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Published: February 4th 2008
Sydney - Australia - I made it. Whoop Whoop!!
Sorry it's been so long but there you go! This is the blog of my 1st week in Sydney albeit early December. My blogs are nearly done for Melbourne and Sydney (return leg) where I am working and living at the moment but, more on that next time. I hope you are all well and 2008 has at least started off well for you. Remember - KEEP IN TOUCH - it keeps me going xx
Grab a cuppa, settle down and read on...
The flight was a dismal one but only because I was asked to give up my perfect seat with loads of leg room so that a family could sit together and I ended up sitting between to rows of screaming kids. Garrrrrrr. I arrived after a night flight without a wink of sleep but who cares, IM IN OZ!!!!!!!!!!!!
After passing immigration and collecting my luggage and eventually remembering to go and get my working Visa stamp from the right place, I headed to arrivals, ready to finally be greeted by someone sporting a scrappy piece of A4 with my name on it, signifying my
lift to the hostel. No name. Bugger. I walked up and down all the random people holding namecards. Still nothing. I called the mobile number I had been given. Dead. Deep joy. Deep, deep joy!! I eventually managed to drag my backpack and bags into the newsagent, narrowly managing to avoid knocking several people out with the bag swaying on my back, purchase some water (3 blloody dollars - back to Western Prices damn!) and I used the $2 coin to call the Oz Intro (my arranged tour group) offices and finally found out the guy picking me up was on his way back to the airport. An hour late but I was on the way to a hot shower and a bed albeit now lunchtime in Oz...
As the Oz Intro group that I was booked on for my first week, wasn't due to start until the following day, I was in a random room at the Surfside Backpackers Hostel in Coogee. My first experience of a surfers hostel. I think I was about ready to leave after about 25 minutes after being given my bedding and the key to my room and then entering a cesspit of
a room where piles of clothes were strewn everywhere and the stench of BO and dead animals hit you as soon as you walked in the door. I had to try and find which was the one available bed left in the room which sounds like it should be easy but trust me it was no mean feat!! I dumped my bag and decided to head out for a walk instead, mainly to remove the pungent smell of sweaty feet from my damaged nostrils!!
I walked round to the Oz Intro office to collect my welcome pack and have a look about the beach etc. As I sat in the offices waiting, another group of people walked in, looking for their intro packs too. Being the seasoned traveller now (ahem) within a few minutes we were all heading to the beach with some cold beers!! Slightly more relaxed at meeting people in my group and assured the rooms we were going in the following day were much nicer, I enjoyed the afternoon talking to new people and completely exhilarated at actually being in Australia, a lifetime dream. On going back to my room I found the slum of people
that had all been unconscious when I arrived, had now stirred and were all longer term residents and very clicky. There was one girl sitting on a top bunk who I hadn't seen earlier though and it turned out to be a girl called Carol who was in my group and had also arrived early. That night was both entertaining and an eye opener but in a very strange way, it partly filled me with panic and dread but on the other hand was just simply amusing watching the drunken antics of various people swaggering around the room and some distinct mating rituals coming form behind bedsheets hung from
The next morning I think Carol and I were out of the room at the earliest possible moment. We couldn't check into the group room for a while so breakfast was on the cards. $18 (about 8 pounds) for an English Breakfast, soon made me realise that the warnings I had received from friends that Oz is expensive were no lie!! Once in our room I made sure I nabbed a bottom bunk as truthfully at 30, my time of top bunks should be well and truly a dim and
distant memory in my eyes!!!
Robyn was our group leader for the week and she came to get us at lunchtime, just after some of the poor sods had literally stepped off the plane from a 20 odd hour flight. We were piled onto the Oz Intro minibus and driven in to Sydney Central about 20 minutes away. As we came to a stop the whole bus erupted into gasps of excitement as the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge came into view. It was such an amazing feeling as I have wanted to see these for as long as I can remember and now there they both were, stretched out in front of me. Breathtaking and even better than I had imagined. I had arrived. Finally.
