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Botanical Gardens, Manly Bay, Balmoral, Harbour Bridge, The Rocks. 04.11
Following a decent kip (what no snoring, farts or hangover?), I awoke at 8 and wolfed down the free hostel breakfast; as a non breakfast eater this has changed the habit of a lifetime... Joys of unemployment
Sauntering back around to originally booked hostel 'chilli blu' I thought I was having a heart attack when I crashed straight into Wolverine raaahhh!! ( alas it was not Hugh). Being the first attractive man I have encountered I would have been pretty keen on pursuing him if it wasn't for the 9 months of Crap on my back....
After allowing me to check in today, (yeah is that ok when I've booked? Good) front desk dude directed me on the 'short walk' to the ferry port. Two hours later I was still walking.....
However I forgave this backwards dude as his directions allowed me to get lost in the beautiful botanical gardens... Giant, Complex, twisting trees to make Robin Hood jealous, bright colourful flowers (not yet aged enough to care about the names) all set on the background of the sea.
As I dallied along, an air of romanticism and melancholy took over me and I wished one of the besties were here to partake in some casual handholding...
Luckily... wishes do come true and striding on I bumped straight into 7 coach loads of Japanese Tourists. One of which was only to happy to clinch my wrist as she stumbled over the gravel paths, standard surgeons mask in place.
From the botanical gardens there is the most fabulous view of the Opera house and Harbour bridge together... So I made like my Japanese comrades and got a little snap happy. This was extreme photography in action resulting in a ruckus between a Japanion and a ass out, fat bellied redneck fishing his tea.....his picturesque physique did nothing to ruin the view.
Exiting the gardens, I caught a ferry (2 boats in 2 days - lucky girl) to the bay of Manly...named so because only men with beards can reside there... No that's a lie.. However the Manly connotations did make me chuckle all day: Manly yoga, Manly health, Manly food, Manly woman's health care.
Manly is charming, it has an oldy worldy charisma which even though it was crazy busy (Melbourne cup day) it still appeared serene.
Bored of walking, I hired myself a bike (Stella) to do the round tour of the bay... After spending a dedicated hour attempting to tan myself aboriginal (hot but too nippy). I saved a man from a seagull attack (Alfred Hitchcock's birds are amateurs compared to these bad boys) who were desperate for his amazing sashimi rolls. Once recovered he tried to explain the joys of the Melbourne Cup... Mmm
Melbourne cup facts......ok maybe massive opinion
1: it is a national holiday in Melbourne
2: IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU DONT LIVE IN MELBOURNE (in-joke Cyprus massive) because everyone able takes it as holiday anyways.
3: it Is a further opportunity for the Brits to take the piss out of the Aussies because....
4: They all dress in their finest (questionable), an electric blue and illuminous yellow stripe was my personal favourite
5: to go to their local pub (in their finery including feature head garments)and watch tv
6: yep that's right to fully comprehend (yes hubby) it's like dressing as you would attend Ascot - to sit on handsworth top- on a Tuesday afternoon- watching John Mccrick. Pah!
Anyways after purchasing myself a Badboy sashimi roll followed by an even badder salted caramel icecream nom nom. I headed back to the harbour.
Still In my lovely romantic daze I spent a leisurely hour reading under a spring tree in the cultural gardens (how very mills and boon) before continuing my tour.
The plan was to complete a night walk of the Harbour Bridge; however my very irrational fear of hole-y stairs in put a stop to this (damn, first Eiffel now this). Anyways onwards and upwards I rambled through the Rocks (cute little rustic streets) to reach the Harbour Bridge pedestrian (and free crossing). On my clamber I bumped into Portsmouth lad (who also succumbs to the same fear- not so irrational now is it) and together we crossed the bridge and ventured into the unknown.
3.5hrs later.... and I'm Still walking. The posh side of Sydney does nothing to encourage tourists and physically restricts itself from any affiliation... Ok Trespassing it must be then; private jettys, gardens, stair wells, that garage for your speedboats? yeah we went in it (mission to be deported continues)
Luckily we were very fortunate to see a true Aussie Spectacle reserved for only the upper class areas: dude drives his post into street sign.then wall.knocking said street sign over. Looks perplexed. Thank you peel st hillarious.
As the sun started to set I got a little snap happy again with the views. Of the same things. From the opposite side of the river. Looks exactly the same. Many of the photos could have rivalled yours Dalgy (if I had a proper camera...)
Whilst I may be dismissive of the Melbourne Cup it's not in my nature to let a national celebration pass by ( really?)so accompanied by a posse of Aussie Youths(captain cockblock you would be In your element) we did as any good Brit would and went to an Irish bar for a Guinness Scooner or 2 (I know!!! )
After walking 5000 miles the hunger pangs kicked in fuelled by a few beers so we set off on a mission for food. Sydney subscribes to the Jked timings in life and food after 6:30 is like trying to find an intellectual Aussie. (Soz lah di dah ;))
By 8pm we were getting desperate, 'kitchen closed' became the new hello and the only advice the staff could offer was 'go KFC'. Crazy!
As my beauties at CIN 2 know a regular KFC can provide comfort in the darkest hours however I'm at the other side of the world, I've only been here 3 days, I am not yet ready to succumb to the colonel.
One prestigious diner taking pity on our ravished faces advised 'Japanese Karaoke bar serve food until late' (Japanions saviours of today). Half crawling up the street with famine, we saw the door.... It was a restaurant... It was open hooray!
It wasn't Japanese. It wasn't Karaoke. It was Korean.A first of many I feel.
Never having Korean food I read through the menu of meats soaked in flavoured water masquerading as soups with very apparent disgust. Looking to the generic Asian waiter for advice he noted my ignorance and pointed out a few choice waterless dishes with the words 'that should be enough for now'
The feast that followed put the 8 mains between 4 in Buda look pitiful. 2 giant platters of pure meat, 1 large noodle and meat main, 2 portions of rice and Korean salad. Portions of endemeane beans, spicy cabbage and something indistinguishable later; it looked like we had barely touched the side. Must learn phrase 'doggy bag' in Korean (any ideas Totley boy??) Korean covert tick!
Exhausting day. unfortunately I've fell in love with Sydney (shame about the Aussies) and I'm not coming home.
Just kidding...
For now
Loves
S xxxxx
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