Our time in Sydney

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My last blog, "New Zealand North Island" was written on the day before we left so the last day we spent in Auckland watching the Christmas Parade. The only word I can use to sum it up would be "advertisements!" Bit gutting really. Didn't even get to see Santa. Getting to the airport went smoothly but the bus was packed and drove past a lot of people waiting to get to the airport, so pretty glad we planned ahead and gave ourselves plenty of spare time. The flight itself went very quickly but after all our South America bus journeys I don't think we'll ever feel like a flight takes a long time! So there we were, landing in Sydney:

Monday 01st December
We'd already booked accommodation last night and so we had a free airport pick-up included. There was a really good accommodation noticeboard at the airport with free phones so we called a few and got prices for the week. Still expensive at 200 quid, not used to paying these prices so either we get jobs or we WILL be moving on on the 9th. Got to the Hostel, bonus as they gave us an en-suite room as that's all they had left. Had a little look round at other hostels in the area and settled on one just a few doors up with added things like free breakfasts, free barbecue, pancakes etc. We're in Kings Cross and it's pretty central to the tube/metro (or whatever it's called) and the supermarket is just around the corner, and plenty of bars. So it should be good.

Tuesday 02nd December
Checked out and moved in to our new Hostel. Nothing amazing about it at all. Pretty basic but it will do for us. Had alittle bit of a problem with the lock on our door so for tonight whilst it is being fixed we got put into an en-suite again. How lucky are we? So we're both really excited about seeing the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, so that's exactly what we did. Did the usual where we took hundreds of photos, but you have to really don't you? We were told by people that it wasn't really all that amazing, but we really thought it was, as the sun was shining and it was just so cool to be here. Used our Lonely Planet to find the Information Centre, but unfortunately it's closed down. Have to find oput if it's moved. There was another guy giving out maps so we got a little bit of info but not a lot. We were really tired so decided to have a chill-out evening, it's pretty cool to have a TV again. The hostel is pretty much full at the moment and everyone is drunk by 9pm. Good thing is they get cleared out at 10.30pm so the hostel doesn't get complaints from neighbours. Not many English speaking people here but that will probably change daily.

Wednesday 03rd December
It's our six months travel anniversary today so we're officially half way through. It's gone unbelievably fast in some ways but when you look back and think of things we did in South America it seems like ages ago. We ahd to get up and change rooms as our door had been fixed and took advantage of our free breaky which was basically just toast with jam/peanut butter. Got chatting to a few English speaking people before heading off to do some sights around the centre. Our first stop was at the Anzac Memorial (and the fountain), Macquarie Street and Place, and Archbold Fountain. It was all pretty cool. There was a wierd Chinese show and some sort of stalls trying to encourage people to visit China so we had a little look at it and of course it all looks beautiful. Another place on the list for the future. We walked through the Botanical Gardens and there was loads of bats. Took ages trying to get a good photo but they're so fast we didn't really manage. Spent a little while on the internet trying to find out more about Thailand and also trying to find jobs in OZ but to be honest, so is every other traveller here that hasn't already got one, even to the point that in the hostels you're on a waiting list. So we decided that due to everywhere getting so busy for Christmas we needed to make a decision so we decided to go with our flight on the ninth. So now we really need to get our hands on a South East Asia Lonely Planet so we can check out accommodation. We may even have to bite the bullet and buy a new one, du, du, duuuuuuuuuhhhhhh!! So we got looking lovely as everyone is meeting at 9.30 for free drinks, but what they actually meant was you meet at 9.30 and go out at 10.30 with the Hostel Party Girls and get your free drink, but it got to 10.30, they cleared everyone out and everyone just went and stood in the hallways, sat on the stairs or went to their dorms. Noone actually went out and the party girls were nowhere to be found. When we asked one of the guys that worked in the Hostel they kind of said that none really goes out. It doesn't really have that "backpacker" feel to it as everyone calls themselves travellers but they haven't actually been anywhere. They've just come to Sydney and started working which is fair enough but if you were starting here it wouldn't be a realistic idea of what travelling is all about. So due to me making the effort to brush my hair and put my nice dress on, and Steve - well, he had a wash tee hee - we headed out for a drink anyway. It was actually really expensive if not more expensive than the UK so we went back to the hostel as we'd bought beers in and sat in our room having a drink. Who needs anyone else when we got each other? (Me and my wine that is). Forgot to mention, bought 4.4 litres of wine for $10 which is about 4.80 quid and it actually doesn't taste like vinegar.

