Austrailla: part 2

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03/03/08 days 1-27
First stop in NSW was Nimbin.
Nimbin is a hour or so inland from the coast and a couple of hours away from the last destination of Surfers. It is a Hippie Village set up in the hills, we spent 4 days there in a campsite a short walk away from the town, the four of us rented what they classed as a private bugalow, but it was basically a wooden hut, each hut had a theme and ours was the Indian one, it was called Goa. They had others as well like the treehouse and the gypsy van.
We all loved Nimbin they had some devine little shops and one pub, they also had some devine little swimming hole along the river, and the weather was beautiful. There were a few wierd hippies knocking about that you could just tell, had been there too long.
Next stop Byron Bay.
Whilst writing this I have been in Byron three days and I have to say its my favourite town so far in OZ, I think il spend a week or so here, its where the hippies used to come before any tourists did, that's why they moved in to the hills so no one would bother them....did'nt do them much good in the end as there are daily tours from byron beach day ha ha.
Right back to Byron people here say its just like Newquay, I dont know because i've never been.
It has that relaxed atmosphere that Sufers did'nt. There are no high-rise buildings, in fact dont think i have seen a building over two storys high here, there are no fast food chain's like Mc Donalds etc.... this is because the local councils have been fighting against the place getting too comercialised, which is really nice.
There are about five beaches around here all within walking distance and loads of sufing going on, the waves are perfect and the water is devine. There's a lighthouse up on top of the hill which will make a nice walk one day. For the past three nights i have been sleeping in the van and all i have been doing is pulling up in the hostel and using there kitchen and shower facilities, I have booked a bed for tonight as I need a good sleep. Right its monday night so its cheap drinks night and I have to go and get showered as sand is everywhere man, its that really fine sand that you cant get off, people say it's got plastic in it!!!
The next 4 days in Byron were spent hanging arond the beach, ive been doing a bit of surfing myself but its quite difficult, especially as for a couple of day's the waves were really high, there were not many people out there except the pro's... i nearly killed myself just going for a swim, they were that powerful!! and with the current aswell it makes for a eventful time.
I walked up to the light house a couple of times, once to see the sunset and once in the day, amazing views. Right its my last night in Byron tonight and off to Sydney tomorrow, will be a bit sad to leave.
Right Sydney here I come: 10 hours South.
Got in to Sydney about midnight feeling very tired after the drive, decided to head for Manly beach first, so pulled the van up and had a much needed sleep.
I got up really early the next morning to watch the sunrise on the beach, which was devine.
I've found a water leak on the van and had to find a garage that could fix it, that proved quite difficult, but I found one in the end, they wanted to keep it overnight and the garage was in mossmon, so I had to get a bus back to Manly.
In the afternoon i went exploring and ended walking for hours found some lovely little coves and untouched areas.
It was time for a guinnes (well it was paddy's day after all) several hours later still in the irish bar, I ended up with this welsh bloke all night, (the random people you meet and never to be seen again), I actully quite like it and its one of the joys of travelling, I suppose.
The next day I went to pick the van up and decided to head for Bondi beach to spend a couple of days there. On the way, I drove over the harbour bridge which was pretty cool (i've always wanted to do that).
I got in to bondi and had a look around, the beach is lovely but the area is a bit rundown to be fair, its alright but different to what i expected.
Manly is definately a lot nicer.
I've decided to sell the van whilst in Sydney, so i spent the afternoon making posters and going around all the hostels and bill boards in Bondi. When rush hour had died down (not that it seems to matter in sydney) i drove in to Kings Cross, which is the backpacer area in the centre and plastered them up on walls. So we will see what happens hey!!!!!
Whilst in town i could'nt help myself having a look at the bridge and oprea house, so i walked down and its really, really nice, its exacly how it look's on the pictures.
All the bridge was lit up and there is some really nice bars and restaurants giving it a nice atmosphere, very busy though.
I drove home about 11ish and pulled up on bondi beach for a night in the van.
