Much literature is available on Sydney, so we will just add a few comments about this spectacular city.
From Okinawa, we flew via Taiwan,on China Airlines, which was fairly painless. China Air has a great multimedia system - you get your own screen, and can pick from a bunch of movies, watching them whenever you want. The food wasn't bad, either. The train from Sydney's airport into downtown costs 14 Australian dollars ($A) at time of our visit. It makes a loop around downtown, including a stop a Circular Quay, home of the Sydney Ferries.
Taking a ferry across the harbour is one of the highest yield things you can do. The views are amazing, the fares are reasonable, you can sit inside or outside, and the destinations are also great. A tourist favourite is Manly, a beach community blessed with a port on one side and a string of beaches on the other, the two sides within easy walking distance. Lots of cafes and restaurants. Ferries also go to Taronga Zoo, and from there you can get a bus up the hill to Mosman and Middle Head. The entire coastline, from North Head (accessible from Manly) around bays, beaches, and inlets via Middle Head all the way to Taronga zoo has a continuous trail through the protected bushland. You have to give credit to community groups and planners for preserving this area and maintaining public access to one of the most beautiful chunks of coastline in the world. In many other countries, the only people allowed on this type of land are the rich people who own mansions there (or the people who work for said rich people). Instead, due to diligence fighting off the developers (and politicians who stood to get kickbacks), all Australians and visitors in the know can enjoy this national treasure.
A shorter trip is over to Milson's point / North Sydney. This area also abounds with cafes and restaurants, and interesting buildings. You can walk along the coastline here, and recently a track has been constructed heading roughly east from the bridge (away from Luna park) which provides great front-on views of the Opera house and skyline.
The Syndey commuter train system is fast, clean, and not terribly expensive. What the Western suburbs lack in glamour and ocean views they make up for in fantastic, inexpensive ethnic food. We went to Parramata for Malaysian and Harris Park for Indian. Foodies should turn to websites, including sydneyeats.com and grabyourfork.com to find places of interest. Virtually any cuisine can be found in Sydney, with the notable exception of good Latin American food, especially Mexican. Best bets are middle eastern and asian cuisine, given that Australia has accepted a large number of immigrants from those regions. Be aware most restaurants are BYO for wine and beer, and charge a nominal corkage fee. This should not exceed 5$A per person.
Finally, many tourists (especially those from the USA) plan a 10 day journey to Australia during which they plan to see Sydney, Ayers Rock, the Barrier Reef, and maybe even squeeze in a trip to New Zealand. This, sadly, will accomplish nothing by attempting so much. Sydney itself deserves an entire week. There are a ton of great neighborhoods with traditional architecture, one of the best (and free!) botanical gardens in the world, beautiful beaches, and great food, coffee, wine, and people watching. And the Blue Mountains are just an hour away, offering a different atmosphere and scenery, and hikes ranging from mini to advanced. Linger and enjoy.