We walked along the harbour edge towards the opera house, everyone taking pictures every few steps of the magnificent views in front of us. I personally was on a real high and very very excited, like a kid in a candy store. The weather was overcast but it didn't matter as we walked through the botanical gardens, looking at the stunning gardens. The park is home to all sorts of wild
birds and these include cockatoos. Our group were all given chunks of bread and when you put these in your hands and stretch out your arms, the cockatoos fly onto your arm and feed from your hands. Once they finish the bread they (obviously still hungry) start nipping your fingers instead, it doesnt hurt, but the immediate reaction is to shake your arm. It only takes a moment to realise that this isn't the best idea when the birds claws are resting on your bare skin!!
After the gardens it was time for our 1st activity of the week - Jet boating....
The monsterous red power boat in front of us bobbing up and down on the water looked like a floating theme park ride. Several rows of seats complete with lap belts and grab rails. You have to leave all your belongings on the jetty and put on a poncho made out of what I can only describe as tarpaulin. This is generally a good clue that you are more than likely to get a totally soaking from the wash as the captain slams the boat into a 360 degree spin sending a wave crashing over half
the people in the boat. Powering out of the harbour was great fun and watching the Harbour Bridge and Opera House disappear behind us was surreal to say the least. The additional 'treat' for us was the encroaching bad weather which on the way back actually hid the city skyline from us for the entire journey back. The heavens opened so much that the boat just had to stop in its tracks and quite literally ride out the storm. The rain was so fierce in hurt your face so there was about 30 of us in bright red poncho's, hoods up, bobbong about on a stranded powerboat in the middle of Sydney. This place rocks. 😊
The lairy red poncho's did actually save 90% of us from a total soaking apart from the unlucky few who had kept their hood down effectively creating a nice little gully for the rainwater to stream down, straight on to their clothes underneath. I must admit mocking those who had now the appearance of a child who had left it a little late to ask for the toilet. Immaturity rules. Well that's what you get being the oldest one amongst a group of
sub 25 year olds. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!
We carried on walking round, taking in the sights around the Opera House etc. Absolutely amazing, just being there! Back at the hostel we all decided to go out for the evening to the local Coogee Bay Hotel (a selection of 5 bars open until 4am!!). Our 'guide' was an Aussie girl called Robyn and she was taking us out for a welcome drink. I don't exactly remember the course of events that night but I learnt a harsh lesson that I Gary Godwin-Baker officially admit that I just can't keep up with the youngsters anymore!! After a few early drinks all was going well. I don't remember at which point the evening declined for me and I think it may be one of those things my brain has thankfully tried to wipe. The only eveidence is the tonne of photos on Facebook. Bastard thing.
I engaged in a drinking competition with Robyn consisting of Snakebite (Lager/Cider) Jeigerbombs (Jeigermeister & Redbull) and a few other choice drinks. My only recollections from then on in are being walked out of the toliets by the security after attaching
myself to a toilet bowl (yep hugging the porcelin - stay classy San Diego) being pointed in the direction of the hostel and then promptly falling asleep in the doorway of McDonalds and having to be pushed up the stairs to bed by 3 girls from my group. Great, what an entrance!! Hi guys GAZZA's HERE!!!
Next morning we had to leave at 8.45 to go surfing. SURFING! How the hell was that going to happen, my head felt like I had just been spinning round in circles and my legs had lost co-ordination with my brain completely. Thankfully there were other stories of people in similar states to me. Must have been the heat. Yeah whatever! The first part of surfing was pure punishment and I used every bit of strength I could summon to stop myself from passing out in a heap. The next shock tactic seemed to help me miraculously though. We were told to run in the water and back to the boards on the beach to 'freshen up". Oh My God. After 2 weeks in Bali in beautiful warm waters I was one of the first in. S H I T T H A
T S F R E E Z I N G B L O O D Y C O L D G O D D A M I T ! ! ! Baywatch style we all sprinted in. Girlie style we all screamed in pain and shock from entering water that even made Hastings Sea water seem hot!! The hangover was gone.
I have never professed to being a surfer and tis day confirmed my suspiscions. I am crap. No beyond crap I was just plain rubbish. After a few hours I could just about kneel up on the board before facediving into the sand - Faceplants as they called it!! I suddenly had a new found respect for surfers, there is definitely skill there and it is really hard work even trying to stand up in the sea with waves crashing towards you and rips under your feet. Physically these badboys were knocking me off my feet and showing all of us that mother nature rules. It was great fun and even just bodyboarding on the waves was excellent (being the best I could manage)!!! Another storm broke in as we prepared to pack up, a sure sign the
Aussie summer was in full swing apparently.