Thursday 04th December
Oh dear! I think I know now why the wine was so cheap. My head hasn't hurt like this since I was about 15 and got so drunk for the first time on cider, rum cheap french beer and other random spirits we got out of my friends dads licquore storage. Also had a real crap nights sleep. Partly because Steve decided to go to the toilet about 0200am and didn't take the key with him. No chance of waking me up so he ended up wandering round the hostel trying to find a spare bed before finally deciding to rest for the night on the steps outside. He finally managed to wake me at 0400am by banging on the door which woke me up with a mild heart attack! So I got up early trying to sort my head out. Had some brekkie before deciding what to do for the day. Due to the bad weather we decided not to do the beach and headed out to get a Lonely Planet instead. Out of three bookshops, only one was still open, but we managed to get one at $43 mind. We also bought a SIM card for $24 so we can ring round some hostels in Thailand as pay phones are crap. Still felt hung over in the evening as I was carrying Steves shoulder bag and bent down to get something and got stuck in a sort of sitting position with my hands full I could'nt get myself free then I could'nt stop laugthing at myself as I had to shuffle still perched in the bag to get to the bed to get my hand free. Luckily I escaped without a scratch and my dignity in tact as no one saw me.

Friday 05th December
There is a free barbecue at the hostel tonight so we're gonna do that later. Spent most of the day on the internet trying to get numbers for places to stay in Thailand for Christmas. We sent a few messages, most came back saying they were either full, or they only had their "Premium, en-suite rooms" for five times the price. We thought that by having a brand new Lonely Planet the numbers and prices would be round about correct, wrongo!! Again they were coming up at around five times the price (though maybe that is because it is the time of year) but at least they could put "peak" prices in the book too. We actually came across one in Ko Samui on the beach for 200 quid for the fortnight so that's a weight off our minds. We've also bucked our accommodation in Phuket as everywhere is just getting so busy at the moment. Really looking forward to getting to South East Asia as now we know where we are going to be staying it's real exciting. We headed to the BBQ and we waited for the que to go down so there was no Kanga Steak left which was a shame as Steve wanted to try some so we had jacket spud and steak it was really nice. Most of the people at the hostel like I said before are working or have been buming there for a while so there where lots of seperate groups and did'ent come across as inviting so we got chatting to a few guys from the UK and they were headed out later to pull so thats them off the cards to tag along with as I think a couple would cramp there style. In the end everyone went over the road for a free drink then went back to the hostel. So there was just me and Steve again so we headed back to the hostel and had a few drinks out on the decking.

Saturday 06th December
Oh dear. Not feeling good must have been that 3rd pint of wine that did it. We got brekkie then headed to Bondi beach and it was so busy the bus on the way was packed and then the beach itself was like find a space if your lucky we managed and it was unbelievable as soon as we sat down the sun went behind some clouds and we never saw it again but we stuck it out for 3hrs and it was depresing to see all these geourgeous bikini clad girls with fab figures but sat there munching on Mc Donalds so unfair. Realized when we got back that we actualy got burnt can't decide which hurts my eyes the most, the redness or the bright white headlights hum!

Sunday 07th December
Visited the "Rocks Market" wanted to buy a bikini but it was mainly tat and there was lots of testers on the stalls like chilli sauces and sweets so we took advantage and tried everything. Steve bought himslf and his brothers some Kangaroo "balls" Pouches there pretty cool actualy and I got a neckalace so we did ok. We ventured across Sydney Harbour Bridge which was cool but it poured it down with rain so we just went half way. Chilled out for the evening watched some tv. Looking forward to moving on now as this hostel has done my head in with the dirty gits that stay here they have no respect for anyone I wont even discribe the toilets as it makes me sick thinking about it but im sure you can use you imagination.

Monday 08th December
Did'ent really do much today just headed out and tried to buy a new bikini you would think that there would be lotts as its coming into there summer but no shops had them only a shop selling designer ones at 100 ponds Ye right! I wish, might have to find some nudist beaches at this rate. So We headed back to the hostel and packed we are so excited now we cant wait.

Tuesday 09th December
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY finaly leaving this flea infested hostel, actualy the hostel is fine its just the dirty sods that stay there they were playing a game of smash the beer bottle over each others heads lastnight and Steve told one of the girls who worked there and she just laugthed it off definatly one of the strangest places we have stayed in a while. We had a big lunch before leaving as our flight is not untill 5ish. So thats it for OZ really wish we could have stayed longer and travel round but we will be back in the future with more money hopefully.

So we arrive in Singapore on Tue the 9th so back into the Northern Hemisphere so we spent our last few hours in OZ watching the water go down the plug hole the opposite way who needs a tv? We will be back to fill you in on our adventures in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand after the New year. So MERRY CHRISMAS EVERYONE wish you were here................................

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Photos

A Night Out
Me and Him!

Waterfront by Kings Cross
Near our hostel.

Downtown Sydney
Monorail and Sydney Tower

The view from afar
You can just see the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

Is it him?
We spotted this dude at the airport. He has a busy couple of days coming up!