From Mumbai to Sydney: Our Vivid Sydney Journey
The first time I ever heard the words “Vivid Sydney” was way back in 2014. That year, we had an Aussie exchange student named Steve join our class. A true-blue Sydneysider, Steve would talk about the Vivid Sydney festival with so much excitement and wonder, it instantly grabbed our attention. What kind of event could get someone that fired up?
Jump ahead ten years, and our close-knit college crew of four was planning our next overseas adventure—a tradition we’ve stuck to every three years. We’d already ticked off Spain and Vietnam, and this time, Australia was finally on the cards. While mapping out our itinerary, Steve’s glowing tales of Vivid Sydney popped back into my mind—and just like that, it earned a spot on the list.
We picked three stops: Cairns, Sydney, and Hobart—spending two days in each. The plan was pretty straightforward: snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, soak up the Vivid Sydney vibes, then finish strong at the Dark MOFO festival in Hobart. After a couple of sunny, tropical days up north, we flew into Sydney—and that’s when the real magic kicked off.
Lunch Cruises Sydney – The Perfect Start
Every “what to do in Sydney” list seemed to mention one thing—lunch cruises, Sydney-style. So naturally, we locked that in first. And it was absolutely worth it. We boarded a sleek catamaran with roomy outdoor decks that gave us jaw-dropping views of the harbour.
For anyone outside Australia, Sydney is basically the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge—and cruising past those icons with the city skyline behind us was unreal. We glided by sights like Luna Park, Fort Denison and more—an absolute visual treat. Throw in a tasty buffet lunch, and we had the perfect start to our Sydney stint.
With Vivid Sydney set to kick off after sundown, we had a few hours to spare. That’s when one of us had a spontaneous idea.
The Hunt for Steve
Without Steve, we probably never would’ve thought of visiting Sydney. So we felt this sudden urge to reconnect. But since we knew him pre-Instagram, we didn’t have a single way to contact him. Our first step—reaching out to our college—was a dead end thanks to privacy rules. So we did what any determined bunch of old mates would do: contacted a professor we were close to, who was now the Head of Department. Luckily, he still remembered us and worked a bit of magic.
Eventually, we landed a phone number—Steve’s dad’s. At first, he thought it was just another scam call from India, but after some convincing, he passed on Steve’s contact.
Talking to Steve after ten years felt wild. We made plans to meet up near Darling Harbour. And there he was—not the carefree 19-year-old we remembered, but a full-grown 29-year-old, married and a dad to a cheeky two-year-old. He invited us over to his place, and we caught up like no time had passed—laughing, sharing old memories, even getting a bit teary-eyed. Steve was genuinely touched we’d gone to the effort to find him. Before we left, he insisted on joining us for Vivid Sydney—and just like that, we had our very own local legend to show us around.
Vivid Sydney – A Festival of Lights and Memories
Now we finally got it—why Steve had raved about Vivid Sydney all those years ago. It wasn’t just a festival—it was a full-blown experience. A massive celebration of light, music, art, ideas, and of course, food. Nearly 10 kilometres of the city lit up with incredible light installations—not just pretty lights, but meaningful displays that told stories and stirred emotion.
Steve led us through the Light Walk, an 8.5-kilometre stretch filled with breathtaking visuals. He shared little stories and local insights along the way, which made the whole thing even more special. The city buzzed with live music, public talks, and heaps of food stalls and pop-ups. We ended up at a cosy little café he recommended, where we had dinner and a long yarn that capped off the night beautifully.
He offered to show us around again the next day, but we politely turned him down—he’d already taken time off work for us, and we didn’t want to take the mickey. As we said our goodbyes that night, there was this warm sense of contentment.
Two days later, we were off to Hobart for Dark MOFO. But honestly? The best part of the trip wasn’t just Vivid Sydney. It was Steve. The festival was brilliant, no doubt—but it was really just the backdrop. The true magic was reconnecting with an old mate after a decade.
At the end of the day, travel isn’t just about ticking off destinations. It’s about the people who make those places unforgettable. And for us, that memory will always shine as brightly as Vivid Sydney itself.
