So yes! ive made it safely to Sydney, Friday morning somewhere around 9am. It was cloudy when the plane touched down, not what I was wishing for. I did come here for the sunshine! Got picked up at the airport after watching a really lame proposal at the customs gate, and searching for my driver for about 40 minutes. Got a mini tour of the city, saw the opera house from the car. And then I really started to feel the jet lag. I did find out indeed that the philies lost the world series when I got to Auckland, and I was sitting there with the shirt on. Thank god they dont really watch the world series out here. Except when I got on the plane the flight attendant was wise enough to tell me that I shouldn't be wearing the shirt. Another one had said I looked pretty ‘fresh’ for flying for 23 hours. I just laughed because really I couldn't wait to wash my hair.
So I arrived at the hostel, which I could say is better than some hotels I've stayed in. Really really clean. Its YHA railway check it out...
Yha.com.au - Railway Square
I wish I was in the railway car, but my package didn't come with that option. A really huge communal area exists, where everyone uses the kitchen hangs out on their laptops on the couches, chatting to fellow travelers etc.
My first day I was determined to explore, so I started walking because I couldn't actually check in until 1pm, and it was only 10am. I eventually walked down the main strip looked in some shops, managed not to use a map and saw a lot within a few hours. Also purchased my stone age nokia pre paid phone. Talk, text and an alarm. And I have to say its nice not having a crackberry at my fingertips. Making my way back to the hostel, I eventually checked in around 5pm, and I thought I was going to crash from all the walking and the jet lag, but then there was an announcement to go to the ‘rocks’ where there was a festival going on that night. I told myself I wasn't tired and decided to go so I could try and get used to this time down under, and meet some people. The “ROCKS” is known as Australia's historic area with some of the oldest buildings in it. We wound up taking a bus and I felt like I was in New York again when this old lady screamed “move it blondie!” when I was trying to pay the bus driver. Eventually made it to the rocks, which I later discovered I had actually walked by on my exploration earlier that day. Its right on the opposite side of the opera house. Sydney is much smaller than I expected it to be, but it’s so cute clean and other than the hag on the bus the friendliest city I've ever been in. I had my first beer in Sydney at a bar near the festival, a delicious Tooheys. They don't have fosters here if anyone was curious, at least I haven't seen it in any bars so far. So maybe its American-Australian for beer. I also ate a lamb-rosemary sausage sandwich, which was absolutely delicious! Walked around this little festival, saw a man playing music really well with plastic and glass bottles. Really interesting. And then it starting raining or should I say spitting. the rain here is so weird, very misty. Still managed to stand in the spit with two other mates that I had met on this little journey from the hostel. We then after eventually getting soaked made our way back to the hostel after we waited for a bus for about 30 minutes. I PASSED out when I got to my room, and didn't wake up once until the next morning. That's what jet lag will do to you. Another girl in my room had said there were really loud people outside that kept her up all night.
My second day was another wandering journey but this time I made it down to Darling Harbor, Cockle Bay, and all the way to the opera house. I basically did a perimeter of the entire city. Went to the grocery store just to get a few things, and grapes are $9.72 a kilo! Must have been grown by some really special people. There are a few random things I've noticed that are crazy expensive. Grapes for one, also ice cream $5 for a small! And believe me I'm the queen of ice cream but for one scoop that's a bit ridiculous. But everything else is relatively on the cheapo side. Oh and they don't really have filtered coffee here, its called a long black, and its made from espresso beans, which just seems more difficult to me but its delicious. The driving on the other side of the street has thrown me off a bit when I cross the street, almost been clipped by a bus more than once. I met a very nice travel buddy when I got back to my hostel on Sat., Tom, he and I got into conversation about Quantas cracking his guitar on the way back from Ayers Rock. Totally sucks. But now I absolutely can’t wait to see that huge rock/mountain after hearing about it. Wound up meeting up with him and his friend from New York that night at a decent hotel bar that overlooked the bridge and opera house, and what a small world it is his friend is doing some consulting work for Perkins+Will. Got a free drink from some sambuca promoters, too.
Sunday I went to Manly beach to the Manly beach surfing festival. It was rainy, but it was still a pretty neat area/scenery. They were doing this synchronized tandem surfing acrobats. I can barely sit on a surf board so I give them props. I'm going to put myself into a surf camp soon though, no worries. And hopefully I can start pulling tricks like that out of my sleeve. Wound up walking a scenic perimeter of manly beach, and then up some mountain looking for aboriginal art that some hippie who came out from the bushes said there was. I only found graffiti, oh and a lizard! The first creature I've seen thus far. I don't think the kangaroos really like to hang out with the city folk. Went to a really delicious cafe along the beachfront, and had some grilled pacific Dori. Deliciousss. After drying off headed back to the ferry, and back into Sydney. When we got back into Sydney the sun comes out of coarse. Went and had some beers at one of the many ‘first’ bars in Sydney. Then later on went to some late night dim sum place in china town, where they had porridge on the menu, and I just had to order it. Was also pretty decent.
My fellow backpacking friend Tom left Monday morning for New Zealand. After talking about NZ with him and a lot of other travelers, especially with a girl in my dorm who just got into Sydney from being there for an entire year, I knew for sure I want to see more than just the sunrise at the airport. So I figured before I start working why not do a bit of traveling. I'm also in limbo of finding a place to settle. So, this is time to do things that Ill never have the chance to do again. My travel itinerary has gradually expanded, wanting to wander a lot more than what I originally intended. When you talk to people who have these first hand experiences its hard not to get caught up in their suggestions. Its so easy to do it over here too, there are so many hostels to just call the night before you arrive, and no one really has plans til the day of. I went into the travel office of the group I planned my trip with, and they found a super cheap airfare to Christ-Church, and I'm leaving on Friday for 11 days. To explore me some NZ. I'm so excited! Its a bit like some NJ/NY temperature right now, but it is supposed to be crazy beautiful because we are nearing the end of spring over in this part of the world. Mountains, Seals, Hot Pools, Glaciers, Hobbit Huts.
Today I had a 6 hr RSA course, to get my Responsible for Serving Alcohol certificate. Hopefuly when I arrive back from New Zealand it gives me a job on that yacht I have my eyes on. The BAC for drunk driving in .05 here. At home its .08, and they consider that 7 times greater than the legal limit. crazy! Also if an intoxicated person is served alcohol, some drunk police can come in and fine you $11,000, and its not illegal or offensive to be intoxicated, no drunk in public tickets over here! Serve someone under 18, and you can get hit with 5,500, and them 20 bucks. But I passes, first test ive taken since I think April. I dont know how anyone couldnt pass it, how do you not know 3 signs of intoxication. Its just a matter of not getting in trouble by the drunk police.
So in Australia, so far so good or you could say AMAZING. I'm meeting so many people, from so many different places. And everyone is in this certain frame of mind, and that is...No Worries...
Missing all of you <3
