The friendliest people in the world. Sydney

Sydney is one of the most visited cities in Australia. Let's have a closer look at its attractions.

According to an American travel magazine Conde Nast Travel, Sydney is the world's top city, leaving such famous travel destinations as Florence, San Francisco and Bangkok far behind. Also note that this Australian megapolis got the status of the friendliest city in the world. If you're still not ready for a personal visit to Sydney, why not make an imaginary trip?The regular bus will take you from the airport to the city centre, Alfred street. So, you're at the Sydney harbour. On the left there is a famous Harbour Bridge, the 20th century architectural miracle. On the right there is a huge Sydney opera shell. There is also an observation deck, excellent for taking the photographs of the Sydney opera and a group of skyscrapers adjacent to the harbour. The Sydney Opera house is well-known all around the world. It looks like an exotic stone flower surrounded by glass skyscrapers. Some compare it with the giant seashells or the sails in the wind. The building is located at the cape and, looking at the lively sea, crowded with yachts and seagulls, one can feel what the opera's architect, Jorn Utzon, was inspired with. The famous silhouette can be found at any postcard: the opera turned into a calling card not only for Sydney, but for the whole country. Its history, by the way, is rich in controversy. The project cost a fortune, its author left the country before construction was over. But its cultural importance is worth it: there are a theatre for 1550 seats and a concert hall for 2700 seats located under one roof. There are also a Playhouse, an end-stage theatre with 398 seats, and a Studio for 400 people in the opera. The complex, which is visited by a total of 1,5 million people every year, is complemented by a library, artistic salons, cafes and restaurants. But millions of the white roof and wall tiles are fragile and demand delicate treatment. At the same time, they constantly suffer from overheating and the salty sea air. That is why great amounts of money are spent on the opera maintenance. But let's continue our walk and see other city attractions  the Sydney Tower, Sydney monorail which connects Darling Harbour, Chinatown and the Sydney central business and shopping districts. Sometimes the monorail runs through the buildings, above the water or the ground.. The whole route takes no more than half an hour, but lots of things can be observed during the trip. Our next stop is the George Street, and the huge Queen Victoria Building  the colonial-style shopping centre made of red stone. To the north of the centre there is The Rocks inner-city suburb, historic suburbs from which Sydney started. The area contains lots of private bars and restaurants and leads to the Harbour Bridge (by the way, its still nicknamed The Coathanger). Having crossed the bridge, we get to the scenic shore, then our route lies through the underwater tunnel (it lies 21 meters below the sea level), Kings Cross  the centre for Sydney nightlife, and the Australian oldest park  Hyde Park. The excursion stops at the James Cook monument which is a good starting point for the catamaran cruise around the Port Jackson harbour. Sydney is a huge city which contains a great amount of interesting cultural objects. Its impossible to observe them all, but if you have the time, visit the Australian National Maritime Museum to find out interesting facts about the sea, the boats and even surfboard. Speaking of surfing: waves are excellent, but you should never relax you vigilance.

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How to choose a travel agency

The travel and tourism industry is on its peak right now and therefore, the market is full of travel agents. Almost, all come with attractive tour packages and offers for the customers.

Travel is one of the most popular activities and there are a large number of tour packages to choose from. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to ensure that you have chosen the best travel package. The problem is no so big and can be avoided by simply taking the services of a good, reliable travel agency or travel agent. But, how to make sure that the travel agency you have chosen is good enough? Don’t worry; all you have to do is a little homework before going for a particular travel agency. The increasing usage of Internet allows people to know more about different travel agencies and their packages.A good travel agency can provide you with a wide range of services. An important aspect that makes an agency a good one is their communication and support skill. A professional travel agency will have the ability to explain various choices in detail and if required or help the customer through a problem. Before choosing any travel agency one should look for its “Registration” and enquire whether the government recognizes it. The agents working for the agency must have proper license to do the job. However, registration does not guarantees professionalism or good service, but it only ensures you that the travel agency is not a fraud.A travel agency is of great help to you in planning out your vacations. Travel is usually split into two parts – business or corporate travel, and leisure or personal travel. Even though, travel agencies will be delighted to serve you all types of travel, but most of them are likely to be stronger in either business travels or leisure travel services. Ask the travel agency about their specialty. If your need is ‘leisure’ then go for the one more focused into arranging personal or leisure trips. Try to find a specialist if you have special rather than general needs.One more interesting way of knowing the goodwill of a travel agency is to carry out the acid test, i.e. ask the people what they think about the agency and its services. Ask the agency for a list of its customers and clients, and contact them to know about their opinion about the travel agency.A tourist is munificent if he is attended well. Every travel agency or guide must behave as a representative of the destination because it is through him the tourist gathers impressions and information of that particular place and country. Ask your travel agency if they take care that all the facilities provided to the traveler are comfortable enough? Do they arrange hygienic food that is reasonably priced, offer neat and clean affordable lodging etc.?These days a travel agency offers a lot of value-added services to tourists to make their vacation a memorable and luxurious one. A travel agent arranges escorted tours, discounts in hotel booking, incentive travel, and so on. A travel agency also arranges transport, hotel accommodation, and car rentals for their clients. They are also the primary source of booking for most cruise liners. Travel agencies know about weather conditions, customs and local ordinances, attractions, and so on. For international travelers, they provide necessary information on custom rules, essential papers like passports, visas, and currency exchange rates. Also, if there is any change in the itinerary in the middle of the journey, then the travel agents make alternate arrangements for the client. Find out if your travel agency offers these services at competitive prices? Traveling can be of great fun if you take a little care and choose a good travel agency. Do meticulous planning and enjoy a pleasant vacation.

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