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Hi everyone! Sorry I've not updated, think I'll start to get more spaced out with the blogs - wifi in Australia is very expensive, and the free ones are usually unreliable, but will update at the very least once a week. I've put some more photos on the blog website to make up for it!
So here's how my time in Sydney went:
After posting the last blog I uploaded some photos and sent a few emails off. Had to confirm a few things for my canadian job, and start filling out things they need for (another!) police check.
Texted a few of my friends in Sydney and arranged to meet up at 6. Wandered around a few shopping malls and picked up some cheap biscuits to munch on before I could check in at 2. Dumped my stuff in the dorm and then slept for a bit.
Woke up and showered and got ready before meeting up with my friends. They had managed to find some free drink vouchers, so headed off to the bar to have a few beers. After the vouchers ran out they started doing a deal where we got a hotdog with every beer, so got dinner thrown in aswell!
Headed off for a walk down to the harbor to check out the bridge and the opera house at night - very surreal seeing it all up close after seeing so many photos. Got some cool shots here before agreeing where to meet up the next day and heading back home.
Got back and slept really well despite having a nap during the day. Really not used to how cold it is (lows of 12 degrees!) so think I must be using a lot of energy to keep warm, so need more rest. Did notice I needed less sleep in Thailand.
Woke up and met up at the ferry terminal ready for our adventure to Manly beach! Gave in to the temptation and got a sausage and egg mcmuffin, a hash brown and some orange juice for breakfast. Very yummy! It's tempting to live just on fast food as it's so cheap out here, but I've heard from a few people that you just end up gaining a lot of weight and feeling horrible all the time. So it's really not worth it.
Got our tickets and then headed to the opera house again to get some photos during the day. Got talking to a lovely old couple, and we took turns taking photos of each other.
Got to half 11 and we headed back for our ferry. Got more photos of the bridge and the opera house (this time from the boat!) before settling down for the 30 min boat trip. Arrived at Manly and walked down the high street. Nothing we could afford obviously, as it was all designer shops like quicksilver and billabong, but cool to look in all the same, and it was warmer than being outside! Found Manly beach and sat down for about an hour. Really relaxing watching everyone walk by, and laughing at the crazy people still trying to surf in the freezing cold.
Had a quick flick through the 'What to do in Manly beach' guide we found on the ferry, and found a 2 for 1 voucher for a cool looking fish and chip shop. Headed down to the shop, stopping on the way for a hot chocolate and a bit of a wifi fix. Then took a slight detour for photos of "kangaroo street", before finding the shop. Ended up getting a really cheap massive portion of fish and chips, which was very nice. Guess it helps to live on the coast if you want nice fish.
Headed back along the beach for a nice walk, weather started to close in, with some rain showers, so ducked in a few more shops before it was time to head back. Very tired at this point (we had been walking a lot!) so crashed out on the ferry. Apparently it was the scariest ferry ride ever as there was massive waves which the ferry kept bouncing over, people screaming as it rocked from side to side and torrential rain. Typically I slept through the entire thing.
Got back and walked back to my friends hostel to rest for a bit. He packed up his stuff to head up the east coast the next day on a bus, very jealous - it's apparently about 25 degrees up there and sunny! Walked to my other friends hostel who were doing a special $6 burger, salad and soft drink deal. Had a choice of beef burger or kangaroo burger! So obviously opted for kangaroo. Actually tasted pretty good, went for an Aussie style burger so had pineapple, salad and beetroot in my burger too, sounds odd but was delicious.
They had cooked too much so jumped at the chance to go for seconds. Went from being good value to extremely good value, 2 dinners for $6! After this we sat and chatted for ages, then had coffee and a bit of chocolate before heading back at about midnight.
Said bye to my friend who was leaving for cairns and then headed back to my hostel. Another sound nights sleep, can't believe how tired I am all the time.
Met up the next day with my one remaining mate and we got the train to Bondi junction. About a 30 min walk to Bondi beach (ever seen Bondi beach rescue? Very good show). Had a browse of all the food shops on the way, and planned our lunch.
Got some cool photos along Bondi beach, including the famous lifeguard hut, then took our shoes off and walked across it. Was feeling daring so even dipped my toes in (big mistake - it was freezing!) then headed off to see what the shops were like.
Got a really cool Bondi hoody which I've not stopped wearing, its so nice and warm! Then spotted a place that did 4 massive sushi rolls for $10 so stuffed myself on that.
Headed back along the coast to get back to the train station. Stopping along the way to check out a tattoo shop (I'm thinking of getting my ear pierced - not a tattoo don't worry mum!) got back and took the train to central station.
My friend had been given a whale watching ticket by another friend as she hadnt been able to use it. So walked along to darling harbor to see if he could book himself on for the next day. Unfortunately there arnt any cruises leaving til saturday, so even I can't use it.
Basically every cruise guarantees you will see whales, so if you don't you get a free ticket. Some even refund you the money and give you a free ticket. So they're not going to leave on a cruise unless they're definitely sure they will see whales.
Went back via Sydney's IMAX theatre on the way back. It has the largest screen in the world at 8 stories high! Dug around in our voucher books til we found a 20% off card and booked ourselves in for "sucker punch" that night at 8:30.
Went our separate ways to eat, sleep and relax. Ended up snacking on biscuits and chatting to my room mates. Quick nap before meeting up at 8 outside the theatre. Sat inside for a bit in the warm to wait before getting our seats. Because we had booked earlier we had the best seats - right in the middle of the middle row.
Very exciting seeing the cinema on the inside. It only has one screen, so it had double the amount of chairs to a usual cinema, and 8 stories is a lot bigger than you think close up!
Film was actually really good (would recommend it!) and it was even better on the biggest screen in the world, and with all the surround sound etc...
