For those of you who haven't been to Sydney, to give you an idea of distance, travelling between the CBD and the north shore is like travelling from Johannesburg to Pretoria. On a good day it can take about 30 minutes. In heavy traffic it can take between an hour and an hour and a half.
 
Sometimes, it can be a  mission to travel over  the harbour bridge or under the tunnel to get to the city from the north shore or vica versa, especially when there is something like a 'footy' (rugby league) match.
When you feel as though you are travelling north on the Ben Schoeman Highway towards Pretoria and you are actuallly travelling South towards the city in Sydney, then you realise that you have a severe orientation problem. Never mind it really does get better.

The rail service to and from the city is very good. Living near a railway line or a bus service is a definite advantage although it can be time consuming and we all know that 'it' is of the essence. Reminds me of the times when I actually spent afternoons with my friends having tea and baby sitting. Gosh, am I dreaming?

Back to reality - we lived on the north shore, in a town house, in a suburb called Marsfield, also known as  'Marsdorp' - just kidding.

The cost of housing in Sydney is very high. The nearer you live to the city, the more expensive  accomodation becomes. It is not unusual to pay between half a million and a million dollars for houses in Sydney. Try translating that into Rands. (Clue - times by aproximately four and don't faint)
Renting in Sydney obviously varies depending on the type of accomodation. However renting a modest 3 bedroomed house on the north shore can cost between $400 to $550 a week. Please bear in mind that this is only a rough guide and will obviously vary.
Roughly, a further $1000 to $1500 a month is required for general living expenses. This is not necessarily taking insurance, education, and medical expenses into account. Once again, please bear in mind  that this also depends on your standard of living and will vary depending on the size and needs of each family. So remember that this is only a general guide.

Andersins is daar nie veel meer om oor te bekommer nie, behalwe dat jou inkoms belasting 'n groot hap uit jou inkomste steel en mens moet jou maar daarby skik. Daar is geen alternatief nie. Die dinges van Transvaal om te betaal is hier sonder opsies en mens moet maar jou lewe daarvolgens skik.

Dan is dit ook kenmerkend dat die weer bureau hier soos die poletiek in S.A. is. As hulle sê (se) dit kom reen, skyn die son en vice-versa. Mens weet nooit wat die weer gaan doen nie!

Maar met sport en die kunste kan jy jou heeltemaal hier uitlewe. Inspirasie vir alles is daar as jy wil deelneem,

Dit vir nou is alles tot volgende keer. Laat ons van julle hoor in Afrikaans.

Mens smag om dit te dink en praat - vroeg of laat!

Bak staan!