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Published: June 27th 2011
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Here is the impression I have of Australians: friendly, kind, generous, helpful people. Of course this impression is based purely on the 20-something backpacker crowd I met traveling in Europe. Far be in from me to deny the possibility that there are rude and unfriendly Australians around, but I never met them. Before I got here my preconceived notion of Australians was very warm and fuzzy. So let’s go with warm and fuzzy shall we?
My impression of the city is of a bustling metropolis. It is amazing to me that this city was founded less than 200 hundred years ago. Since most cities in developed westernized nations are very similar in a lot of ways it is a challenge to explore them until you uncover the subtle differences that make a city unique. Sydney has what are known as ‘suburbs’ but which are more like named districts within the city. These districts can be as small as a few streets. You can easily walk across and between multiple districts in an hour. They have fun names like ‘Wooloomoolo.’ Right now I am staying a hostel in Kings Cross which is like the backpacker hub. There are literally 20 hostels
on my street. I am pretty sure they are cheapest hostels in Sydney; I know that’s why I am here. The neighborhood is full of internet cafes, bars, and convenience stores. Of course my main requirement for a place is the availability of cheap food. I found a pub that serves all you can eat pasta for $5 on Thursdays! It is fun to meet all the travelers centered here. It seems a large amount of them are Europeans here on a Working Holiday Visa. I have met more Europeans that I have Australians!
I have spent most of my week trying to find free tourist activities and looking for temp jobs to offset the astronomical cost of things here. I went to visit the Hyde Park Barracks museum that details the origins of Australia as a convict colony for Britain. It had reproductions of the sleeping quarters which were basically about hundred hammocks suspended in a room. I was kind of disappointed to learn that most of the convicts transported here were convicted of petty theft and after a term of service many of them were set free to become businessmen. In fact, some people would deliberately commit
crimes to secure a free passage to Australia. I guess I pictured a legion of violent criminals rising above their base natures to work together and build a successful nation. Another myth crushed.
Though it cost money I went to the Australian Museum where there is an extensive exhibit about the aborigines and their culture. There happened to be a performance of aboriginal dance that I was lucky to catch. I was quite charmed by the music of the Didgeridoo. I was sad to learn that for several decades aboriginal children were stolen from their birth parents and placed into foster care and orphanage/work houses.
I haven’t found a bathtub yet, but as soon as I do I intend to watch the water go down the drain the opposite way. I mark that as one of my top 5 Australian experiences.
TOP 5 Australian experiences
1) Great Barrier Reef
2) Sydney Opera House
3) Eating kangaroo
4) Petting a koala
5) Watching water go down the drain
Costs are all in Australian dollars which you can get for 1.08 US dollars at the moment:
hostel for 8 days: 116
Internet costs: 74
Cell phone: 65
Food 8 days: 100
Museums and activities: 26
Postcards and souvenirs including postage: 36
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
Internet cost?
$74 for internet? For how many of what units? Same question for cell phone.