Gaiz, as you know, I’m hooked on Kyoto Animation’s Free! So when a college friend who had plans to visit Sydney saw the end card of Free’s 11th episode, she immediately sent me a private message asking if we can go there. Now how am I to refuse a friend? More so have a chance to share a moment with Rin?

Well this precious boy may have had a sad story in Australia, but it sure was fun in finding this area.

Finding Matsuoka Rin

I really didn’t have problems finding Rin because someone in tumblr has tipped that the location is actually by the North Sydney Olympic Pool. As such, it was easy to google the map and realized that it takes a 10 minute ferry ride to head there.

This ferry ride leaves at Wharf No. 5 at Circular Quay. A ferry ride costs $11.60 for a return ticket. The trip

The ferry you must take is the ferry that heads towards Darling Harbour. It’s first stop should be at Milson’s Point Ferry Wharf. That’s the station which you will depart.

Now this was my first time to take this ferry with the full intention of taking a photograph similar to Rin’s melancholic afternoon. Interestingly, my friend and I decided to meet in the afternoon. To add, daylight savings time just happened so our intended sunset shot was robbed from us by an hour. Either way, a shot was a shot and my friend and her family were enthusiastic in enjoying the view of the harbor. So we took our shots and they oggled the architecture. 10 minutes later, we arrive by the wharf and realized, we didn’t have to go far to take the shot.

Witnessing Matsuoka Rin

As soon as you exit the ferry, the waiting area is actually one of the perfect places to have the same angle as Rin’s. Actually, Rin’s enlarged profile is quite difficult. There was a lot of crouching involved and if we were a bit further (and closer to the ferris wheel), the opera house would be much too small. It was a tough shot but somehow, my friend and I pulled through.

Interestingly, posing in this area wasn’t that difficult and fortunately, my friend and I had backpacks to mimic Rin’s shot.

The photos were still not perfect for this shot. I think if we had time, maybe we could possibly find the perfect place. I’m mulling over whether it would have been best if we stood near the Sydney Olympic Pool but I’m not quite sure just yet. Personally, I think it would have been too far and I’m thinking that if there was a best shot, it would have been taken from the ferry’s second balcony, a few minutes before it docks to the Milson’s Point Wharf. Well, we’ll have to see on a next trip, but for now, my friend and I were much too amused to share this moment with Rin!

Just so you know, we did check out the pool! The North Sydney Olympic Swimming Pool is open to the public and you can take a swim there if you wish. They also have lessons and such so if you want to connect further with Rin’s feels, then go ahead and have a swim.

What amused my friend and I was how people actually knew how to swim in the pool. Meaning, the people who swam (and it seemed like they were not athletes or anything) actually knew how to turn under the water and do free style laps. Had it been Manila, most kids would be just wading in the pool, I think.

Beside the Olympic Swimming pool is an open lot that had a fair and a ferris wheel. We… honestly didn’t bother though. I think my friend and I were plenty pleased about having shared that Rin moment. It was such a fun “location hunting” moment that I’m thinking of plotting other location hunts for future trips! KyoAni seems to pull a lot of fun places so we’ll see. Perhaps, I’ll plan a trip to “Iwatobi” someday!

We’ll see in the next water time!