Stuff

Sydney, Australia

I have done quite a bit over the last couple of days here in Sydney. I have been over to Manly, a beach suburb of Sydney. The beach there is big, busy and brash. You need to catch the ferry over to Manly, a 30 minute trip for less than 3 pound. Not bad at all eh? Whilst waiting for the ferry to board I offered a blind chap, Stefan, help and ended up spending the day over there with him. We walked to a place called North Head for a look back to the Sydney harbour, very cool view if a little overcast. The walk was a 2 hour round trip and Stefan was certainly more sprightly than me, only telling me later that he does hiking back in his country! Walked to the beach and got a beer with a local guy there, Andy. He saw me trying to read a map and I must have had ‘eek, I’m lost’ all over my face! Nice chap, very much the local surfer guy, even with accompanying mongrel dog.

I also went to the Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour to see the fishes and the nasty big sharks. I took a fair few fotos and even got a picture of Nemo and Dory in the flesh (do they have flesh?). The underwater tanks that put you right in there with the sharks are fab, really spooky but a great opportunity to take some great pictures. I even got a discount as I am a poor YHA member

I also popped into the local IMAX theatre there in Darling Harbour. For those that don’t know, IMAX is a HUGE cinema screen with VERY a load sound system. I went in, queued up with all the other 7 year olds and proceeded to spend the next 2 hours of my life watching The Polar Express 3D! A winter, snowy, Christmas tale while it was 28 degrees outside. It was freezing in there Oh, great film though!

Then yesterday, I booked myself in for one of those high speed powerboat trips around the harbour. WOW! 30 grown adults (and a few much braver children) pack into a huge powerboat the size of a bus and you get 20 minutes of having your internal (and external for that matter) organs liquidised! 270 degree spins, jumping over wakes and more generally painful seafaring. Oh and all this while wrapped in a smelly waterproof mac they provide and as it rained the rain would do its best to pierce your skin as we belted around the water. It was FAB! I really enjoyed it, the best $50 I had spent that hour!

The Hostel staying has been a synch so far as these YHA’s are really a hotel with strangers in your room I don’t mind it at all …. yet!

OK, that’s it, I’m off to the Blue Mountains tomorrow for a couple of nights. I will catch up shortly after that.

Sydney, Australia

Arranged with Simon and a friend of his, Lee-Anne, to do the Harbour Bridgeclimb today. We booked it at the hostel travel desk and handed over our $155!! The weather today is perfect, clear, hot and we can see for miles, couldn’t be better.

Oh, I had my first sushi today too, on the walk down to the harbour, not much of a fan of raw anything but it was surprisingly tasty! Poor Nemo.

The bridgeclimb started at 2pm and the weather was still fantastic, not a cloud in the sky. The whole climb experience takes about 3.5 hours although only a couple of those are the actual climb and decent. We were kitted out in special overalls, straps, belts, caps and clips. By the time we were ready to go, we looked like a bunch of trainee astronauts.
The actual climb of the bridge was fantastic. Each person is attached to a safety line and you all walk in single file wearing a special headset that works in high winds so the guide can tell you all about the bridge and the surrounding views. The first part of the walk was quite un-nerving, the tiny walkway was see-through metal grate that showed the floor 50 meters below and the hand rail has very low, mid thigh. After we all got passed that bit without falling off we all relaxed and it was a great experience. A Leisurely pace, stunning views and an excellent guide made it unforgettable. I have some great pictures that even my funny looking face couldn’t spoil. I will see if I can get them uploaded here soon.

After that, and a few beers back on terra firma, Simon & I headed off to Star City, Sydney’s casino. A huge place with more pokies (slots to us Brits) than I could count. Over a hundred card tables and even a Poker tournament open to the public (for a $400 buy in!).

We had a great night and played Blackjack and craps. Craps was completely above me, I had no idea how the betting odds worked and the croupier(sp?) was fantastic to watch, keeping tabs on bets, who did what when, all whilst answering questions on how to play by a silly British traveller! However, blackjack was far more my game, easy to understand and nearly as much fun. After a good night of betting and drinks, I came away $100 up and Simon made $150! A thoroughly fun time and I made money. Didn’t get back to the hostel until 4:30am, lots of creeping around in the dark, trying only to wake the one that snored like a train!

Sydney, Australia

I called my Great Auntie Vera yesterday and arranged to visit her today. She lives only 30 minutes out by bus and has done for the last 48 years! I last saw her when I was 7 months so we had a lot to catch up on

The bus ride out drove passed some wonderful views of the harbour and rivers with all the boats and large waterfront homes. I wonder how much those houses cost in such a lovely position, just out of my budget I feel.
Auntie Vera (from now on known as AV!) lives in a place called Ryde and in a lovely tree lined, largely unspoilt road. Many of the houses there including hers is an original building from around 1910/20. AV told me all about the history of her place as she gave me a tour. It’s great to see someone so proud of their home.

She looks fabulous for her age and was very happy to see me. Oh and Mum, the first thing she said was that I was just like Dad! Oh the curse of the chin!
Although I had given her hardly any notice, she had arranged for Jean and Brenda her two daughters to call round to say Hi. Both were very kind and friendly. We had a lovely lunch and talked lots about the old times and my travelling to come. I didn’t expect them to fill their day looking after me but they insisted that we do something while I visited so we went to a local animal sanctuary. All four of us stroked a sleepy wombat, cuddled baby koalas and I took far too many pictures of all of the animals. By the way, I had no idea that kangaroos use their tails to walk on as well as to jump. Heh, I think David Attenborough will need to watch out now I know so much!