For more details : https://www.australiancruisegroup.com.au/sydney/lunch-cruises
The first time I ever heard the words “Vivid Sydney” was way back in 2014. That year, we had an Aussie exchange student named Steve join our class. A true-blue Sydneysider, Steve would talk about the Vivid Sydney festival with so much excitement and wonder, it instantly grabbed our attention. What kind of event could get someone that fired up?
Jump ahead ten years, and our close-knit college crew of four was planning our next overseas adventure—a tradition we’ve stuck to every three years. We’d already ticked off Spain and Vietnam, and this time, Australia was finally on the cards. While mapping out our itinerary, Steve’s glowing tales of Vivid Sydney popped back into my mind—and just like that, it earned a spot on the list.
We picked three stops: Cairns, Sydney, and Hobart—spending two days in each. The plan was pretty straightforward: snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, soak up the Vivid Sydney vibes, then finish strong at the Dark MOFO festival in Hobart. After a couple of sunny, tropical days up north, we flew into Sydney—and that’s when the real magic kicked off.
Lunch Cruises Sydney – The Perfect Start
Every “what to do in Sydney” list seemed to mention one thing—lunch cruises, Sydney-style. So naturally, we locked that in first. And it was absolutely worth it. We boarded a sleek catamaran with roomy outdoor decks that gave us jaw-dropping views of the harbour.
For anyone outside Australia, Sydney is basically the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge—and cruising past those icons with the city skyline behind us was unreal. We glided by sights like Luna Park, Fort Denison and more—an absolute visual treat. Throw in a tasty buffet lunch, and we had the perfect start to our Sydney stint.
With Vivid Sydney set to kick off after sundown, we had a few hours to spare. That’s when one of us had a spontaneous idea.
The Hunt for Steve
Without Steve, we probably never would’ve thought of visiting Sydney. So we felt this sudden urge to reconnect. But since we knew him pre-Instagram, we didn’t have a single way to contact him. Our first step—reaching out to our college—was a dead end thanks to privacy rules. So we did what any determined bunch of old mates would do: contacted a professor we were close to, who was now the Head of Department. Luckily, he still remembered us and worked a bit of magic.
Eventually, we landed a phone number—Steve’s dad’s. At first, he thought it was just another scam call from India, but after some convincing, he passed on Steve’s contact.
Talking to Steve after ten years felt wild. We made plans to meet up near Darling Harbour. And there he was—not the carefree 19-year-old we remembered, but a full-grown 29-year-old, married and a dad to a cheeky two-year-old. He invited us over to his place, and we caught up like no time had passed—laughing, sharing old memories, even getting a bit teary-eyed. Steve was genuinely touched we’d gone to the effort to find him. Before we left, he insisted on joining us for Vivid Sydney—and just like that, we had our very own local legend to show us around.
Vivid Sydney – A Festival of Lights and Memories
Now we finally got it—why Steve had raved about Vivid Sydney all those years ago. It wasn’t just a festival—it was a full-blown experience. A massive celebration of light, music, art, ideas, and of course, food. Nearly 10 kilometres of the city lit up with incredible light installations—not just pretty lights, but meaningful displays that told stories and stirred emotion.
Steve led us through the Light Walk, an 8.5-kilometre stretch filled with breathtaking visuals. He shared little stories and local insights along the way, which made the whole thing even more special. The city buzzed with live music, public talks, and heaps of food stalls and pop-ups. We ended up at a cosy little café he recommended, where we had dinner and a long yarn that capped off the night beautifully.
He offered to show us around again the next day, but we politely turned him down—he’d already taken time off work for us, and we didn’t want to take the mickey. As we said our goodbyes that night, there was this warm sense of contentment.
Two days later, we were off to Hobart for Dark MOFO. But honestly? The best part of the trip wasn’t just Vivid Sydney. It was Steve. The festival was brilliant, no doubt—but it was really just the backdrop. The true magic was reconnecting with an old mate after a decade.
At the end of the day, travel isn’t just about ticking off destinations. It’s about the people who make those places unforgettable. And for us, that memory will always shine as brightly as Vivid Sydney itself.
