Public transport is a necessary evil in the daily grind of Sydney life. Since moving here almost nineteen years ago planes have been a source of wonder, excitement and irratation.
When living in Brighton le Sands we were so close to the flight path that we could see our community reflected in the belly of the aircraft. Passengers could be seen gazing from the windows. The noise pollution and vibration was intense. It was no wonder that we looked for quieter surroundings in the Eastern suburbs.
After a couple of years of noise from garbage trucks outside the bedroom window in Paddington we headed to the inner west. Newtown delivered distant plane and train noise and the neighbour from hell. She loved to party in the early hours of Tuesday morning and any other time she fancied.
The town house in Petersham was directly under the approach to the runway. When outside we would pause our conversations until decibel levels returned to normal.
Lewisham was all about the noise from the traffic bombing along a concrete road that joined two arterial roads. We awoke and nodded off to the sound of aeroplanes at either end of the day.
Leichhardt used to be a suburb plagued by aircraft noise. In recent years flight paths have been adjusted to share the intrusion. Mornings and evenings continue to be our designated times. At other times it is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The Etihad flight above has its landing gear down. It is about 15 minutes away from the terminal building.
Thankfully attempts to extend or lift the 11:00 pm to 6:00 am flight curfew have failed.
theINFP 
Wow! Earphones for Christmas? The only problem we every had was when we lived so far out in the country that the near-by army base did their helicopter invasion practices over our land, infrequently, but without warning. The first time we woke to the noise, we literally feared a crises of some sort.
Since we lived on our hundred acres six miles from the nearest small town and accessible only down a dirt road and through a creek, it pretty much shows you can’t escape air traffic in our times. When our son who had lived in Los Angeles for about ten years would come to visit, he would use ear plugs at night, because the katydids, tree frogs, whippoorwills and night owls would keep him awake!
We had a similar experience to your son the first time we stayed in Port Douglas, Queensland. The bush turkeys would run passed the bedroom window emitting a fearful din. In the end we got used to it.
it’s crazy isn’t it! no escape – you’re moving on the flight path 😉
you know I’m in Paddington and while I’m at the wrong end of the house to hear the garbos, summer nights are all party party and car door slams.
at the beach – birds make me smile all times of the day xx
You should move to PEI, the gentle island, no planes and no noisy neighbours anywhere, because everyone knows everybody else.
It sounds like heaven 😀
Ouch