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 ft²harbour view, own kitchen
☀️
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 and chole bhature together, 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, with two easy days to settle in before anything is planned. 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 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
A loose plan built around Pransh's nap, with plenty of room for whatever we feel like.
Fri4
Land, unpack, Botanic Garden
In at 6:20 am, taxi to the apartment, ducks at the Main Pond, early night.
Sat5
Opera House and The Rocks Markets
Round the sails on foot, markets next door, lunch by the water. A giant cruise ship will be in at the Quay to wave at.
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
A day trip by car to the Three Sisters and the blue haze over the valleys.
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
Bondi or Luna Park
The bus to Bondi Beach, the carousel at Luna Park, or the Rocks Markets and the Botanic Garden.
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
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: Pranav's days at the event.
📍
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.
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. An easy, delicious lunch right on site.
Vegan menu →🗓️ Good to know
- Workshops are one-day, in person, 7 to 9 hours each.
- Workshop reception on the evening of Fri 11 December.
🍼 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.
- 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
Inside
The rainforest lobby
Reception sits in front of a living wall of rainforest plants with the Google sign growing out of it, and a little Harbour Bridge on the front desk. A lovely first stop on the way to lunch.
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 spills down a hillside above the harbour, so we ride up to the top gate and spend the morning drifting gently downhill to the ferry wharf.
- 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.
- 9:10Bus 238 up the hill
From the zoo wharf to the Main Entrance at the top.
- 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, giraffes with the city skyline behind them. Pransh might even get to help feed one.
- 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.
Sleepy early? Head home after the penguins and be back by 12:30.
Who lives there
Meet the animals
Swipe through, and tap a card to flip it for a fun fact.
Shows before nap time
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.
10:40
Keeper talksRhinos 10:40, reptiles 11:00, meerkats and Tasmanian devils 11:30, lions 12:00, chimpanzees 12:15
all morning
🍃 Yummy picks
- 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.
🎒 Pack
🐣 Zoo babies
- Taronga has welcomed red panda twins, a pygmy hippo calf and baby chimpanzees. Fingers crossed we spot them!
Right outside our door
The Harbour
The most beautiful harbour in the world starts at our front door: the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, green and gold ferries, sailing boats and giant cruise ships, all in one view.
Six harbour moments
Pransh rides every ferry free, so the best harbour cruise in Sydney costs us almost nothing.
Number one
The Manly ferry
Thirty minutes across the whole harbour on a big green and gold ferry, past the Opera House and out towards the ocean. Sydney's favourite boat ride.
Free
The Opera House steps
Stroll along the promenade to the great steps and the white sails, nine flat minutes from our door. Magic at sunset.
Pransh free
Ferry to Watsons Bay
A 25 minute ride to a little harbour village with a calm sandy beach, a playground and lunch on the lawn.
Free
Ship spotting at Circular Quay
Giant cruise ships, ferries coming and going, yellow water taxis and buskers, right at the end of our promenade.
Under 4 free
Australian National Maritime Museum
A real navy destroyer and a submarine to explore at Darling Harbour, and under 4s go free.
Visit →
Free
Lavender Bay and Luna Park
Across the water from the city: the giant smiling face of Luna Park, Wendy's Secret Garden, and one of the best views of the Bridge.
Pransh's boat spotting list
Boats on the harbour
Hello, big ships
Cruise ships visiting while we are here
They usually glide in around 6:30 in the morning and sail away in the late afternoon. Perfect for waving at from the balcony.
Fri 4 DecCarnival Adventure, Silver Moon and Azamara Pursuit, the morning we land
🚢🚢🚢
Sat 5 DecRoyal Princess
🚢
Mon 7 DecCarnival Adventure
🚢
Tue 8 DecCarnival Splendor
🚢
Wed 9 DecGrand Princess
🚢
Thu 10 DecViking Orion
🚢
Fri 11 DecAnthem of the Seas, Carnival Adventure and Viking Orion
🚢🚢🚢
Sat 12 DecCelebrity Edge and Norwegian Spirit
🚢🚢
Sun 13 DecCarnival Splendor, as we head home
🚢
Fun facts for the ferry ride
Did you know?
