| Frequently Asked Questions . |
Who the heck are you?
We are friends who happen to be architects. We began talking and walking about the city (really about the city) in 2000, because frankly, someone needed to. We love cities, what they house and what they reveal but we also understand them. What drives them, what makes them tick. We use architecture to open up other conversations - political, cultural, environmental. So architecture becomes our lens to unpack and repack the city. More info on us here |
I've heard your tours are awesome. Is it true?
Yep. |
I've heard your tours are funny. Is it true?
Yep.
-A skeleton walks into a bar and asks for a glass of milk and a mop..
See. And that was just a taste. |
I'm not an architect or designer - does it matter?
Nope. The conversations are about the city from an architectural perspective. They are not tours-for-architects. That kind of conversations is generally pretty dry and full of jargon and technical mumbo-jumbo. Ours are full of little words and big ideas. We reckon, when it comes down to it, city making is not that complicated. If an idea is any good it should be easy to communicate. And no jargon. Promise! |
When do you program dates?
We program dates seasonally - usually 2-3 months in advance. Tours generally fall on a Wednesday or Sunday morning. Public tours take a break through winter. |
Do you accept bribes if there is a particular walk on a particular date I have in mind
Yes we do. |
Do you do school groups?
Yep. Though strictly speaking we don't 'do' school groups. We take all kinds of groups for walks though. Schools. Universities, Corporate groups. 1/2 day, 1 day, 5 day itineraries as well. See Custom Tours for more information and email us with your request. We will quote you on the spot. |
Can I be spontaneous and just rock up to a tour without buying a ticket?
Yes you can. But you will have to pay cash (and bring the right money please). And we can't guarantee that there will be spaces or that the tour will run if you haven't booked. Safer to call or text first. 0403 888 390 |
What percentage of my satisfaction is guaranteed?
One hundred percent. If you're not completely satisfied, we'll do pretty much anything - within the laws of physics - to satisfy you. If all else fails, we're happy to give you a refund. |
Where can I enter my Discount Code?
Uh, try where it says 'Enter Discount Code'. Choose a date and tour first though. |
Will I be charged a ticketing fee, sales tax or GST extra?
Nope. That would be mean. |
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Expres, Paypal, Google Express and hugs. Only kidding. We don't do Google Express. |
Do I need a paypal account to pay?
Nope. |
How do I change/cancel an order I just placed?
You can change or cancel any order up to 72 hours before the tour online. |
Is the site secure?
Yes. |
Is my privacy protected?
Yes. Its as safe as Fort KnoX except Fort Knox is easy to find. |
What about gift vouchers and gift certificates?
You can buy Gift Vouchers / Gift Certificates for all our tours here |
How do vouchers work?
Select one of the tours. Choose the number of tickets you would like to purchase. Pay for them. We then email you a receipt and within 48 hours a personalised voucher with any extra information you've added (like who the voucher is for). The voucher has a Discount Code that is then typed in when the voucher is redeemed. |
How long are vouchers valid for?
They are valid for 6 month from the purchase date. |
Can vouchers be exchanged for a different tour?
Yes they can. Our eCommerce system means we can only sell vouchers for particular tours, but by emailing us they can be changed. |
Why would I come on a SAW tour for $35 bucks when I could do a [insert silly/fashionable/touristic/dumbed down idea here] tour for $90. The $90 one must be loads better, right?
Give us a break. We are not interested in touristic ideas or ripping you off. We care about what we do. Our tours are important because ideas are important and cities give incredible insight into a place and a culture. Our tours are an old-school forum on the city and our prices are old-school as well. If you want to get taken for a ride pay the $90 and good luck to you. And if you enjoy being taken for a ride there are loads of other ways to blow money in this city. |
Why would I come on your tour and not the 1000 other tours in Sydney?
If you're really interested in things, in cities, in the ideas behind things then this is the place for you. We have been researching the city for 11 years and bring to the conversation our expertise as architects and designers. These are not lightweight, lowest-common-denominator tours. They are about the city. Really about the city; what drives it and makes it tick. They're like a crash course in urbanism and architecture. The juicy stuff. The why stuff. The what its all about stuff. Because we know our stuff. Another reason you should come is that we don't wear bad suits, we're not really guides at all, and because we spent 5 years studying architecture and have a big chip on our shoulder.
SAW is not our real job (which is designing bits and pieces of the city). SAW is our research and our passion. Our tours are carefully crafted urban narratives and we reckon they're a little bit special. |