Happy Hours And Revisiting Sydney

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A combination of three flights have landed me back onto the other side of the globe. The skies threatened snowflakes on my drive to the airport in Canada while Sydney greeted me with rain, clouds and 20 degree weather. My time in Sydney has consisted of sleeping away jet lag in my first days followed by the adjustment period that is the baggage of any change in life.

While home I had a hard time adjusting to the quiet country side life of New Brunswick in which I hung out with friends and family, took daily drives in the Golf, loaded up on the foods that I missed while away and stared at the treadmill wondering if jogging would kill me or make me live longer. Now I'm adjusting to the top bunk of a dorm room, the sound of snoring and the amount of people that I am meeting.

I decided to book the same hostel I stayed in my first time to Sydney considering the great people I met, the fun I had the first time and I was familiar with the area. Things went as planned for me as I've met some great people, the rain yielded to beach worthy sunshine, and I got to see a few old friends of mine.

My first day in Sydney I met my old housemates from the Brighton period of my Melbourne days, Mike and Eva. Got a few drinks in with a friend of mine I met in Dublin, Delphine. I've done alot of walking in Sydney exploring the busy fish market and Paddy's market, Darling Harbour, Botanic Garden, Opera House area, the CBD, Kings Cross and both Manly and Bondi beaches.

On Sunday we took a walk to the the Botanic Gardens to view a Red Bull Flugtag event in which teams build some vehicles with hopes of flying when they leave the high platform. Teams attached wings to a giant orange, a Cadillac, replicas of buildings and one team went as a bbq which had team members dressed as gas, ketchup bottle, a steak and then there was there aircraft of a bbq with wings. It was a fun event with each team doing a little dance before they pushed their aircrafts to the edge. Some teams dropped and some teams did get a little distance. This is all done to the backdrop of the Sydney skyline, Opera House and Harbour Bridge. A fun filled afternoon of watching people climb atop or inside this inventions with wings and splashing into the water below.

Happy hour at the Sugar Mill has to be mentioned. On my first non jet lagged day I noticed that everybody at the hostel was counting down the minutes til it was beer O'clolck. The cheap drinks and food became our daily routines. We would go do some things during the afternoon but would keep in mind the start of happy hour. Each day brought a few more seats at the table. Many great conversations where had, deals made, stories and plans exchanged.

It is strange to think that less then a week ago I was at home watching the trees get barer and the frost on the cars windscreens growing thicker with each day. Now I have got some sun on my face, met some great people and finding it an easy adjustment back to the travel life. I'm starting to make a few travel plans and looking forward the the road ahead. Sitting on the beach the other day I realized I made some good decisions.

Presently I find myself back at Sydney airport watching the planes land and take off, thinking of the fun that has taken place over the course of the last few days. Our band of travellers has been broken as we go our separate ways. Readjusting back to the world of hellos, handshakes, laughs, stories and goodbyes. I'm happily embracing the uncertainty of what I may do in the near future but feeling a bit weathered after my time in Sydney.

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