Hey Wait, No One Smiled and Gave Me a Vegemite Sandwich...

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Greetings from Sydney! This 'Canuck' couldn't possibly come all the way down unda without seeing Sydney could I?

After a glorious six weeks of Queensland and the nuclear Outback, a small stopover in Sydney seemed reasonable. Not a huge fan of cities, but Sydney is lovely, a mass of skyscrappers with flocks of business suits frantically navigating the midday city streets with cell phones stuck to their heads.

Lucky for me, I met a really nice kiwi named Steven who offered to show me around. We were both crammed into the back of a share-ride van with a Norweigan inbetween us (there's a joke in there somewhere), chatting up a storm on our way to our hotels. Mine was the "Vulcan", not the live-long-and-prosper kind, but the trendy-boutiquey kind. It was charming. Whew. (You never know whatcha gonna get booking online). We met up for dinner later, and then partied it up into the wee hours at an Irish Pub I can't remember the name of. O' something.

My first official tour day of Sydney, the weather didn't hold up well. This Vancouverite can take any kind of rain you throw my way (fat rain, stinging rain, sideways rain, rain that jumps back up and bites ya)....but add thick humidity and I lose it.

A balmy 30c, but socked in and steamy for most of the day...not a good thing if you actually wanted to SEE Sydney. I had wanted to go up to the Sydney Tower viewing area...but to see fog? Um no. I also wanted to climb the Harbour Bridge....to see fog? Um no. So instead, Steven and I did a touristy ride through all the CBD. We were dropped off at Kings Cross, the Rocks, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and out to the botanical gardens to wander all about...then my camera died. Bondi beach was also on the agenda, but to see fog? Um no. So we opted for the dry refuge of a pub instead.

Day three in Sydney, it had skyrocketted to an eerily overcast 41c and freakshow HUMID. Like you were walking around in a turkish bath house. I felt a little guilty dragging Steven all around to places as he's been a million times before, so we parted ways. To commemorate my 40th, I thought I might get a tattoo at Kings Cross, but quickly nixed the notion of being inked because well, Kings Cross frankly....Holy 'main and hastings' batman ...(Vancouverite reference only)...

Instead, I hopped on a bus and went to Bondi Beach for most of my last day, and then back through the CBD, stopping in at some gigantic crazy market the bus driver recommended to buy some last minute aussie trinkets. A kangaroo claw backscratcher anyone? Later I found a great little place that had amazing Thai food. I literally fell into bed at about 8 pm having not slept for last two days (thanks Steven). My flight out in the morning is really really early. Did the mad scramble to get all my shit into one suitcase without busting a zipper. Not even enough time to say a proper goodbye to Australia!!

'Ahdeen' hours on a plane and I'll be home sweet home in the land of snow and maple syrup.

G'Day Mate!

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Photos

my cool hotel
live long and prosper vulcan

one last pix before the camera died
one last look at a jacaranda tree. wish we had them in canada

bridge and white thing
every visitor to sydney must get this shot of course!

like the sandstone buildings
sydney is a cool looking town

Sydney skyline
reminded me of vancouver

sydney downtown
some gov't buildings downtown I think. Wasn't paying attention

darling harbour
harbour downtown

somewhere downtown
another picture I don't know of what. but cool nonetheless with the sandstone buildings

Comments

[5318008]

I spotted your mistake.
It's only seeing as you forgot to buy bread from a man in Brussels.