To complete this challenge, I spoke to my amazing readers…who shared with me their favourite memories of Sydney. Some of the ideas come from Australians living in London, who miss home. Others are from Londoners who visited Oz many years ago…but wanted to share their memories. And the rest? Well. They come from me. I have learnt a lot about Sydney thanks to our Awesome tour…so thought I’d include some of my discoveries.

If I won a trip to Sydney, these are the top places I’d like to go…

• 1. Afternoon Tea at The Beautiful QVB Tea Rooms.

Set in what was once the Grand Ballroom of the landmark Queen Victoria Building, the Tea Rooms has been transformed into one of Sydney’s most beautiful dining establishments. I can think of nothing nicer than relaxing with friends in this beautiful setting, sipping tea from Royal Albert china tea cups, nibbling on scones with freshly made jam and clotted cream, sampling the delicious finger sandwiches and then finishing of the experience with a glass of crisp French Champagne. An absolute dream of an afternoon,  experiencing the best of modern luxury whilst surrounded by years of heritage. Perfection.

• 2. Shopping at Paddington Markets

Every Saturday, whatever the weather, you will find 250 stalls selling a wide range of products at Paddington Market. From gorgeous unique fashion, jewellery, homeware, furniture, leather goods, beauty and health products  to photography and a whole host of crafts, you can find it here. There is also a food area where you can sit, have lunch or a snack and enjoy foods such as Himalayan, Good old Aussie BBQ, Thai, Organic or Home made soup…and enjoy freshly squeezed juices or delicious coffee. The Markets are also a magnet for Sydney’s street culture, with street performers creating an atmosphere that is off beat, fun and uniquely Paddington. My kind of place.

• 3. A day at Luna Park

At nearly 80 years old, Luna Park is a heritage listed site that has had a turbulent history, involving legal battles, changes of ownership and periods of closure. However, it has now regained it’s rightful title as Sydney’s premier theme park and is in fact the largest theme park in New South Wales. After entering the park through a 9m wide smiling face you will reach the 5 distinct areas full of rides, function rooms, amusements, a huge concert area that seats up to 3000 people, children’s areas and food and drink stands. Popular features include The Rotor, The Skylab Ferris Wheel, TumbleBug, Dodgem City, Wild Mouse, The Flying Saucer and The Ranger, the only roller-coaster of its type in Australia. The park is open all year round – 7 days a week in school holidays or 4 days a week at all other times.

• 4. Sydney’s Seafood Market

As the largest market of it’s type in the Southern hemisphere, the Fish Market auctions over 100 species of fish per day. People go there to pick up the freshest fish, sourced nationally and internationally, to either cook at home, or to have prepared for them to eat while sitting at the harbour, watching the theatre of the fishermen coming and going and taking in the beautiful views. The market is also the home of the famous Sydney Seafood School – one of the country’s finest cooking schools – with over 12,000 people attend classes each year.

• 5. Ferry from Manly Beach to Sydney Harbour

One of the best experiences for first time visitors to Sydney. The moment the ferry turns the corner for the first time and you are confronted with one of the most exciting views you will ever see – Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge looming large in front of you. Make sure you stand at the front of the ferry and have our camera’s ready. Awesome sight.

• 6. Spending the day at Manly Beach

Once you have got the ferry back to Manly, it’s a great place to spend a day if you feel like being active…or not. It’s all happening here – rollerblading, surfing, snorkeling, skate boarding, street markets, or for the sun-worshipers, a spot of sunbathing on the golden sand. This is one of the best spots for blading in NSW, with a great path running along the beachfront. For a longer run, set off in Manly Vale, follow the cycle path to Manly Lagoon, then to the sea, then along the Shelly Beach. This is about 4 kilometres of easy skating. If you’d like a hill or two, there are some good slopes in Manly Vale. You may even see some humpback whales if you’re lucky.

And the best bit of the day – after all that activity – is that you can choose to relax with a beer in many of the seaside bars…or get back on a boat and watch the most beautiful sunset over the opera house and the coat-hanger. Heaven.