AUSSIE RULES

---

So there we were driving out of the blue mountains on the highway heading for the city. I was once again navigator and the ride went pretty smoothly until the lanes became wider and the traffic more congested. Our map was not the best in the world and was almost useless for the city. I was flicking between the main city map and the larger less detailed outer regions. Head in map directing away, over a large toll bridge and then all of a sudden all navigation skills went out of the window when the sydney harbour bridge came into sight. We have seen the bridge like most so many times on TV but the realisation that we were here in Sydney and that was not a TV screen we were looking at was overwhelming. We both had a smug grin and then it was back to navigation so there was actually little time to reflect on the vision. We were heading for Bondi beach and hoping to find camp grounds there to settle in at. We were a little ahead of schedule and had 3 days and 4 nights to explore the Sydney area. Eventually after a little hair pulling and circular driving we made our way to Bondi. You arrive over the brow of a hill and the view of the beach is lovely. Crescent shaped and pristine the water rolls onto the beach carrying the surfers with them. We were both really excited and as it was getting late into the afternoon we had a bit of a drive around but the main objective was to find somewhere to bed the van. On our drive round we noticed that there were no signs for campsites at all. We parked up in the end and headed for a tourist info place thinking we would find one on the beach front. We actually only managed to find a small tour booking place who informed us that Bondi had no camp ground at all. We explained that we had a camper and the young girl told us that many carparks are used by the campers but officially it was not allowed. The closest campgrounds were to the south and nowhere near Bondi beach. We didnt really want to be travelling everywhere in the van and certainly didnt want to be staying on the outskirts of the city (Bondi is about 20 minutes bus journey away from the centre) so we headed off to find said carparks. All carparks on the front strictly list no camping and no parking after 10pm so we knew they were a no go. We headed further north to Watson Bay but that was very residential and very exclusive not a place for our camper!! In the end we headed back to Bondi and after alot of searching found a really secluded carpark right on the hill overlooking the north end of the beach. A french man was already there in his camper and he said he had not been moved on or had any hassle in the last 4 days. We decided to risk it and stay, plus it was free which is always a bonus!! The views were wonderful, in front of us we had the beach itself and to the right we had the view of the harbour bridge and the opera house. Not bad for free eh??? We cooked dinner and settled down to sleep when there was a knocking on the window. I about jumped out of my skin, Tim went out to investigate and it was security just letting us know they were locking the access gate. They guy was really friendly and said it was no problem for us to stay so we relaxed and got a very peaceful nights rest.

The following morning started quite cool so we decided to have breakfast and then head off down to the town to find internet and a launderette. We dropped our washing off with a very nice lady who told us to pick it up in the afternoon, result ! and spent all of the morning updating photos, blog and e-mails. Tim found out that Sydney swans were playing at the Moore park stadium the next day. He had been desperate to see an aussie rules game so he talked me into going to that. We stayed around Bondi for the rest of the afternoon. It was not warm enough to go to the beach so we wondered around, shopped bought our bus tickets to get to Moore Park and headed back to the camper for dinner and a DVD.

I wouldnt have gone to the footy off my own back it wasnt something that I was particularly interested in but I knew Tim had been searching since we'd been in Oz to find one. We found out that it was only the second game of the season which is why he had had no luck before now. The bus journey in was easy and we were at the stadium well before the game started. Aussie rules is completely different to our football so we spent the time quizzing people of the rules so we would enjoy the game better. Everyone was really friendly and seemed keen to fill us in on as much a possible. Basically you have two goal areas a normal pair of rugby goals and then one more to the side one either end. Between the middle two it is 6 points scored and the outer two is one point. You can score by kicking over the goals from any distance. After a few beers the game was only a few minutes off starting. The day was gloriously hot and the atmosphere was both friendly and excitable. The game attracted alot of families and everyone was in very good spirits. Funnily enough the bar man we got chatting to was gob smacked when we asked if we could take our drinks onto the terrace he thought the rules back home were obsurd. The ozzies do like a drink though!! The Sydney swans were playing Port Melbourne or 'Power' as they called themselves. The first thing we both agreed on was power was a really crap name and we were glad we'd already sworn our allegiance to Sydney. The game started with large banners being lifted into the air and both teams running through them to make their entrance onto the pitch. Sydneys was a congratulations message to two players making their debut. Powers said something really lame like "we have come to clip the swans wings, give it all you've got and a little more". The game is played in quarters of 25 minutes although a minute is added for each goal so the quarters can be quite long. To start with Power looked like they had the upper hand with bigger younger lads but the Swans managed to get a few goals in so by the end of the first quarter it was a close running. After a 10 minute break they came back out and Sydney were really pounding over the goals and stretching to a pretty good lead. By the third quarter they were walking all over power and in the end the game finshed with a massive difference of over 80 points. How great it was to be on a winning teams side for a change!!! What we found really funny was a young lad who kept coming right to the front (we had front row seats) and shouting quite passionately how power sucked, were rubbish and he hated them. There is no segregation and we were sat a seat away from a couple of Melbourne fans. Fortunately they took it in good humour but it did go on for the length of the game. His parents were sat right at the back obviuosly denying any knowledge of their passionate sons abuse!!! When the game was over the most bizarre thing happened and which neither of us had expected as it would never ever happen at home. The grounds man opened the gates to the pitch and all the supporters piled onto the pitch with their own balls playing like they were in a park. It was an amazing sight and completely unbelievable to see. We left the ground on a real high it had been a great day all round and one neither of us would forget. On the way back to the bus we stopped for a couple more beers and met a nice couple who we chatted with a while about the game, they were swan fans and really friendly. It was whilst we were in this bar that I saw my first celebrity in Sydney. You would only know him if you were around my age and used to watch home and away. Tim hadnt got a clue who he was so for those of you that may remember it was Blake. he was they guys whose girlfriend died in his arms on the beach. I think I would have been about 12 but to me it was a celebrity spotting. Apparently he is still big in Oz as he is in a popular drama screened over here. Josh our companion a little worse for wear took himself off for a photo. I stayed strictly in my seat in true English fashion!! It was cool though (if a little sad)!! After that we got the bus back and armed with chips headed back up the horrendous hill walk back to the van. It was our 3rd night and lack of facilities were starting to wear on me a little. We had a good look at the view of the harbour bridge though which sort of made up for it. Lit up like a christams tree the sight was breathtaking. Even more overpowering was the thought that the following day we were going to walk right up to the top and over the main arch ahhhhhhhh.............

---

Photos

Harbour bridge
The view from our carpark home!!!