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Published: December 3rd 2007
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A couple of nights in a single room, what bliss to look forward to after a variety of dorms, swags, etc...
Saturday 1st December I love these small airports - we arrived at the airport 1140, by 1210 we're boarding the plane... In the reputed 43 degrees heat. Get to see 'September' on the flight over (aboriginal/white issues 1968) - not my favourite film ever - all a bit 'atmospheric' and no big story line! But we arrive safely (around 5pm, having moved to 11 hours different from the UK) and then I stand at the bg carousel and wait, and wait, and wait... Final bag out is mine - phew! Then work out how to get to my hotel/b&b - use the train/tram and a short walk. B&B doesn't seem to include breakfast though and looks quite run-down but they're friendly and I have a room all to myself which I need for a couple of nights - not quite sure after that but thinking may give Sydney a couple more nights for now and use the post New Year week to go up to the Reef... Hmm, finances. Meantime, head out to look for some cheap eats -
am just round the corner from the Sydney Convention Centre, Harbourside and Cockle Wharf - all in the regenerated area of Darling Harbour. Guessing there's some Christmas parties going on here judging by the number of cocktail dresses (I'm loving my dusty travellers trousers!), and as I head out into the wharf is obviously something going on... In 20 minutes is to be a free 'Round the World' Christmas concert (am chilly enough to put on a jumper so maybe will start to feel Christmassy soon!), so one Subway later take a seat, and it's quite enjoyable (if very child-friendly, with the Chipmunks, Bob the Builder and Santa arriving on a jet-ski) and the fireworks were a nice finish. I walked back an odd route, seeing slightly more of the locality than I planned at that time of night (but feels pretty safe), making it back to my room to crash (messy, but it's all my space!) ... To find that I'm next to the social courtyard, but around 1030 appears to have died off, so hopefully I'll achieve my aim of getting 2 full nights sleep whilst I'm here before heading back into dorm life again! And 1030 there's
Parkinson on the TV...
Sunday 2nd December Made myself get up in time for breakfast, but really, wanted to sleep for longer! Faffed around in my room for a while, then checked out some destination information with the friendly desk staff, then decided to walk towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Meandered along - getting pretty warm - have been recommended a route, but kind of go where I feel like. Find the bridge (can't really miss it), then wander down a side-street which happens to have the Rocks Weekend Market - so much for my spend-nothing but lunch day... I found a beautiful scrapbook for Round The World - something special, and then a necklace from the range which always makes people say 'Bex, where did you get that necklace' (it's a French company, but their stuff is hard to find). Then it's off to find the Pylon Lookout, which is $9.50 (rather than the bridge walk, which is $180+ - I'll do it one day!)... takes a while to find, but up there there's some interesting information on the construction of the bridge (which took nearly 8 years), and then you get to the top
where you can walk all the way round and see the views - pretty impressive!
Back down on the ground, think really should go search for some food as it's about 2.30pm by this time, but still meander in and out and find the Information Centre, so find some information in there. Wander round to the docks, all quite expensive, but find a cafe that doesn't seem too bad and I have a view of the Bridge and the Opera House here. Eat a beautiful lasagne, and write a few cards, then wander back towards the bus stand. Been given the number of the bus, so pretty straightforward, then back at the hotel to hump my stuff, before heading off to
Annandale Community Church, which has to be one of the friendliest churches ever (and message was on work/Christianity - recurring theme this year) - went to the pub after (saw a wrecked motorbike outside, but apparently driver is 'OK'), then was given a lift back to the hotel, where needed the internet although expensive, then sorted my bags and went for an early sleep, but was kept awake by people sitting in the courtyard until 1.30am! Pah!
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