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Published: October 24th 2007
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We arrived in Sydney at 7am, got our baggage fairly quick, but then had to queue for about an hour to get through the 1st security check. We then had to queue another half hour or so to go through the X-ray machines (joy). Finally we got to the outside world and OH MY GOD!!!! 12 degrees'ish it was heaven, cool air. Hopped on a bus to our Hostel which was at the arse end of nowhere in comparison to the centre of Sydney. However there was plenty of places to eat on our road.
Settled in and started researching the purchase of a vehicle. After finding a couple of places to check out we headed into the centre of Sydney to take a look. Out of the two places one was by far the better choice as they would help us out with all the paperwork, pink slips blue slips green slips orange slips i dunno i lost count but they are basically MOT, Tax and registration (ownership). So we took a look around their car yard and after much debating we finally decided on something neither of us had even contemplated. Wait for it..... Mitsubishi Pajero (Shogun) 4WD
1986. They converted the back to hold a double bed and threw in a load of camping gear. All for $6k about 2,800 quid. There is hardly any depreciation on cars over here as im sure you would agree if you saw a 21 year old car for sale in England you would keep walking. But they are in amazing condition, ours had a new engine new gearbox and clutch.
We couldn't pick it up until Friday so we booked a couple nights in another Hostel, called The Blue Parrot over in Kings Cross, much nearer the centre of the city, making it easier to pick the car up.
The Blue Parrot was a family run hostel so it was more on the quiet side, which is nicer for the communal side. Everyone chatted and watched TV in the lounge together and interacted unlike The Glebe where it was more circles of friends and as a couple we were kinda left out a bit. Only thing i can say bad about that place was the bunk beds, rickety old things that felt like there was an earthquake every time the person on top moved (of course that was
me) so it was even worse lol.
Spent most of the first morning looking for hostels for the Xmas new year period. We then went on a yomp through the city. Walked down the main stretch of the city centre (Pitt Street) which runs North to South. We walked all the way to the North which comes out by Sydney Harbour Bridge and of course the Opera House. It's really weird you long to see these things for years but once you are there and have taken a few photos.... it's kinda no big deal its a bridge and a funny shaped building.
We then took a leisurely strole through the Botanic Gardens, which run along side the city so you get an amazing scenic view of trees and plants with high risers in the background. Eventually got back to the hostel and we estimated a 12km walk that day, as many of you are aware i don't do the fitness thing much so that practically killed me.
Friday I mark this day because today is the day we picked the car up. All the paperwork took forever, had to go to the RTA office (Vehicle
Registration) then walk back best part of a Km. But that was soon completed and the car was ours (yay!) First stop ... Bondi Junction to buy some camping gear. We park up and do our shopping, i needed to buy some more sun lotion so went to a chemist, then on our way back to the car Tag wanted to stop in a surf shop to look at boardies. So there we were paroosing the rails when from behind us we hear "Tag" neither of us were expected it to actually mean Tag so we gingerly turned around to see a girl stood there looking at us. "OH MY GOD!!" yes, we just bumped into someone Tag knows here in Australia... do the math. Well i was in dismay, Em was her name and bless her cottons invited us to stay at her house for the weekend, which was a bank holiday weekend.
Finally..... a decent bed for a few days AND a room to myself, boooya. Saturday Em was playing rugby so we (pardon the pun) tagged along. Couple of cup games filled the afternoon with some descent rugby, few beers you know the score. The bus
dropped us back at the club house which is a bit like a British Legion and we all know what that means.... cheep booze. Yes we all got silly drunk well accept me i don't do that sort of thing it's reckless. ahem moving on.
Sunday was a lazy day for me... well it is the sabbath day after all, even God had a rest. (I in no way compare myself to God.... I'm way more good looking) Em and Tag went shopping so i took the opportunity to do some blogging and emailing etc. That night the girls went out for a girly night and not being a girl meant i had the chance to kick back for an evening and watch some TV (Oh how i missed it).
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