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Australia! Land of kangaroos, boomerangs and sports-mad ozzys.
We couldn't believe our luck when we arrived in Sydney to blazing hot sunshine - after 3 weeks in chilly china, this was just what we needed! And to be greated by a familiar face at the airport and know that we didn't have the stress of haggling with taxis or figuring out the train routes to the nearest hostel was great too. Our first two weeks in Australia were to be spent with relatives - in Gosford, NSW.
From the minute we got off the plane we suddenly began to realise that we weren't in Asia anymore - and all the touting/duping/haggling and problems with language had come to an end. This should have been a relief to us both but actually it brought a feeling of sadness - that we had left behind the excitement, the challenge and the magic that is Asia...with all its unusual sights, smells and sounds. And now we were beginning stage 2 of our travels - 3 months working our way round Australia and slowing down the pace a little and maybe making some friends. For now, though, we were glad of a comfy
bed and some home cooked meals, and some time to catch our breath and plan what we were going to do.
Wyoming, a village just outside of Gosford, NSW, is a very pretty village with the typical houses you see on 'Neighbours' - there was even the token 'bouncer' labrador next door. Aunty Marie's house was situated on a hill with spectacular views across to the mountains - and even more incredible sunsets, just about every evening. Apparantly, this time of year is known as Australia's Autumn - however you wouldn't have known this from the lush green trees and bright blue skies - England would be glad of it as it's Summer. In fact the only tell-tale sign of the season was the early evenings - which was pitty. By 6pm (and then 5pm just a week later - due to the clocks going back) - it was pitch black. However, once the sun had set and the sky had gone from deep blue to all shades of pink and violet and then to black, this was when the noises of Australia came to life. The sounds of the crickets and grass hoppers clicking their feet together, and
other far off sounds from the bush. During the day we were also visited by kuckaburas, parachites and wild parrots - some eating from the bird feeder as we sat out on the terrace.
The travelling took a different pace from this moment on. Early morning starts and fast paced sight seeing tours made way for lazy mornings, afternoon visits to the beach, the odd game of tennis and relaxed evenings watching dvds and reading books.
On our second day in Australia, it was my birthday - so we took the train into Sydney to see the famous sights for the first time. The train journey was only about an hour and a half but it was very scenic, passing by lakes and forests and mountains. It was an exciting moment seeing the sydney harbour bridge and opera house for the first time, then strolling along the botanical gardens and then jumping on a boat to Manly - a popular destination about 30 minutes away with stunning beaches. In the evening we made our way on the boat to Darling Harbour, known for its cafes, bars and restaurants, where we ate steak and chips - ozzy style -
and then made our way back to Gosford on the train. We had had our first taste of Sydney and we both liked it.
In the following two weeks other trips included: a day in Newcastle (on a rainy day - not the best time to view), a night out in Sydney with some of Dales' friends from school Rick and Dan and their girlfriends Vicky and Lisa (a yorkshire reunion!). This started with a few drinks at the opera house bar, an italian meal on The Rocks - a trendy area of Sydney, and a gorgeous meal, then drinks at a german bar where the beer is served in large steiners by staff dressed in laden hossers. The following day (we stayed overnight at Vicky's house) we went to the Surrey Hills festival and then to Bondi Beach to see the famous surfers stretch. In the evening we all watched AFL at a local pub - Vickys team was playing and she had a little Port Adelaide supporters group with her so there was a buzzing atmosphere.
As we had got such a good feeling about Sydney, we decided that we would go off and explore another area of Australia before coming back and basing ourselves in the city to find work. So after our two weeks in Gosford we made plans to head up to the Gold Coast to stay with another of our relatives for a while and explore Queensland. We had decided to hire a car for two days and make our way up the coast slowly stopping off at various points on the way.
And so the next part of our adventure began.......
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