✈️
Room for jumbo jetsSeven A380 jumbo jets could fit wing to wing on the Opera House site.
Sydney Opera House🌊
Cooled by the seaThe Opera House is kept cool with harbour water pumped through 35 km of pipes.
Sydney Opera House🐎
A sword at the openingWhen the Bridge opened in 1932, a man on horseback cut the ribbon with his sword before the Premier could.
Wikipedia⛴️
Ferries since 1789Sydney has had ferries almost from the very beginning, and some of today's are named after the First Fleet ships.
WikipediaThe icons
Sand between our toes
Beaches
Calm harbour coves for little paddlers, rock pools full of tiny fish, and the famous golden surf beaches, all a ferry or bus ride from our door.
Perfect for Pransh
Gentle water, soft sand and a kiosk for ice blocks.
Our favouriteCalm water
Camp Cove, Watsons Bay
A small sheltered beach with calm, clear water and a kiosk on the sand. The ferry ride there is a treat of its own.
NettedShade
Shark Beach, Nielsen Park
Calm water inside a swimming net, big shady fig trees and picnic lawns, in a beautiful national park.
Calm water
Shelly Beach, Manly
A small, calm cove with no waves and little fish to spot, at the end of a flat seaside stroll from the Manly ferry.
NettedPlayground
Manly's harbour coves
Little Manly Cove has a fenced swimming area full of babies and toddlers, a playground and a kiosk, and the harbour pools nearby are as calm as a bath.
Calm waterPlayground
Clovelly
A long, calm inlet that works like a giant ocean pool, with a playground and a cafe right behind the beach.
Rock poolPlayground
Bronte
A shallow natural rock pool for splashing, and a big grassy park with one of the best playgrounds for little ones.
NettedPlayground
Balmoral
Clear, calm harbour water, a netted swimming area and a shady playground right on the sand.
The famous ones
Iconic
Bondi
The most famous beach in Australia, with lifeguards every day, the Icebergs pools on the rocks and a promenade made for gelato walks.
Ferry ride
Manly
Palm-lined streets, a huge golden beach, and the best ferry ride in Sydney to get there.
Coogee
A wide sandy beach with ocean pools carved into the rocks at each end.
Ocean pool
Wylie's Baths, Coogee
A historic ocean pool beneath the cliffs, filled by the waves.
🏖️ Beach days, the Aussie way
- Swim between the red and yellow flags, where the lifeguards watch.
- Hats, sunscreen and a beach umbrella, then a splash.
- Ice blocks from the kiosk, sandcastles, and a nap on the ride home.
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.
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. One of us can slip inside for the guided tour while the other enjoys the forecourt with 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.
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 make it easy with the pram. Lovely first thing in the morning.
FreeIndoors
Australian Museum
Dinosaurs, 400 animals in Wild Planet, and Burra, an immersive play space for small children. Free and air-conditioned, perfect for a hot afternoon.
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.
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. The carrier works best for this one.
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 lovely with the pram.
Darling Harbour →Free entry
Cockatoo Island
A UNESCO listed convict and shipyard island with tunnels and giant cranes, a 20 minute ferry ride away. Best in the morning.
Plan your trip →FreeCarrier
Bondi to Bronte
The famous clifftop walk, with ocean views all the way. The first stretch, Bondi to Bronte, is perfect early in the morning 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.
📸 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.
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. Bring hats and swimmers.
WILD PLAY →Also fun
Height rules
Luna Park
Free to walk in, under the giant smiling face, with a carousel and Ferris wheel for the littlest riders and kiddie rides for bigger toddlers.
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.
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.
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
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. Plenty for a two year old: ducks, lawns, giant trees and cockatoos.
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.
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. Best with the carrier and a picnic.