The next day I checked into a hostel, it's a pretty cool one, the room is all guys and in there is 2 tv's, a fridge, playstation 2 with pro evo, dvd player and stereo all (except the playstation) found on bondi road....result,
A couple of the lads in the room have been there about 7 months so its just what they have collected over the time.
In the afternoon I just went for a walk, from Bondi there is a 3k walk right along the coastline which is nice, it takes you past a couple of little beaches, which are a lot quieter than Bondi.
I had a full day on Bondi beach the next day.
Over here they have a program called bondi rescue, which follows the life guards about and films the rescue's they make, they we're filming whilst i was there... i jumped around in front of the camera for a bit (until some one told me to move) so i'll have to see if i get myself on TV haha.
That night we rented 10 dvd's. The next day the weather was really cold and raining so the jeans and jumper's are back out....not a problem though because iv'e still got 8 dvd's to get through. Not much to report the last few days just been hanging around the hostel and trying to sell the van, oh ive been surfing again but really difficult here due to the size of the waves, i enjoyed it though...when not drowning!
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!
So it's easter sunday here and for the first time ever i have'nt recived an easter egg, so I bought myself an egg, and sat on bondi beach most of the day eating chocolate and having a few beers...it was actually a great easter as tonight its the all night marathon of the premiership starting at midnight and finishing at 6 in the morning... man utd v liverpoll followed by arsenal v chelsea....what a super sunday that is?
And someone said they wanted the van today, so we have wait till tuesday to sign their names over as monday is a bank holiday here also, yeha fingers crossed!
I stayed in Bondi for another 4 days and eventually got rid of the van so that was good, it took me just over a week to sell it.
Now the van has gone i've moved in to the city for a couple of days, to do the tourist things, im staying in kings cross, i had to get a bus and a train to get here, its not that far but just arkward to get to from Bondi, it was a bit strange having to carry my backpack and guitar again.
I found a hostel put my bags down and headed out walking, the first thing i saw was this tramp of a women having a massive crap in the street...serious it made me nearly be sick and then her mate picked it up in a plastic bag and started running around with it, the joys of kings cross i guess.
To start with i walked round the shops in the city which is a really nice place, then down to darling harbour had a walk around there, then on to the rocks and had a walk around Harbour bridge, then i went to see if i could do the bridge climb, i had to wait a hour.
The bridge climb was amazing, it took over 3 hours in all including the saftey stuff before. The veiws from the top were also spectacular but unfortunatly you were not alowed to take your camera and you got breath tested before aswell, a guy in my group did'nt pass so he was'nt allowed to do the climb, and it was a devine day aswell so you could see for miles. After i went for a walk around the botanical gardens where you can get some goods shots of the oprea house and the bridge...i sat there to watch the sun go down. That night i met up with Al and his girlfriend Leah and went to the World bar for some drinks, I had a really good night!
The next day i started by having a walk through Hyde Park to the Sydney Tower, i was going to go up but it is very simalar to the one in Kuala Lumpur, which me and emily went up, so it would have only been for the views and i saw everything from the bridge yesterday. I then went back to the Harbour Bridge and walked across it. When doing the bridge climb they gave me a free pass to go up one of the pylons on the bridge which they have built a obsevation deck and there is a museam inside on the history of the bridge. It was good because you get some good snaps of the city.
Next i went to the oprea house for a closer look and also to get a ticket for a show that night. That evening i went to the oprea which was devine... i love oprea and the building inside is amazing and it sounds so good. After the show had finished i went for some drinks in the oprah bar, i met Al down there. We come to the conclusion thst it is proberly the best beer garden in the world, you have the bridge all lit up to one side, the oprea house to the other and the city to the other. That night we met up with some others and went to a club in the city which turned out to be another good night.
The next day i just hung around Kings Cross as i had to get a night bus to Melbourne that night...seems ages since i was last on a bus, which i nearly missed, i got there 10 minutes late and they were waiting for me.
I love everything about Sydney and think that you would strugle to find a better city in the world, its that good, i mean it has everything! The city, the harbour, the beaches, which are devine and the weather...what more do you want???

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