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King's Cross has long been acknowledged as Sydney's seediest part of town, from the well known 'wall' (nearby Darlinghurst) where prostitutes flaunt their wares to the nightclubs (and strip clubs) of the main drag. The irony is that while the reputation remains, King's Cross is slowly being taken over by the cashed up city workers who crave its convenient location close to town.

King's Cross, for all its filth (and there was, by all accounts, plenty of that... all the drugs, sex and assorted bad behaviour that goes along with any self respecting red light district) was actually comprised of a rich tapestry of eclectic, off-beat Sydneysiders and had an underlying charm in its Victorian mansions and quite elegant streetscapes.

Old Victorian Sydney is, in Kings Cross, posited against the neon flashing of the ostentatious Coca Cola sign which is so distinctive of 'The Cross'. Anyone interested in King's Cross or Sydney's Victorian past would be well advised to get hold of a copy of 'Aunts Up The Cross' by Robin Dalton.

King's Cross is conveniently served by buses and trains. The Eastern train line from Town Hall or Martin Place will quickly take you to 'The Cross', just a few stops out of the centre of Sydney.

Kiama is a town of contradictions. On the one hand, it's beautiful and full of those distinctive South Coast houses of wooden constructruction (a kind of layered board effect) in a faintly Victorian style with the quintessential Aussie balcony. There's such a lovely seaside vibe colliding with a strong sense of recent history. The South Coast region was once full of cedar and timber was a major industry within the region, and the remains of this past can be seen in the beautiful trees lining the Kiama foreshore.

Overlaid upon this charming scene is the aforementioned 'other hand', which is the high drama of the sea crashing in against Kiama's high cliffs. Most spectacular of all is the Kiama 'blowhole', which claims at least one tourist every year as they are drawn down to investigate the exciting depths of the hole in the rock through which mighty bursts of sea spray are thrust. Bad idea. Best idea is to stand politely by the blowhole and just enjoy the smell of the salt and the energy of the sea.

The nicest way to get to Kiama from Sydney is via train from Central Station. The train journey travels down the Illawarra Escarpment with amazing views of the ocean as it appears from behind the green of a State Forest. It is a longish trip (more than two hours) but totally worth it.

An English visitor might find that Moss Vale is home from home. It's green and lush with a decidedly cooler temperature than Sydney and a fresher, crisper atmosphere than the mugginess which permeates the coastal areas. Lying just in from the coast, Moss Vale is part of the Southern Highlands region of NSW and is only a drive of an hour and a half from Sydney on a very straight and comfortable freeway.

The Southern Highlands region is known for country style and lush green pastures. The South Coast and its hinterland were predominantly farmed as dairy country (cows like grass!). There's a delightful old world charm about the town that stems back to a lost time of butter churns and home made scones.

Moss Vale is a fantastic day trip for any visitor to Sydney, and if time permits; a great place to settle down for a few days and recharge the batteries while enjoying the countryside. Surrounding areas offer everything from forest to mountain to sea: so it's well worth the trip.

Summer Hill is a delight, truly. Once the getaway place for stressed out Victorians looking for an escape from city pressures, Summer Hill now represents part of the inner western fringe lying just beyond the city centre: hardly a blissful retreat. Yet, somehow, it is more peaceful in Summer Hill than any surrounding suburbs, Filled with Victorian terraces and Art Deco blocks of 4 (two up, two down in heavy double-brick construction), it's elegant and quaint with beautiful tree lined streets and a village atmosphere.

Summer Hill has a handy train station on the all stops to Liverpool line and offers a small shopping strip, village style, with just a single cute little supermarket. Young people like the proximity to town, families the village atmosphere and older people the peacefulness.