I can't believe I'm in Sydney!

Friday the thirteenth.
No walking under ladders.
Haha. Just kidding.

Just realized it is Friday the 13th. Not that I'm superstitious...just an observation I guess.

Anyhoo, today I set out and got my bus ticket all sorted out and I'm ready to start heading north and check out the East Coast of Australia on Monday. So excited! By the end of next week it looks like I'll be in Byron Bay. Hmm, time to start reading my Lonely Planet Australia to see what I'll be seeing and doing along the way...

Then I set out for a walk towards the Sydney Aquarium. I can't believe that the entrance fee is $26! At least being a YHA member entitled me to get a 25% discount so it was only $19.50 to enter. Being advertised as Australia's number one attraction I was expecting a lot especially considering I plunked down almost $20 to see some fish. I finally got to see a platypus first hand after doing something like three or four projects on the platypus in elementary school. I pulled out my camera to take a photo. Doh! "Warning! Battery Exhausted" flashed up on my screen. Double Doh! I forgot to put my second battery into my bag this morning. Guess that happens when you switch bags...

No worries. I'll just enjoy the aquarium without worrying about having to capture everything on film. Then the next 1/2 hour or so it was a bit disappointing. The displays weren't that great. Or was I expecting too much? Then came the seals and the underwater observation tanks. Okay, not too bad. Things are starting to look up. Then I walked down the to the Oceanarium which is also an underground observation tank where the sharks, fish and manta rays are swimming around and over you. Now this was awesome! I think I spent a good 1/2 hour in there if not more. It was really neat seeing all this sea life swimming above and around me. The last area in the aquarium to check out was the Reef section. This was awesome too. They have a "find Nemo and his friends" section. I just love looking at all of the colourful fishies and the coral reefs and anomes (how do you spell that??) They had some pretty huge tanks and the last tank is set up with steps and seating so you can just sit in front of the tank. Sort of like a huge TV screen.

Since I didn't have my extra camera battery on me I decided to make my way back to the hostel to pick up it up and come back to the Aquarium since I did get a hand stamp to re-enter. Heck, I can go a third time today since I can re-enter until 9PM tonight. Okay, I don't think I'll go that far...Anyhoo, after leaving the Aquarium the first time I walked about Darling Harbour, made my way back to Woolworth's to pick up a few more groceries and then got back to the hostel to drop everything off and put on my contacts (because by some strange miracle I found some contact solution on the way back to the hostel that was selling at a decent price! Whoo hoo! Oh how the simple things in life make me happy. haha)

So after a bit of a break and a snack at the hostel I headed out again for the Aquarium. The walk seemed super short. Perhaps because I knew where I was going this time. I zipped through the first part of the Aquarium after taking a few shots of the platypus (what's the plural of platypus..platypi??) and just about went directly to the Oceanarium to check out the shark, manta rays etc. I spent a good amount of time there again. Taking photos in there do the display no justice so I took a few videos hoping to capture the moment but even then it wasn't quite the same since the lighting was not the best. I also spent a fair bit of time in the Reef section too.

So I think I got my money's worth today at the Aquarium since I didn't go once, but twice! Average the cost out to just $9.75/visit. LOL I must admit this is not the most impressive aquarium I've ever been to (I'd have to say the Monteray Bay Aquarium in California would win that one...) but I was quite awed nonetheless. Enough to make two visits. haha

I'm just around the corner from my hostel so it is time to head back over there and make myself some dinner since I'm starved and the kitchen closes at 10:30. Okay, so I still have three hours. LOL

Hope all is well on the home front.
Hugs and stuff.
Bonz

---

---