Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

FAST FACTS: SYDNEY 103
BY CAR
Traffic restrictions, parking, and congestion can make getting around by car
frustrating, but if you plan to visit some of the outer suburbs or take excursions
elsewhere in New South Wales, then renting a car will give you more flexibility.
The NRMA’s (National Roads and Motorists’ Association—the New South
Wales auto club) emergency breakdown service can be contacted at & 13 11 11.
Car-rental agencies in Sydney include Avis, 214 William St., Kings Cross
(& 1800/225 553); Budget, 93 William St., Kings Cross (& 13 27 27 or 02/9339
8888); Dollar, Domain Car Park, Sir John Young Car Park (& 02/9223 1444);
Hertz, corner of William and Riley streets, Kings Cross (& 13 30 39); and
Thrifty, 75 William St., Kings Cross (& 02/9380 5399). Avis, Budget, Hertz, and
Thrifty also have desks at the airport. Rates average about A$60 (US$39) per day
for a small car. One of the best value operations is Bayswater Car Rentals, 180
William St., Kings Cross (& 02/9360 3622), which has small cars for A$48
(US$31) a day and A$25 (US$16) a day for 6 days or more.
You can rent a campervan from Britz Campervans, 653 Gardeners Rd.,
Mascot, NSW 2020 (& 1800/331 454 in Australia, or 02/9667 0402;
www.britz.com). Plan on about A$105 (US$68) a day for a two-person van in
winter and around $145 (US$94) in summer. Both allow you to drop off your
van at most state capitals and Cairns. It costs an extra A$200 (US$130) for this
convenience.
FAST FACTS: Sydney
American Express The main Amex office is at Level 3, 130 Pitt St., near
Martin Place (& 02/9236 4200). You can cash traveler’s checks here, and it
also acts as a travel booking service. It’s open Monday through Friday from
8:30am to 5pm and Saturday from 9am to noon. Another foreign
exchange office is located on the walkway leading up to the Sydney
Opera House (& 02/9251 1970). If you’ve lost your traveler’s checks, then
you need to go to the head office at 175 Liverpool St. (& 02/9271 1111).
It’s a locked security building, so you’ll need to call ahead first.
Babysitters Dial an Angel (& 02/9416 7511 or 02/9362 4225) offers a wellregarded
babysitting service.
Business Hours General office and banking hours are Monday through
Friday from 9am to 5pm. Many banks, especially in the city center, are
open from around 9.30am to 12:30pm on Saturday. Shopping hours are
usually from 8:30am to 5:30pm daily (9am–5pm Sat), and most stores stay
open until 9pm on Thursday. Most city-center stores are open from
around 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
Currency Exchange Most major bank branches offer currency exchange
services. Small foreign currency exchange offices are clustered at the airport
and around Circular Quay and Kings Cross. Thomas Cook can be
found at the airport; at 175 Pitt St. (& 02/9231 2877), open Monday
through Friday from 6:45am to 5:15pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm;
and on the lower ground floor of the QVB (& 02/9264 1133), open Monday
through Friday from 9am to 6pm (until 9pm Fri), Saturday from 9am
to 6pm, and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.