Now that I've safely left Australia I feel I can write this post .... it would've been bad luck if I'd done it earlier.

While I was traveling through the land down under, I was constantly paranoid about running into a large animal with a ferocious bite or small one with enough venom to kill a village. The saying "All animals in Australia can and will kill you" kept running through my head.

The truth is less dramatic than that. The odds of you getting killed by an animal is smaller than being hit by lightning.

Every long term traveler dreads being stuck in an expensive city, trying to figure out how to make their dollar stretch.

Most world travelers dream of visiting Sydney, but then on arrival are shocked to see how expensive everything is. It's easily one of the most expensive places I've traveled to, rivaling my experience in Switzerland. Despite the fact the Australian dollar was down 30% against the US dollar when I visited, I still found myself sweating my finances.

Having to weigh the cost of every purchase sucks the enjoyment out of exploring a new destination. So I've decided to make a list of free attractions in Sydney, that'll hopefully reduce the hit your wallet.

The Blue Mountains is one of the most popular day trips from Sydney. It's made up of 7 separate national parks, covering 10,000 square kms and it's recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The vistas on display in this area are simply breathtaking. You have soaring mountain tops standing over deep valleys, incredible rock formations, lots of hiking trails, ornate gardens and idyllic local villages. You can't come to Sydney and not visit the Blue Mountains.

My favorite way to explore a new place is by walking. It's the best way to appreciate the local architecture, discover small hidden shops and get a feel for the rhythm of a city.

Sydney is the perfect city to explore by foot. It's flat, compact and most tourist attractions are within close proximity to one another.

This tour, taken leisurely, is doable in a day and will carry you across the main things you'll want to see in Sydney.

So you've finally made it to Sydney and you only have a day to see the town.

First question I have is .... how's that possible? You don't fly half way around the world and only spend a day in this incredible town.

Ignoring the circumstance that's forced you to limit your time to 24 hours, the second question to answer is where should you go and what to see?

The good news, a day is enough time to see the top tourist destinations and get a taste of Sydney's culture. The bad news, you still haven't seen everything.

Times a wasting ..... lets start our tour of Sydney.

It's hard to believe that my time in Australia is over, I guess all good things must come to an end. I wanted to wrap up my travels in the land of Oz on a high note (not that there were any bad notes on this journey) so I picked Sydney to be my final destination. This city is the perfect ambassador for Australia. It embodies the dynamic free spirit of this nation. It's rich in history and culture, and even though you're in a big city your only a drive away from amazing national parks and natural wonders.

To help you plan your time in Sydney, below is my list Sydney's top attractions that you must visit.