How I Treated My German Friend To An Unforgettable Day In Sydney

It’s been two years since I graduated from Humboldt University of Berlin. When I reached Germany, I was a lonely kid wandering the crowded streets of Germany in search of my true self. For days, I was alone in an alien land. But it was after I got a new roommate that I started putting myself together. His name was Finn. He helped me overcome homesickness and the fear of exploring new things.

So, when I got a message from him last month saying that he is visiting Australia with his family, I was excited beyond words. But the catch was that his family was only visiting Sydney for two days and he could only spend one day with me—after that they were going to Tasmania. So, I made sure that he will have the best time in Sydney—that’s the least I could do for him. We started the day with axe throwing and ended it with a Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour. So, this is how I planned the day:

Kick-Axe Throwing

After spending the first day in Sydney with his family, he made his next day free for us. We didn’t waste even one second. The first thing we did was go to an axe-throwing place in Alexandria. We were there at 100 am—the place was only opening (sorry, time was of the essence!) Finn is an adrenaline junkie and not a museum-lover. So, I figured that axe-throwing is the best way for an adrenaline rush.

We had the best time of our lives there. We made it into a competition and went many rounds. They also had a bar menu (day drinking can be excused when a long-distance friend is visiting right?). So we drunk-threw many axes and surprisingly some of it actually hit the spot.

Jet-Boat Ride

The next thing we did after axe-throwing was a jet boat ride. Our heads were already spinning from the drinks at the previous location. But this jet boat adventure added more fun to it. The sudden stops and spins with water splashing all over your face and body elevated the adrenaline-fueled experience. Finn even fell from the boat (don’t worry, it is part of the ride) and gave all other guests aboard a good laugh.


Horse-Riding

Our time was so limited that we didn’t even have time for lunch. We were just two bellies with beer and some snacks. We then rushed to Centennial Park for horse-riding. It was nearing evening. So, there we were: two men riding horses at twilight like ancient knights. This was slow paced compared to our two previous activities. But it was still a bucket-list worthy experience. And both of us were glad that we did it.


Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour

Finn thought that horse-riding was the end of the itinerary, but I had planned something big for the night. He came to see Sydney, so what better way to see Sydney than aboard a cruise—he was shocked. From the moment we stepped aboard, we were treated like kings. The crew aboard was super fun and helpful. We booked a luxury catamaran and enjoyed a buffet meal. The cruise had spacious outer decks, so we caught the perfect night view of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and many more.

But amongst all the rush and tightly-packed activities, we didn’t really have time to catch up or talk about our lives. However, the dinner cruise gave us ample time for an intense conversation. It was the most peaceful of all the activities we did. We re-lived the time in Germany through our talks and reminisced about the past. And at that moment, we thought—what was the need to do all these activities in a limited time when we could’ve sat somewhere and talked on and on like nothing mattered!

But still, we had a blast on that day and did all the things we could do within a meagre time. He stayed at my home for the night and we ended the day with a horror-thriller movie. The next day, I dropped Finn and his family at the airport.
It was only one day, but those fleeting moments in Sydney made me contemplate on the eternal nature of friendship.
For more details: https://www.australiancruisegr....oup.com.au/sydney/di