By the way, sorry for the sudden influx of posts to this blog, but I've just got all my photos put up on Facebook so I can finally use them here. I actually wrote all my Tassie roadtrip blogs at the time, so I'm up to Sydney, which is not where I am now. I had just completed my nightmare of a trip through Hobart and was completely unprepared for this city. No hostel, no plans, no idea how to get to Cairns as the flooding on the east coast reached epic proportions. So what to do?
Well, firstly, a hostel would be nice, and perhaps a way out of the airport. I found a place called "Funk House" which seemed ok, so I booked in there for a 3 dollar transfer. McDonalds for dinner and a sleep (not in McDonalds). The breakfast was nice but the people were mostly long stays and the place lacked atmosphere.
The first day in (Friday 14th), I did the obligatory walk through the botanic gardens to Mrs Macquarie's Point to view the opera house, then went into town for a long walking tour where I met Dwayne and Evonne. I also randomly bumped into Peter and Andrea from my China tour, who were walking along Circular Quay at the same time as me! We arranged to meet and eat later in a bar that turned out to be less than gourmet and more of a nightclub. Still, good times.
The next day I was supposed to wake up and do stuff but ended up faffing around trying to sort out my plans for getting to Cairns. The east coast is still soggy and I was advised to go anywhere else. My new plan involves Uluru from Alice Springs. If the price is right. So, I got lost in the botanic gardens again and hung around the opera house looking at the giant hulk of a cruise ship that seemed to have materialised in circular quay. It took up about ten moorings and would definitely not fit under harbour bridge. I had just visited government house too, which was pretty lavishly designed. I could quite easily live there!
I met Duane and Evonne at the Harbour Bar and had a beer while we watched the biggest "reverse around a corner" that I've ever seen, by this massive cruise ship. Then off to the domain to catch the free music festival with some wine and Las Lomas (look them up). We eventually got up and were dancing with most of the field and made a new friend, Ann-Marie, who tagged along with us for an unsuccessful hunt for a bar. I nearly got turned away twice for footwear: sandals, then trainers. I only had walking boots left - that was my argument and it worked. Bloody dress codes...
Sunday 16th and I went to Manly Beach and beyond. And that's not to say that I went to some butch male-filled seaside and had fun. Manly is great and the ferry from circular quay is just as good. The walk to North Head was tough and I was introduced to a new black spider with yellow knuckles. Hundreds of them. The view from North Head was breathtaking. I had met someone doing a similar trip. Her name was Corina. She had plans to drive to Melbourne. We swapped numbers and I went off to the beautifully tucked-away Shelley Beach to catch the last of the sun. After sunset I came back to Sydney and saw England's latest one-day capitulation with some delighted Aussies in a pub. Gotta give them something.
On Monday I moved to The Asylum hostel. A bit more "worn" but much nicer. Then I met Corina and we went to Bronte and Bondi beach as the weather sharply declined. Bronte beach was closed and Bondi was cold. Yes, cold. Back to the Asylum for a Mad Monday night out. 10 dollars for steak and half price pint, then drinking games with goon, interrupted by a neighbour throwing an improvised water bomb on our table. I was going to change my shorts anyway. Surprisingly, I didn't last the night - must be three months of relative sobriety. I remember waking up feeling rough!
I had agreed to go with Corina to Melbourne as I had to do something and was getting itchy feet. I spent most of my final day (Tuesday) going around the national maritime museum and the observatory. The latter was pretty dull. But we're off to the Blue Mountains tomorrow! And I have no plans at all! Let's wing it...