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Published: October 28th 2006
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strip club row
Some had interesting names You'll all be relieved to know that after ringing the hostel owner at 11:30 pm and being told to go away until morning in 'da ghetto, we broke in and slept there anyway. We were cream crackered and still hungover so we figured it was worth it. Awakening the next day we went for a day of sightseeing. Opera house tours loomed (did you know the architect fell out with the council, so left sydney before it's completion and has never returned to see it completed despite still being alive today, and that it's concrete inside which is suprisingly unattractive!) along with cuppa tea by the harbour with jazz playing in the background. Sublime!
Went to the North Shore via the ferry next day to bask in the sun. Turned out factor 30 is just not enough for my English colouring and managed to get some comical lines for the next day of beaching it up - but this time at the world renound Bondi.
Bondi is a dump.
Well...Tis not all that bad, but really isn't anything special and is full of flies that are apparently attracted to the cloud of coconut smelling sunscreen that usually hovers over
Three sisters
But not as we know the pub in Edinburgh the town. Not that there was any of that on the day we visited as it was drizzling and chilly. This might have affected my view of the place, but I'll argue that it's still not that great! Anyways that night, living in the ghetto to end all ghettos, we're walking home to see a shroud of people in front of the night club next to the 'adult shop' that had pumped it's beats underneath our heads all night. There's also a photographer and many a big security blokage. Intrigued we ask one of the friendlier looking balls of muscle what the 411 was. Turns out Jay Z and his woo-man (Beyonce for those of you not in the know ) was on his way to this particularly dodge club in a particularly dodge part of town.
I was confused by this.
We went to hostel to get a cuppa soup (funds are tight - we had a cold tin of baked beans one night for dinner) and went back out. Anyways to cut a long wait short, we befriended the paparazi guy who was quite nice for the paparazi I guess, and eventually they did show. My
A friend from Florence
This little fellow was visited by me in February in Italy! pictures are indistinguishable unfortunately. The pap's were good but unfortunately his photos are his bread and despite the amount of 1st class chat we had given him, making his job a dream that night, he would not give them to us for 'copyright reasons'. Bah! Anyhow, t'was a story, and a fun one at that.
The Blue Mountains were a mere 2 hours by train the next, beautiful day. Alison slept on the way...I read useful bits of information to feed her for the rest of the trip (she loves it deep down - very deep down). We got a picnic and attempted to find one of the picturesque sites seen on the postcards to eat next to. I got lost - well not lost, there are no street signs saying ''viewpoint" or anything useful like that, and there's no map - and I think we eventually ate on the front lawn of someone's house. It was a well kept front lawn, so I think I provided Ali with some sort of view!
Finding the cliffs (which were 100m down the road and around the corner from our picnic spot) we went on a cliff top walk with
spectacular views. This trail led to the '3 sisters' and the giant stairway. Now this stairway is not named ironically. It's 871 steps (we counted) and even just going down we had shaky knees. We did ask a lady at the top if it really was 'giant' and she'd replied "not really, I'm just a bit unfit. It's only a couple of steep staircases". Cha!! Think she only went down to the 1st viewing platform. Anyways, reaching the bottom fully intent on climbing back up, we saw a sign for the steepest railway in the world about 2.5 km away, which I'd been intent on going on. We abandoned the stairway easing our conscience with a 2.5 km walk.
On route we were beasting it past the slow coaches on the path when I heard one lady say "This is ..... from Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, reporting from the blue mountains". I squeaked. She lives on Long Street with her kids at my primary and secondary schools. Didn't recognise her or get her name, but small world eh? You might have taught the kids at playgroup mum! Train was a 52 degree incline. that's steep. You start off, kind of laying back and then you're standing at the end. It freaked me out a bit, as I couldn't figure out if I was still laying/standing/reclining, but Ali loved it!
So those were our main trips. we just strolled across harbour bridge, had some lovely hot chocs and went in some galleries before getting on yet another plane to Melbourne. Sydney is okay, but I really wasn't as overcome with the city as I thought I'd be. We've just arrived in Melbourne though and it's superb. Chuffing freezing though (Angela/Louise pack many a jumper) and today I'm wearing scarf and t-shit due to lack of alternative warm clothing. Might go in search of a pair of thermal gloves today.
Hope all is well back home.
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will bush
non-member comment
wow
hi rannon, just wanted to let you guys know i envy you so much and i am reading your adventures as and when i get the updates. hope your still having fun looking forward to hearing from ya'll will x x x