Just got back from a 10 day trip to Sydney Australia and was blown away, here are my observations as an American

So this was my wife and I’s first trip to Sydney, and we were blown away by the beauty of the area with the combination of the Ocean and mountains and most of all the people. We met so many great people and made a few friends along the way. I have traveled all over the world and I have to say this was one of my favorites so far. Here are my observations;<br><br>1. It’s a very safe city. I felt comfortable walking alone at night and taking public transportation. Very stable country.<br><br>2. People in Sydney are extremely friendly and respectful. I had people walk up to me to ask if I needed help getting anywhere. So many times at restaurants or places where we stopped to eat, people next to us would start conversations and ask where we were from and what we did for a living. They seemed genuinely interested in us and wanted to learn more. We had a lot of respect for the people and would be honored to call them friends.<br><br>3. I saw zero homeless people on our trip and very few pan handlers. And when we did they were not aggressive.<br><br>4. Sydney is expensive, like New York City expensive. But, if you make good money you can have a great life there. We saw many restaurants that were reasonably priced and met some people who were living there for a few years from other countries and they all seemed to be doing well. We had dinner with a couple from Norway who have lived there for 6 years now and they said they have never lived better in their lives and are thinking of staying.<br><br>5. I observed that there is a shortage of workers for jobs that pay around $25 an hour, similar to the US. Many people from other countries are moving there to work these jobs.<br><br>6. The people are very laid back. We saw several people at the airport with no shoes on. Many people walking around the city in flip flops, and most people working in retail or restaurants wore casual clothes. <br><br>7. There are not many tall buildings in Sydney. And, I did not see any slum areas.<br><br>8. Sydney is the best big city, Ocean combination I have ever seen. There is so much to do both on land and in the Ocean and you are never more than 30 minutes away from the Ocean. And, there are several beaches in Sydney including the famous Bondi Beach and Manly Beach which are both incredible. <br><br>9. Public transportation is easy to use and they have a lot of options. We used the trains, busses, and ferries, including a ferry to Manly Beach. Most people we met use public transportation and some don’t even own a car. Uber’s are also widely available.<br><br>10. They have a lot of parks and outdoor areas to walk and bike. A lot of people were walking, jogging, or biking in these parks.<br><br>11. Food was great, and being on the Ocean there is a lot of fresh seafood available. The seafood was great, and often times we got it at casual places for cheaper than a burger.<br><br>12. There are so many immigrants there. We met people there from all over the world including several from the US. We met two couples from Utah who were there for work. One guy was a doctor and the other worked at a University. We also met a woman from Michigan who worked in IT. She has been there for 3 years and is thinking of staying forever. <br><br>13. And, for those who have experienced it, you will understand, but they have no tipping culture. We ate at so many places and from what we observed people just rounded up the bill. And, the service was always great.<br><br>We will definitely be back and if they gave us residency and a good job we would probably move there.