My first trip to Sydney was work related and I needed to be in Australia by the Monday following Thanksgiving. There went that weekend as a day is lost in travel to be gained back on your return. Late November in Sydney equates to late May in Philadelphia just a bit warmer. (they have palm trees) It was already beach weather and my first evening was spent at a beach-side restaurant on Bondi Beach (pronounced Bond-eye) which was smaller than I had thought, but how cool is it to have one of the world’s best surfing beaches just on the other side of a major Metropolis? Bondi is also “Tres-Gay”! I am no wine connoisseur but I know what I like and this was my first meeting with the South Australian Shiraz and we have been BFF’s ever since. The flight is a long one (I flew via LAX) but the destination is worth it in my opinion.

I think that Sydney and San Francisco have a great deal in common. Both have a huge energetic Gay presence, both are “all about the harbor/bay”, big hills and both draw very intelligent, creative men and women from all over the world. SFO has the Golden Gate and Sydney the Harbor Bridge and both are beautiful. The famous Albino Sydney Opera House sits on water as does iconic Fisherman’s Warf. Both cities have tons to offer but are quite manageable for a couple of days. I took about 250 people down under for 5 nights two years ago and many said it could not be done in so short a time. Well, I did it and the people loved it. In my opinion (and others) the jet-lag in Europe is much worse. Just a couple of “long-blacks” (double espresso) will fix you right up. Having arrived in Australia in the early morning, I was ravenous by noon and always the one for “eating like a native” I discovered that a classic Australian Cheeseburger is topped with onion, beet-root and a fried egg. Strange but pretty tasty I must say. I had a Foster’s and was told that only the tourists ordered that brand of beer which sounded really dumb to me so I ordered it for the rest of my trip.

That first Shiraz soaked dinner at Bondi also entertained me with “Beach Volleyball” which is really more Speedo modeling than sport. There is a constant parade of classic Aussie Boys strolling about and there isn’t anything wrong with that, mate!

Sydney is like nowhere else and like Australians in general, the city is original, fresh, open and honest about itself. Like Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Sydney can really somewhat bizarre. It defines itself with no excuses. This is probably why I love it so much. For the most part, the city itself is all about shopping, minor tourist attractions and some excellent restaurants. One, Aria is like a glass igloo on the Circular Quay (key). One can dine very well while enjoying quite spectacular views of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. These restaurants and most other high end eateries, fine, elegant and expensive hotels are located on or around Circular Quay. The entire area is referred to as “The Rocks”. This is the site first discovered by explorers who settled in New South Wales centuries ago. Funny thing is that most of the “sailors” aboard the original ships landing were prisoners and general outcasts shipped-out of England and sent “down-under” to get rid of. In other words, Australia was founded by “out-casts” and warmly welcomes new ones every day. I certainly felt very comfortable there and fit in rather well. Once when I made a flippant remark about the Aborigines and was told swiftly by a native to “Shut up and go fuck yourself, mate”! I never did that again! Message? Respect everyone.

The Gayborhood is called Darlinghurst (or “Darling it hurts”!) And while Sydney is not a huge city, the distance between some sections may not far but can be straight up hill. Bonus! Darlinghurst is very near Kings-Cross another section which is also known as “The Red Light District” since seafarer days. Now Kings Cross is where much of the action is at night. Sydney closes down fairly early so that anyone, tourist or local will generally head for Kings Cross. The straight moneyed goes crowd to The Rocks and the gays to Darlinghurst although there is much mixture everywhere. After a while when Darlinghurst and Oxford Street (the main gay drag) start to settle down and get quiet, the lights of Kings Cross call to everyone! I remember one very late 4 martini night strolling from Oxford Street to Kings Cross making a stop in a “dark-room” which I thought had gone out of style in the 80’s. Ah, misty water-color memories! Right, Hubble? One night I almost actually bought a young man (of age) as the “rentals” stand along Darlinghust Road and the exchange rate was excellent. Too bad I already had a date that night and was on my way to meet him. I will speak of that later.

I would wager to say that all hotels in any price-range will be “Gay Friendly” in Sydney as will restaurants. I saw much very comfortable hand-holding and such during my visits and did a bit myself and never felt out of place or “queer”.

Though not what it once was, “The Sleaze Ball” ushers in the summer season for Gay Sydney and generally takes place in late October or early November. It is a huge gay party all over the city but mostly in Darlinghurst. On the flip-side, Mardi Gras is sort of like our Labor Day as it bids farewell to the summer season with a bang. (so to speak) I have been to the Sleaze Ball which was not really for me but I understand that Mardi Gras is really something to see with parades, parties and all sorts of debauchery! I never really liked our own version in New Orleans (kind of smelly and crowded) but would love to see how Sydney celebrates their Aussie version. I know one thing, it would be very friendly as guys from Sydney are very sincere and easy to know.

Oh yeah … My “date”. Heath said he was taking me to a classic Australian restaurant featuring “steak/shrimp on the barbie”! Located on the other side of the Harbor Bridge and just outside the city are some wonderful outdoor “restaurants” where you enter through a deli (of sorts) and actually choose your meal. Steak, lamb, kangaroo … fresh fish, shrimp, seafood and sides are personally chosen along with wine or whatever you might want. Heath had reserved a table under a huge tree with tiny white lights on it. A hibachi was right there and staff brought our selections and set our table. We cooked, ate, drank, made out and it was an evening I will never forget. Nothing like barbequing a steak with your Aussie-Boy with a couple of bottles of Shiraz between you to make a perfect night happen. We had tres petit fillet mignons and something they call “bugs” which are really huge shrimp or rather “Craw-Dads”. Simple and unforgettable!

The “outback” of Australia is exactly that. Consider carefully before visiting. Neighboring islands like New Zealand and The Great Barrier Reef are just awesome. So much of the culture of Sydney, Australia is a fit, relaxed, English and South Sea Island combination. Aussie’s are welcoming, sincere, natural and a lot of fun. Gay men and women are still fighting for fundamental rights but on track for success like the rest of the 21st Century world. As I said in my Mexico column, the energy/gravitational pull for the entire planet shifted on December 21, 2012 so we can make anything happen by staying calm, patient and willing it to be. Events involving people happen for a reason and when the time is right.

THE BOTTOM LINE: It’s a long way to go but worth the trip at least once. The toilets really do flush counter-clockwise, guys really do say “G’Day” a lot and many things are not really foreign. We speak the same language in many respects and a lot of the Crocodile Dundee shit is for the tourists. I didn’t hear “Waltzing Matilda” once but I saw many Kangaroos, Koala bears and ate some strange and wonderful food. You have not lived, however until you stand alone in a field with an entire heard of sheep is charging at you full speed. They are all following the lead “sheep-dog” trained to lead them. Like people they mindlessly follow along without much thought. (think about it) As the heard got closer and closer to me they split ranks when they reached me and for a moment I was in the middle of the heard. Then they were gone and I was once again stuck with that fucking boomerang trying to make it work!