The next day most people ached as though they had fought 10 rounds with Tyson. I too felt the same. Punished. The sunburn and bruises, testament to our achievements (or not) in the water. Wednesday was a day of sorting out essential stuff like bank accounts, visa's and so on in the city, followed by lunch and a trip round the aquarium. Not my favourite, as with zoo's, once you've seen one and all that. I was soooooo glad it was an easy day. What a lightweight!!
Thursday despite the rainy start (they really didn't tell us how much it would rain in the brochures I'm sure!!) cleared up beautifully and we walked along the coastal route across Clovelly Beach to Bronte where we had a beach BBQ and enjoyed the sun, playing frisbee, drinking (again) and genersally topping up the tan from Bali. The walk was stunning, along the cliff edge giving us spectacular views of the coastline and the surf. You walk through a massive graveyard spanning for several acres with each grave facing out to sea. One of the most tranquil places I have ever seen. The evening
was concluded with a travel talk for those of us whose future travel plans included seeing more of Oz which was inspiring and exciting. So much to do and see, maybe I wouldn't end up working here???
A quiet drink this evening involved 'Goon' or boxed wine as we know it. The contents label contains some ingredients none of us expected like egg and fish extracts but, at $10 for a 3 litre box, it's what travellers drink (at their peril)! The next morning was an early start 7am, a time I had long forgotten existed! We were first driven to a Kangaroo park and finally got to see these weird and wonderful creatures up close including a mother carrying a joey in her pouch. Aaaahhh.
The rest of the day was spent walking through amazing rainforest with beatufil views of the mountains covered in a blue haze from the sun burning off the eucalyptus oil from the leaves of the trees. Although noone admits it, everybody spends the entire trip looking around nervously for one of the insane amount of poisonous spiders and snakes that the blue mountains has to offer. Alas we saw nothing more than a
lizard (who am I trying to kid, I would have been the first one outta there if I had seen anything!!).
The last part of the journey was down to the base of the mountains where we were met by a coalmine train. This thing is the steepest funicular railway in the world (no I don't know either!!) and was at 52 degrees. You literally get dragged back up the side of the mountain by a lump of metal attached to a chain. Wow. If I had opened my eyes I bet I would have been either impressed or scared shitless!
Saturday we were left to our own devices before boarding the party bus for the evening. A 28 year old, grafitti covered school bus to be exact. 5 free bars, 5 free drinks and a 70 seat bus full of 120 annebriated Brits jumping around to music cranked up to the highest possible level before your ears start to bleed. Chants of Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi rang round the bus. I felt old. I joined in. I shouted louder. I took control. Oh no. My inner demon came out. I was young again. I won't
repeat my chants for common decency but after the embarassment of the first night I had a reputation to uphold (repair or shatter, make or break)! The rest of the night was a mere blur but I made it back, unaided. I'd beaten tham. Woohoo. Sad!
Sunday saw us watching the boxing mid afternoon waiting all morning for the Ricky Hatton fight which I am sure many remember turned out to be a bit of a let down and was only rescued by the real fight that ensued after the match between an Irish guy and an Australian. Far more exhilarating live!! From there I went and met a friend from England who know lives and works in Sydney, for a drink or two and then met the rest of my group for our farewell dinner at the Sydney Tower, the highest vantage point in the city. The food was good and the views were amazing at night seeing the city panned out beneath you. The floor constantly rotates so you get a forever changing view of Sydney below. A great way to finish the week and a great week of meeting new people. OxIntro had certainly lived up to my expectiations and 8 of us had decided to travel to Melbourne next to compare the cities and see where some of us felt more comfortable in case we decided to stay and work.
The boss of OzIntro (Michael) gave me and Paul a lift to the airport on the Monday morning to collect our 2 hire cars. That's it. Week one over. Packed and ready to go. Off to Melbourne home of Albert Park (F1 Grand Prix Circuit), St Kilda Beach (Brighton ish) and Neighbours...........
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Mum
non-member comment
Has the blood rushed to your head yet?
Well you have been down under for 2 whole months now, must feel a bit strange being upside down. Lovely blog again and very interesting for those of us stuck in good old blighty. All seems such a long time ago now but don't suppose you will find quite so much to write about as you get up to date eh!!!! LUL Mum xx