Visiting →
Climb
Observatory Hill
The best Bridge view from a shady lawn, up on The Rocks ridge. A lovely spot for a picnic.
City of Sydney →
Free
Hyde Park
The Archibald Fountain, pigeons to chase and a long shady avenue of figs. The Cook + Phillip playground is right next door.
Free
Nielsen Park and Shark Beach
A calm netted harbour beach with big shady lawns and a kiosk in a 1914 building.
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 wide lawns of The Domain.
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 rankStraight from the arrivals rank to the hotel door. 13cabs will even fit a child seat for free if booked by phone.
25 to 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
Our 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 |
| Apartment | Deluxe Apartment, harbour view807 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 |
Guests love it: reviews rave about the location and the space, and the ferries at the front door.
Hungry? Sydney has us covered
Food
Indian vegetarian, no eggs, and Sydney makes it easy. Lots of Indian vegetarian food, delivered to the hotel at the tap of a button or an easy walk away, a kitchen of our own for chai and parathas, and breakfast with the Opera House in view.
🍽️ The table has room for two more. Dosa and chole bhature taste better with grandparents.At the tap of a button
Lots of Indian vegetarian food, delivered hot to the hotel, and plenty more an easy walk away.
Pure veg
Dosa and chole bhature
Crispy dosas from Saravanaa Bhavan, the famous pure vegetarian South Indian chain, and puffy chole bhature from Sydney's North Indian kitchens, delivered hot or a pleasant stroll away.
Paneer, dal makhani, chole, biryani
Dozens of North Indian kitchens deliver: paneer butter masala, dal makhani, chole, jeera rice and hot naan, straight to the door.
Plenty within an easy walk
The city around the hotel is full of Indian restaurants with big vegetarian menus, from quick lunches to sit-down dinners, many just a short stroll from our door.
Out and about
Pure veg
Saravanaa Bhavan
Sit down for a proper South Indian meal, crispy dosas and a thali, in the heart of the city.
The Spice Room
Indian food five minutes from our door at Circular Quay, loved by Sydneysiders, with plenty of vegetarian dishes.
Pure veg
Govinda's
A much-loved all-vegetarian buffet in Darlinghurst, with a little cinema upstairs.
Pure veg
Harris Park, Sydney's Little India
Sweet shops, chaat and pure vegetarian restaurants, reached by a lovely river ferry ride from Circular Quay.
The Rocks Markets
Food stalls, fresh juice and people watching in the old sandstone lanes next to the hotel, Friday to Sunday.
Coffee on the water
The Circular Quay promenade is lined with cafés with outdoor tables, ferries coming and going, and space for a pram.
Breakfast with a view
Chai on our own balcony most mornings, and a café treat on a few.
The Fine Food Store, The Rocks
The favourite: lots of egg-free vegetarian dishes, high chairs, and a cosy corner of The Rocks.
Caffe Gigi
Practically at our front door on Circular Quay East, open from 7 am.
Piccolo Me
Coffee at the Botanic Garden gate from 6:30 am on weekdays, perfect for jetlag mornings and a stroll among the ducks.
Winnie's at the Opera House
Breakfast with the most famous view in the city.
Easy egg-free swaps
For the grocery shop: egg turns up in a few surprising places, and there is always a simple swap.
| Has egg | Grab this instead |
|---|---|
| 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, pancakes | Indian sweets, fruit, or home-made treats |
| 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 | $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 | McKenzie's chickpea flour 330 g | $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 |
For the extras like urad dal, curry leaves and kasuri methi, the Indian grocers BigTrolley and Box of India deliver in Sydney.
Five minute dinners
For lazy evenings.
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. |
| 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 minutes |
| 5. In a hurry | Milkrun, Woolworths' rapid delivery app: about 40 minutes, A$5.99Coles delivers through Uber Eats |
Everything close by
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 BridgeA climb up the Bridge pylon for a sweeping harbour view
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 quick taxi straight to the terminal.
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.