http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Shar/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Shar en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:37:48 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:37:48 +0000 My final entry for now. I'm back in Toronto and after four months away it's surprisingly easy to fit back into a schedule. I've started at George Brown College and it's a one year program that I'm really excited about and is looking to be everything I thought it would be and more. However this means that my traveling is over for now.. here are some photos from my last days in Sydney as well as http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Toronto/blog-35157.html I haven't updated for awhile because the last week in Sydney was so hectic with my parents visiting and all. Here are some of the highlights Blue Mountains and the Jenolan Caves. AMAZING. I'm on my dad's computer right now but I will upload photos when I get my computer hooked up over here. The Sleeping Beauty ballet went to see it with my mom. It was so beautiful I have a new appreciatio http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/Hong-Kong-Island/blog-32043.html Couple brilliant days. Thursday Kenji and I went to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire which we've been refering to as Harry Pothead and his huge bong for some reason. It was pretty good very entertaining but I was disappointed that so much from the book was left out. I guess though that the more complex the themes get on paper the more difficult it is toa fit it into a 2.5hr film andb http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-30738.html Day 80 of finding myself one of the best explanations for long periods of travel41 degrees CelsiusI want a snowman to be friends withSomeone please make me oneThe heat is overwhelming itrsquos hot and gusty and stifling. I can see that if these conditions are similar to The Mistral in Arles France then itrsquos no wonder Van Gogh went mad. However apart from that I must admit that I hav http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-30345.html Wow. Second entry for the day but it really couldn't wait. I went to the Powerhouse Museum today and it was AMAZING It used to be the power centre for Sydney from 1899 to 1963 and then got turned into a museum after it closed. Their exhibits are pretty much about how society has grown and evolved I spent about 4 hours there and don't feel like I saw everything. BUT of what I did see here are t http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-30094.html Wow it's been a long time since I've written A whole week Here is what has been happeningSunday It was freezing ok not as cold as Toronto... and so I had a sleepin and got a haircut Very exciting all around. Ooh and grocery shopping and second hand book shopping. I love second hand books they have that worn feeling that makes you think that someone else has loved them once. haha.. bu http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-29674.html What a morning My internet hasn't been working for the past two days so I took it to get fixed this morning. Yay My computer has life once again Went to the Glebe Market again on Saturday and I bought two books one of which is 98 years old Was so impressed that I took a photo. It's about King Arthur and his knights and the front page has an incription written in 1908 and everything. Pretty w http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-29989.html I woke up early this morning to the sound of heavy thunderstorms and so I went back to sleep only to awake at noon to brilliant sunshine The day was absolutely gorgeous in contrast to the past few days of rain and cloudiness. So after a quick breakfast I made my way to Glebe Point Rd where there are all sorts of cute shops second hand bookstores and street cafes. There was a military band p http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-28744.html I've done two days of data entry now and I actually really like it Everyone is really nice and the job is easy and the pay is really really good It's nice to feel appreciated again... my boss today said that she's not even going to check what I did today because everything I did yesterday was perfect and they're all so surprised that I get through everything so fast that they're running out of http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-28526.html Ok exciting news of the week I was in the Australian Geographic store in Bondi yesterday and I found the cutest stuffed emu. So I started to play with it and then I opened up the tag attached to its side and it said My name is Sharlene. No joke. So I bought it because it's ME in emu size and have enclosed a photo. Last couple days have been relaxing. Lauren my friend who I've known since http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-28079.html The last few days have been good I've decided to take some french lessons to brush up on what I learned in high school and they've been really good so far. One of my favorite second hand bookstores is closing down tomorrow So sad. I got three books for A16 though My friend Lauren arrived this morning from Melbourne and is staying until Monday morning. We did the customary Opera House and Darl http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-27607.html Last day in Melbourne and I'm waiting for breakfast places to open along Southbank. It has been an amazing week... the more I think about it I don't know where I'm going to be in 2007. I'm at the point in my life where I want to know what my long term plans and goals are but yet I'd like to have options to be flexible and spontaneous. To updateTuesday when I last updated I wrote something aski http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-27186.html I am in Melbourne right now got here Sunday morning. I have to make this quick as I only have 10 more minutes here in the internet cafe. I AM HOME. That was my first thought as I took the bus into the city... over the past two and a half days I have constantly been berating myself as to why I chose Sydney over a city that I've loved before and now love again. I am planning on going back to Toron http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-26467.html Alright so the topic being Manly I have to say how brilliant it is that there is a suburb that they named Manly. It is named such and I quote from my helpful DK Top 10 Sydney book because Governor Phillip felt the Aborigines he met here in 1788 were 'manly'. I will only make one comment about the boys in that they are indeed manly out there... but it may be due to the board shorts and the s http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-26137.html Wow. Two days have gone by. Yesterday I did a temp job up in Pyrmont where I filled in as a receptionist while everyone went to watch the Melbourne Cup on telly. Makybe Diva won for the third consecutive year Amazing. It's funny how you get caught up in the excitement when you're here even in Sydney. I can't even begin to imagine what it would have been like in Melbourne. The day was boring tho http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-25738.html Another beautiful day after the rain We got up early this morning lay around and read and then went for breakfast followed by the Aquarium again. I love these fish they have such personalities. This time I actually saw the platypus So exciting Some of the kids though my gosh... there were kids who really loved being there and then there were the ones who were absolute buggers that their http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-25384.html After a brilliant sleep in this morning Jacqualine and I woke up to pounding rain outside. There went our plans for a good day at the beach Managed to make it out of the apartment in early morning had a yummy grilled bacon with cheese and bacon and then set off into the rain stopping briefly to purchase cheap umbrellas at a bargain store. Very saavy very fashionable. Walked up to the Queen V http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-25241.html So happy My friend Jacqualine came up from Melbourne today. She's staying until Tuesday and it gives Kenji a break from having to entertain me. We've known each other since I was about 10 when we were at the same holiday program day care while our parentsfamily worked. Attached some photos. We walked everywhere had lunch at Darling Harbour then just went walking all around town. Headed http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-25110.html Here are some photos since I arrived in Sydney. Three other things I realized today Smith's chips... their thin cut roasted chicken chips. soooo good. Watching Neighbours and Home Away too often can be classified as a sickness. Love the mangoes here had totally forgotten how fabulous they are http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-24730.html Today was a relaxing and fun filled day It was gorgeous outside when I awoke around 29 degrees sorry to everyone in North America... but I had to mention that little fact. I headed down to Bondi Beach for the day and spent a few hours lying around in the sun listening to music and reading yet another book about Roma. I really do believe I will return there Even with this change of location http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-24699.html