Let me set the scene... I am sat on the floor, back against the wall to the Sydney Opera House overlooking the gorgeous harbour and the harbour bridge. The sun is setting slowly in front of me and I am getting blown to pieces. Australia is a windy country I am told! Wifi is scarce in my local area and the hostel doesn't provide it, hence the delayed blog. I know my thousands of readers were starting to panic!
So I arrived in Sydney on tuesday after a good 12 hours of flying. Hong Kong to Singapore, then on to Sydney. The flights were long and boring and I had a crazy man from Nepal telling me his life story. I really didn't care and he still didn't get the message when despite him talking to me, my eyes were closed.
I stayed in a hotel the first night to try and get a good night sleep. I was located in the roughest part of Sydney... King's Cross is the red light district and general home for tramps and drug addicts it seems. On a bench I was asked if I wanted drugs and also if I had a cigarette. Welcome to Australia! However, since moving into 'Base Sydney' (where i will be for the rest of my stay), it's been totally different. I am situated right in the heart of the CBD (Central Business District), which basically houses the main harbours and city centre. The first thing I did was check out the famous Darling Harbour which is a 5 minutes walk from the hostel. Sydney is renowned for being a 'Harbour City' and this one is really lovely. It's very peaceful but exciting at the same time... The bay is lined with restaurants, a shopping mall, bars and even the world's biggest IMAX cinema! I sat and ate some food taking in the views before walking into the nearby parks. They do a firework show here on Saturdays, so I'm sure to come back :)
I then checked in at the hostel, meeting 2 other travelers staying in my room. One was Canadian, one was from Brighton! We wandered down to the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, but from the other side to the usual route. Seeing the bridge was fascinating, but to see the Opera House was really surreal for me. I have always wanted to come and see it in it's glory and it didn't disappoint. The building itself is really intriguing with it's quirky roof. It really is the iconic image of Australia/Sydney. It sticks out from the Harbour making it impossible not to look at. Again, the area 'Circular Quay' is lined with bars, restaurants and shops making it a busy attraction. I've enjoyed just relaxing here with a drink... A great way to pass the time. Also, two huge cruise liners were docked in the bay... there are loads of ships coming and going...
After meeting the rest of my room mates (all from the UK! 6 guys, 1 girl!) We all went out the bar next door to the Hostel for some drinks which was nice. The hostel I am at is far more sociable than the Singapore one...Or perhaps that was because I had 5 Chinese girls and they didn't fancy inviting me a long...Hmmm. So today, I went to the National Gardens which is a beautiful green area full of plants and trees, right next to the harbour. It's extremely well kept and once again, it's a great place to relax and take it easy. I then reached the Opera House again and this time got up close to it. I had a drink in the official bar which boasts great views once again. I then took the ferry to Manly. Manly is part of Sydney, but a little further out. The main beaches in Sydney are a short distance away, with the city hosting the majority of the hotels etc. The ferry ride was an unforgettable experience in itself. The views I can't describe, they are stunning. Again, so relaxing. It's great just to sit back and enjoy the view. After 30 minutes, I arrived at Manly which again was a bustling, vibrant area. But people are on the whole there for one reason. The beach. I wandered down to the beach to see the biggest waves I have ever seen! As I arrived, a man over the speaker recommended people not to swim today as a type of Jellyfish was blowing into shore because of the wind! He said there is no cure for the sting and it will be very painful! "Remove the tentacles with your fingers and wash with fresh water if you are stung" was his advice. OH DEAR. To my left about 10 meters away, I have witnessed the next victim to the Seagull. Seagulls here will take anything and swoop things from your hands! This woman's food has partially disappeared. She is not happy. Restaurants even have signs telling customers there are no refunds for Seagull related problems! Crazy! I will definitely return to Manly next week to go to the beach and have a swim... Well, if those Jellyfish bugger off!
That brings me to right now! I am about to have a meal at the Harbour and relax further. Sydney really is the perfect place to relax. The people are very laid back as you would expect... It's very easy to just unwind here and relax without much effort. The accent is still a huge attraction of mine. I love it! The phrases such as 'Sweet as, Dude' = Nice one... or my favourite 'Too easy = Thank You, are hilarious. They are happy people on the whole...
Tomorrow (fingers crossed), I may be going to Sydney Cricket Ground to watch Australia v W.Indies in a one day match with 2 other guys from the hostel! Then for the weekend, I plan to finally get to the beach. Then the spectacular Blue Mountains early next week! With internet pretty limited, not sure when next blog will be but I shall try and do one soon! Apologies for spelling errors, in a rush this evening because of no power supply for laptop!
