimates
Getting around
The orange pin is the apartment. Green is walkable, blue is a ferry, amber is train or light rail, grey is a car or coach. Drag and zoom; click a pin for detail.
The apartment
Walkable
Ferry
Train or light rail
Car or coach
On foot from the door
The lift opens straight onto the promenade, and everything as far as the Opera House is flat. The Rocks sits on a ridge 20 to 25 metres higher. With a pram, use the Cahill Walk lift at Circular Quay or the lift at 7 Cumberland Street.
Circular Quay ferry wharvesTaronga, Manly and Watsons Bay all leave from here
3.5 min
Circular Quay station and light railAlso the terminus of the 333 bus to Bondi, so you get a seat
3.5 min
Royal Botanic Garden, Macquarie Street gateOpens 7 am, free, deep shade
4.4 min
Sydney Opera HouseAlong the Quay promenade
8.7 min
BridgeClimb base, Cumberland StreetUp on the Rocks ridge. Minimum age 8, so one adult at a time.
10 min
Woolworths Metro, 333 George StreetMilk and snacks
12 min
Pylon Lookout, Harbour BridgeUp on the ridge, then 200 stairs to the top with three rest levels
22 min
Darling Quarter playgroundFree water play. Take the light rail instead of walking it.
30 min
How we get everywhere
Little journeys from our front door
The times include the walk at each end. Pransh rides every ferry, train and bus for free.
about 30 minTaronga Zoo
A short ferry ride across the harbour to the giraffes, then a bus up the hill to the top gate.
4 min12 min ferrybus upzoo!
40 minManly Beach
The big green ferry out past the harbour heads. Pransh may well nap on the way.
4 min30 min ferrybeach
about 40 minWatsons Bay
A ferry to a little harbour village with a calm beach and a playground by the wharf.
4 minF9 ferryplayground
20 minLuna Park
A quick hop across the water to the giant smiling face and the carousel.
4 minto Milsons Pointrides
25 minSEA LIFE and Darling Harbour
A tram through the city, then a gentle walk down to the sharks and the water playground.
4 mintram to Town Halldownhillaquarium
about 35 minGoogle Sydney, Pyrmont
A ferry under the Harbour Bridge to Pranav's office for lunch.
4 minF4 ferry, 25 min6 minlunch
about 35 minICC Sydney, the AI Event
Pranav's conference. The same ferry, then a short walk over Pyrmont Bridge, or a 10 minute taxi.
4 minF4 ferry10 min walkAI Event
45 minBondi Beach
The famous beach, on a bus that starts right at Circular Quay, so we always get a seat.
4 minbus 333Bondi
🍛75 min
Harris Park, Little India
A long, lovely river ferry to Sydney's Little India for sweets and chaat.
4 minriver ferrychaat
2 hours each wayBlue Mountains
A day out by car to the Three Sisters and the blue haze over the valleys.
private driverThree Sisters
30 minSydney Airport
A taxi, because a two year old needs a proper car seat in an Uber, and taxis are exempt.
bagstaxiairport
Paying for transport: tap any contactless card or phone on the Opal readers. No tickets, no top ups, and children under four travel free. Ferries and buses cap out at a daily maximum, and Sundays are capped even lower.