We headed back to Jean & Ray’s house just a bit further inland and they very kindly cooked dinner. They all helped with my questions of Aus and gave me lots of hints on what to see/do.

They dropped me back at the train station and I caught a train back to the hostel.
They made me feel very welcome and put themselves out to show me around and I am very grateful, I have promised to keep in touch and to pop in to see them on my return leg. What a nice family.

Sydney, Australia

Missed a few days of updating my journal and only just had a chance to add a new entry. Still in the same room here at Central Sydney YHA. I’m sure I am being spoilt at the moment but staying this hostel is really very easy. It’s clean (most of the time!) safe and loads of people all doing the same thing as me.

I met a guy in my room on the first day, Simon and I got talking about traveling as you always do when you meet up with people here. He is just coming to the end of his trip and has been to most of the places I want to go and has been really kind in introducing me to the world of travel, hostels and tips etc. I couldn’t have met a more helpful, pleasant person for me to ask all my silly questions. I’m slowly settling into the traveling lifestyle but still cant seem to sleep much passed 8 or 9 in the mornings, even after 4am nights! Maybe its the time difference still. There are the expected sounds and smells(!) you would associate with 6 guys sharing a small room, but all the people I have met so far seem like decent types, cross the spectrum of age, interests and laundry regimens!

I have done loads since my last update. I have been a little too drunk already, even partaking in a kebab! Thought those days were over! I have walked around lots of central Sydney and it is much like any other large city, some good some not so nice. But it has largely very attractive buildings, parks and women The quays at night are beautiful and hard to imagine that most of that skyline was bush a couple hundred years ago.
I went to the Museum of contemporary art for a couple of hours and perused the weird, wonderful and down right rubbish exhibited there. [The Kendalls: I didn't find any cattle ironworks there, so I don't think that MK Gallery piece has made it to Aus!!]. I walked all around the Opera House and touched the white tiles of the roof. I had no idea the roof was made up of millions of small tiles, that is a serious grout job! Also had a lovely lunch outside a jazz/swing cafe where a live band were playing. The singer was very good and played for nearly two hours to a packed crowd. I knew listening to all those Frank Sinatra albums would pay, although I perhaps shouldn’t have sung along so much

’til the next one then…

Sydney, Australia

Here I am again. It’s 11:10 here on Saturday. I am sitting in the YHA hostel in central Sydney, in their internet cafe. I feel better for that nights sleep of 11 hours. Had a good breakfast at the hotel before checking out. Although, it was a buffet and when I got up to get a coffee refill, my breakfast was cleared away! I must have one of those faces

Yesterday I had a walk in the evening up through the center of Sydney and ended up in the Circle Quay, where some of the Harbour cruises launch from. A lovely place, buskers, bars, cafes and a fab view of the harbour bridge and Sydney Oprea House. So I had my evening meal in a small cafe just on the edge of the harbour looking out at the bridge and opera house. A bit more fitting than a McD’s! Got some pictures taken but no facilities to uploads them yet, I will at some point tho.

I walked back and found a Woolworths, good old Wollys, got some bits and went back to my room. After struggling to stay awake as long as I could, I fell asleep at 8:30 and woke at 7, lovely.

It’s hot still today but a little overcast and I put on the suncream too for all those that reminded me to use it.

I called Mum today with my new fangled calling card and heard that Julies PC was sick, and that Keef had to come round to see it! And that he has had to pop into Mums to help her too! I left just in time then! All that time I am there and just after I leave, it goes wrong. Sorry, hope it wasnt too much bother K.

Need to get off now, time has run out on the PC. Keep well you lot and talk/mail soon.

Sydney, Australia

Phew, here at last! After a 8 hour delay at Heathrow due to a cracked windscreen (Autoscreens must not have had one on the van) and a 8.5 hour delay leaving Malaysia due to I dont know what really I arrived in Sydney at 9:30am Friday instead of Thurday evening. After the difficult (and boring) delays, arrived in Sydney to glorious sun, 27 degrees. Very nice.

I had unfortunately missed my first night in the hotel I pre-booked so I have lost that now. If I can be bothered I could write to the Airline to request compensation but thats all too much bother. So I got to the hotel this morning via a very smart double decker train. The hotel is clean and I have my own bathroom! Lovely. I showered and have come out to find out where to stay and to find an internet cafe and here I am.

I have bought a calling card that gives me cheaper calls to the UK so I may test that out later.

My first meal in Aus was a McDonalds! I feel very tired and just stumbled across one, I am cultured me

I went on the monorail that looks around some of Sydney but I am too tired to take it all in, oh well plenty of time for all that. Oh and I have booked into a hostel for a few nights from Saturday onwards.

Right, that’s it for now. I will try to get on again real soon when I have caught up on some sleep.

Take care all.

Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

OK. Here it is, my travelogue. All set up and ready for my trip. I will try to visit the ‘Internet Shops’ as often as poss and keep this log updated. Each time I update this thing it will try its best to send you all an email to let you know I was bored enough to add to it! If you know of any silly people that you think would like to read it, pass on the address, there’s a link on the page for people to add their email addresses to the list that gets notified.

You can email me whenever you like at my usual address darren@laneyweb.com I will pick them up each time get a chance. You can leave comments right here on this travelogue too if you want the rest to see your message.

Right, off to search for a pocket dictionary that will fit in my already bulging backpack so I don’t embarrass myself too much

Byee

p.s. Let me know if you want to stop the notifications, I will remove your from my life!