We arrived into Sydney on the 27th Dec and immediately the differences with NZ were striking- first off .... it was hot - baking hot at 5pm in the afternoon - the kind of heat that you know wont really cool down at night (so some camping might actually happen!) in contrast to the fresh heat in NZ. Second - it was so so busy and hectic - quite a shock after the quiet calm feel we got from NZ. Plus now we were back to using public transport, which was such a pain, having to wait and organise buses etc (we really had been spoilt with the car).

We spent 5 days in Sydney...trying our best to stay in the hostel as little as possible as it was completely crazy - so full to bursting with backpackers they were even booking the settee in the lounge as a 'bed'!! Plus i think the cleaners were on strike. We did see them flicking a duster occasionally but that didnt do much to the layers of grim - yuck yuck yuck!! Anyway it didnt really matter as we had so much to explore and lots of people to see, with Ben and James (of Lancaster Uni) were also in Sydney! It was so cool to catch up and in such an awesome place. I really like Sydney- a big city but still beautiful with parks and the harbour area was especially nice - plus the beach was a ten min tube ride away - awesome!!

We did a few of the typical touristy sites-a tour round the opera house which was interesting apart from the guides terrible jokes! We found out it was only $350 to go to the New Years eve concert (about a hundred and fifty quid) which we didnt think was too bad...tho not quite backpacker budget...another year maybe :-) We went, with Ben, to the Aquarium which was so much fun. We were like three small children running round it all...ahhh oh dear!! Richard and i also went on a lovely cruise so we could see Sydney from the water. This was absolutely lovely as we chose the later afternoon cocktail cruise!! (this suprisingly WAS in backpacker budget-just!) And we even managed to scrounge a second glass of champagne and canapes - we must look under nourished!! he he!

Then it was New Year!! What a crazy day that was...starting very early to get our viewing spot, we met James at 8.30am, got a boat accross the harbour to Cremner (sp?) Point which was already really busy but we found a good space right at the front and claimed it!! Marking the territory with our massive picnic and boxes of wine - largely supplied by James's Kiwi bus tour friends (thanks guys). Then we sat there...and sat there...and played silly games (like being back at Kids Camp) and sat some more....waiting the 14 hours for midnight and the fireworks, which, did not disappoint. A pretty awesome atmosphere with the boats all lit up parading up and down the harbour and the biggest longest and most spectacular firework show i have ever seen. The fireworks seemed to be coming from every point in the city, even off the top of buildings, aswell as the focus on the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Tho i must admit i was a little bit homesick :-( missing family and friends ...hummmm... anyway we didn't dwell on this too much and instead of hanging around endlessly for the ferry to start up again we decided to walk back....it was quite a way.....took us 2 hours! But it was definately worth it as we walked over the harbour bridge the boats filtered out of the harbour beneath us and the coathanger and diamond lights sparkled above us, ahhhh !!

On the 2nd Jan, (the 1st didnt realy happen!) Richard started his 4 day surf tour (ill get him to write a spiel...) and i headed into the Blue Mountains (Hazel - i was thinking about you as Richard said you had done this trip when you were in Sydney). I had a lovely couple of days, getting away from the city hustle and bustle and seeing another dimension to Australias vast and varied landscapes. The blue mountains, so named because of the bluey haze which surrounds them, caused by the Eucalyptus trees, were very dramatic - so vast. I went on an oz experience tour which took us to see kangaroos in the wild and then for a walk along one of the mountain ridges, providing fantastic views. Ooh also, i went on the worlds steepest railway!! very random and very scary! I stayed a night in the Blue Mountains YHA, which, in contrast to our accomodation in Sydney, was absolutely beautiful, with polished wood floors, big settees and a log fire, Yesss!

On Wednesday i was suppose to be doing a days horse riding through the mountains...but...booo hooo...it was cancelled coz they had a lot of heavy rain in the night and the tracks were too boggy - rubbish :-( So, what to do...? i had the whole day and nothing planned. So, i flicked through the leaflets at the hostel and ended up, somehow, im not sure how.... going CAVING!! I must have had a crazy moment as i dont even like small spaces and its usually Richard who suggests doing these dangerous things! But, it was a bit of a personal challenge and in the end, despite being mega nervous, (i didnt eat lunch - which probably helped me squeeze through all the holes) i really really enjoyed it. There was a bit of an absail at the beginning (im a pro at absailing by now) and then we went down and down, squeezing our way through tiny gaps and holes. Good job the instructors told you which way to slip through and where to put your arms and legs otherwise we would definately have got stuck! The stalagmites and stalagtites were everywhere and it was really cool climbimg around them rather than observing them from a distance! There were little fossils too, of sea creatures, and inscriptions of the early cave explorers.

In the evening it was back to Sydney for me.... Thursday i spent in the city again, went to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, saw an interesting exhibition on contemporary aboriginal art (Dad - i have posted the little leaflet / catalogue home for you to take a peek) then i spent the rest of the day chilling out, reading my book, oh, and i got my hair cut, in fact chopped by a manic Italian lady who i dont think really understood what i was saying but smiled a lot and weilded her scissors very fast!! Its now the shortest it has ever been! But i like it and its good for travelling :-)

Thursday night i got the night bus up to Byron bay (i just love spending 12 hours on a bus...hummmm). Byron, backpacker and surf central is pretty cool - everyone living the chilled life! We are staying at the Arts Factory Lodge, a rather bohemian affair with teepees, didgeridoo lessons and lots of inscence! I did a 2 hour yoga class which i enjoyed throughly and made me realise i miss yoga (Note to take it up again when i get home), and spent the rest of the day bikini shopping (tried on approximately 50! and eventually bought one...) Richard and the surfer crew arrived back early evening and then we hit the town...a mexican meal - lots of tequilla and the on to 'Cheeky Monkeys' for a bit of cheesy dancing :-) This morning has been rather slow....but off to the beach this afternoon - ahhhh, this is the life! and moving up the coast on Monday...
Hope thats not been to long winded for you.....catch ya later, S xxxxxxxxxx

Now for Richard's bit about surfing....

RJW: You soon realise that the East coast of Australia is all about the sea, sand and surf, so I thought the best way to break up a long trip from Sydney to Byron Bay was to get stuck in and learn to surf. I did the 4 day surf school with Ben (Benos Clarkos - Uni mate), so knew that I'd have a pretty sociable time, but as it turned out, it was one big alcohol fest. We had great fun, learning to surf on these isolated, stunning beaches and then drinking away our injuries at night. Even after the school, I'm anything but a pro - I seemed to spend 95% of my time battling against the waves to get out in the first place, but the feeling when you catch an awesome ride is absolutely sick, sweet as (surfer speak).