After 2 amazing weeks with Kayla in South Africa, I finally landed Down Under and headed straight to the Wizard of Oz Backpackers hostel in Coogee (where I stayed the last time I was here 8 years ago).

After the initial shock of shared dorms, putting clothes in puddles while taking a shower, wobbly top bunk beds, labelling food and basically going back in time to university days I quickly realised Christmas would be dawning on me quite quickly and the rumour that 'every hostel in Sydney being booked out for Christmas week since June' turned out to be true. Panic set in and the flat hunt began.

Somebody must have been looking down on me that day though as I answered an ad for a flat and met up with landlord Dan to view a room that day. After a nail biting, terrifying half hour car journey to the flat in Maroubra...not Manly the other side of the city to where I thought it was (I had Dan's number next to the wrong ad) I arrived and after convincing me I wasn't being kidnapped, I took the spare room and am now living with a true Aussie action man called Dan in his sea-view bachelor pad in Maroubra, the haunt of notorious surfing gang The Bra Boys (Google it).

This week has been an action adventure holiday with the best ever personal tour guide and landlord selflessly taking me all over the city across water, land and bride. In boats, kayaks, push-bikes and on foot.

Thursday 6th December

On Thursday afternoon we met up with friends of Dan's for a day of sailing in the harbour. After a rocky start where Dan very foolishly trusted me to 'park' the sailing yacht - well how did I know a boat had reverse?! We set sail from Kirribilli and sailed to Vaucluse with the most amazing view of the harbour behind us, where we moored for lunch and a swim. Letting the sails out, we sailed through dusk back, gliding past the Opera house and under the bridge showing the harbour off at its most impressive - lit up at night.

I also learnt how to tie a Bowline knot for all you sailors out there.

Saturday 8th December

After an8am-3pm shift making mocha chocca latte frappe smoothies and a million long flat whites, I donned a 6 year olds helmet and mounted a saddle for the first time in 3 years and cycled from Maroubra to Centennial Gardens to see a moonlight screening of Hairspray -an outdoor cinema with beanbags on the grass for seats. A young boy dancing his heart out centre stage under the big screen for the musical parts of the film provided more entertainment than the film itself!

Sunday 9th December

Just in case I hadn't reached my exercise quota for the week, Dan woke me early doors and I was dragged into the car for another action packed day on the water!

We paddled on a tandem sea kayak from Pittswater in Northern Sydneyto Portuguese Beach where we watched 4 fishermen gut the fish they had speared that morning while we ate our ham 'sangers'. After realising we had both forgotten to pack any sun screen we paddled home a slightly pinker shade than when we had set off. To my delight and Dan's dismay my English skin turned a lovely shade of golden brown where Dan's tough Aussie skin could give Rudolph a run for its money!

A quick spin round a cul-de-sac of the most outrageous display of neighbourhood one up-man-ship I have ever witnessed was a great way to finish another brilliant day.

Monday 10th December

After a rubbish day of rain and storms the only decent thing to do was to go to the local pub-the Maroubra Bay Hotel (where I was on constant lookout for the Abberton Brothers and the rest of the Bra Boys) and proceeded to kick Dan's ass at pool 6:3. Schooners are deceptively alcoholic as you think you are drinking a half pint and very quickly get drunk...a 5am drinking session ensued, followed by a vodka shot for breakfast as a $100 bet off next week's rent. I'd like to say it was the easiest money I've ever earnt but it took a long time to stop gagging...not to mention sober up again!

Tuesday 11 December

A little thing like a hangover is not enough to stop 'Action Man Dan' and we head off to meet his friend who works at the Botanical Gardens for a very unexpected but amazing personal guided tour round the gardens.

Who would have known that plants could be so interesting...he showed us leaves that were so rough they could be used as sandpaper, bush tucker berries and paper trees where you could peel layers of paper bark from the branches.

Leaving the car we took the push bikes off and rode all round the city for a gruelling 2hr bike ride including over the harbour bridge - what a view!