For more details : https://www.australiancruisegroup.com.au/sydney/lunch-cruises
From Mumbai to Sydney: Our Vivid Sydney Journey
The first time I ever heard the words “Vivid Sydney” was way back in 2014. That year, we had an Aussie exchange student named Steve join our class. A true-blue Sydneysider, Steve would talk about the Vivid Sydney festival with so much excitement and wonder, it instantly grabbed our attention. What kind of event could get someone that fired up?
Jump ahead ten years, and our close-knit college crew of four was planning our next overseas adventure—a tradition we’ve stuck to every three years. We’d already ticked off Spain and Vietnam, and this time, Australia was finally on the cards. While mapping out our itinerary, Steve’s glowing tales of Vivid Sydney popped back into my mind—and just like that, it earned a spot on the list.
We picked three stops: Cairns, Sydney, and Hobart—spending two days in each. The plan was pretty straightforward: snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, soak up the Vivid Sydney vibes, then finish strong at the Dark MOFO festival in Hobart. After a couple of sunny, tropical days up north, we flew into Sydney—and that’s when the real magic kicked off.
Lunch Cruises Sydney – The Perfect Start
Every “what to do in Sydney” list seemed to mention one thing—lunch cruises, Sydney-style. So naturally, we locked that in first. And it was absolutely worth it. We boarded a sleek catamaran with roomy outdoor decks that gave us jaw-dropping views of the harbour.
For anyone outside Australia, Sydney is basically the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge—and cruising past those icons with the city skyline behind us was unreal. We glided by sights like Luna Park, Fort Denison and more—an absolute visual treat. Throw in a tasty buffet lunch, and we had the perfect start to our Sydney stint.
With Vivid Sydney set to kick off after sundown, we had a few hours to spare. That’s when one of us had a spontaneous idea.
The Hunt for Steve
Without Steve, we probably never would’ve thought of visiting Sydney. So we felt this sudden urge to reconnect. But since we knew him pre-Instagram, we didn’t have a single way to contact him. Our first step—reaching out to our college—was a dead end thanks to privacy rules. So we did what any determined bunch of old mates would do: contacted a professor we were close to, who was now the Head of Department. Luckily, he still remembered us and worked a bit of magic.
Eventually, we landed a phone number—Steve’s dad’s. At first, he thought it was just another scam call from India, but after some convincing, he passed on Steve’s contact.
Talking to Steve after ten years felt wild. We made plans to meet up near Darling Harbour. And there he was—not the carefree 19-year-old we remembered, but a full-grown 29-year-old, married and a dad to a cheeky two-year-old. He invited us over to his place, and we caught up like no time had passed—laughing, sharing old memories, even getting a bit teary-eyed. Steve was genuinely touched we’d gone to the effort to find him. Before we left, he insisted on joining us for Vivid Sydney—and just like that, we had our very own local legend to show us around.
Vivid Sydney – A Festival of Lights and Memories
Now we finally got it—why Steve had raved about Vivid Sydney all those years ago. It wasn’t just a festival—it was a full-blown experience. A massive celebration of light, music, art, ideas, and of course, food. Nearly 10 kilometres of the city lit up with incredible light installations—not just pretty lights, but meaningful displays that told stories and stirred emotion.
Steve led us through the Light Walk, an 8.5-kilometre stretch filled with breathtaking visuals. He shared little stories and local insights along the way, which made the whole thing even more special. The city buzzed with live music, public talks, and heaps of food stalls and pop-ups. We ended up at a cosy little café he recommended, where we had dinner and a long yarn that capped off the night beautifully.
He offered to show us around again the next day, but we politely turned him down—he’d already taken time off work for us, and we didn’t want to take the mickey. As we said our goodbyes that night, there was this warm sense of contentment.
Two days later, we were off to Hobart for Dark MOFO. But honestly? The best part of the trip wasn’t just Vivid Sydney. It was Steve. The festival was brilliant, no doubt—but it was really just the backdrop. The true magic was reconnecting with an old mate after a decade.
At the end of the day, travel isn’t just about ticking off destinations. It’s about the people who make those places unforgettable. And for us, that memory will always shine as brightly as Vivid Sydney itself.
For more details : https://www.australiancruisegroup.com.au/sydney/lunch-cruises
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