Finished at about 10:30, so went our separate ways after arranging where to meet up the next day. Got back to find the hostel kitchen closed, so had to make do with more biscuits!
Nice lie in the next day til 12. Met up in Sydney's Chinatown for 'Paddy's Market'. Thought it would be a good place to pick up some presents and cheap clothes, but was quite unimpressed after spending a month in Thailand. Didn't get anything but was pretty cool to look around all the same.
Was quite hungry by now so made our way to the supermarket to stock up. Realised the only realistic way to save money is to cook yourself. Bit weird after eating out literally every night in Thailand. Got some cheap noodles, a jar of sweet and sour sauce and a pack of mystery meat (it says a mixture of ham, chicken and corn starch, but im not so sure.)
Went back to the hostel and cooked up some yummy sweet and sour noodles. Really good value - made a massive pot which I could barely finish, and all for under $1.
Walked to a food court afterwards to sponge off the free wifi at McDonalds. Even treated myself to a little 50 cent ice cream.
After this I ran a few errands with my friend, he left for nz for 6 months the next day so had to move bank accounts and change some money over.
Arranged to meet up at his that night then headed back to my dorm for a bit of a rest. Ended up chatting to my room mates again and dozing off for 20 mins.
Headed down to his for 8 and had a very relaxed evening. Just read and chatted then walked up to the top of his hostel to see the views. Very cool as you can see the opera house and the harbor bridge at the same time. (see photo!) ended up chilling in their tv room watching some crappy show (jersey shore?)
Said a very sad goodbye, wished him luck in nz and said i would give him some dates of where I would be when I get to nz if he wanted to meet up.
Walked back well and truly on my own on the other side of the world. Bit daunting, but kind of fun at the same time. Got back and ended up getting invited out to a bar with my room mates. Sat in our room and drank for a bit before heading out to a really cool bar. Was loving the music all night, reminded me of some very fun nights in koh Phangan. Met up with some very funny aussie girls he works with and had a really fun night out. Partied til the music stopped at 2, then walked to mcdonalds for some chips and a drink.
The girls missed their night bus so we all just chilled out (literally! It was Soooo cold!) at the bus stop til the next one arrived in an hour. Very sad as they all have a big night out planned on Saturday and wanted me to change my bus (bit of a common theme here?) so I could come out!
They're all travelling around the uk next year so agreed to add each other on Facebook and go out for a night in Manchester when they got there.
Finally got back at about 4 and crashed out. Not waking up til about 1. Apparently the cleaner came in at 9 and saw us all out cold and said he would come back later!
Woke up and had a very boring day doing chores. (the less glamourous side of traveling!) washed and dried all my clothes, cooked lunch and dinner, tidied and repacked my bag ready to leave in a few days. (it had been steadily spreading out over my bed over the last week). My friend had also given me the whale ticket to sell, so wrote up an advert for that too.
Had another little nap and a shower to get rid of the hangover and then ended up watching films with my room mates.
Woke up and showered. Very nice feeling putting clean clothes on after my wash yesterday. Had been handwashing them in Thailand and they never quite smelt right.
Walked up to the shopping centers and had a look round, ive done pretty much everything that's free or cheap in Sydney, so just having a nice last relaxing day before getting up for the bus to Melbourne tomorrow.
After getting bored I wandered back and cooked up some noodles, then sat reading my book in the room and chatting to my room mates. Theyre desperately trying to convince me to come out tonight for a last night out, but do have to be up at 6 to catch my bus! Everyone in Sydney is going crazy as it's Friday the 13th. So lots of bars are holding "scary" themed parties.
Walked back to the mall to use the wifi. Got my ear pierced at a hair dressers in the mall so I can use the earring I got in thailand, which is very exciting! But do have to wear the one from the shop for 6 weeks, so chose the smallest plain silver earring til then. It's my left ear if you're interested.
Sat writing the last of this enjoying another 50 cent ice cream in mcdonalds, going to walk to the hostel in a bit and see if i can buy some antiseptic spray on the way back.
For now,
Josh xx
Gwen - would love to do some trekking in the outback etc, unfortunately takes a lot of preparation and money so couldn't squeeze it into the short 2 weeks I have here. If I came again though I would, hiring a campervan for a few months is so cheap and would be great fun.
Steph - nearly did a padi course in Thailand. It was very cheap over there (still £240, but compared to £500+ minimum in oz) but realistically didn't think I would use it enough for it to be useful. It's not something that really interests me enough? And didnt want to do it just because it was cheap.
Photo is of the Sydney harbor bridge and the opera house from the top of Sydney harbor YHA.
- comments
Claire Shann Wow you pack a lot in (not just food!). Hpe you enjoy Melbourne. Claire x
Stephanie Cor Joshie- reading all you've been up to makes me feel like I need a nap! Hope you managed to make your bus...... Sx (Having to cook up a few noodle suppers is good practice for uni .!)
Momma G mohawk, boozing, ear piercing.....just get it all out of your system young man in time to knuckle down to uni. Sounds like your having the 'perfect' gap year experience - that's what your meant to do, continue to enjoy it. Let us know what you think of Melbourne, it's meant to be more 'cosmopolitian/european' in feel. Hb's & sb's MXX
Momma G and yes, I agree don't go on the junk food diet, you know better....fresh is best!
Amelia Wow, my brother is cool. Mohawk AND an earring?! Duuude. Enjoy Australia, young grasshopper. Back in the Goswell house, Dad's discovered blu-ray. Geek central. Much love, Amelia xx PS: I expect pictures of your nearly complete (tattoos needed) rockstar image to follow :)
Steve Nadler Love the detailed blogs...Sounds like a blast, enjoy Australia!