Sydney day 1

 

If it is ‘day 1’-to be honest, jet lag has finally set in, its now 8.30pm here, I left hong kong late yesterday then, had no sleep on the plane, though I have seen more films in the last 5 days than in years! (can recommend Margin Call)

I got the train as the transfer was going to take hours (roads here apparently a clogged, everyone goes by public transport), but my arrival at the hostel didn’t begin well.

This hotel really is a hostel, unlike Hong Kong , alas, this is a real old school backpackers place)…………

 But it is cheap, brekkie , if good, is a bonus, as food here seems extortionate, and not too far out from the city, so, so be it.

I managed to drag myself out, as far as and around Darling Harbour, which looks suspiciously like the Thames-in contrast to Hong Kong, its seeming rather too familiar ,though the colonial buildings remind me of Maine…I guess the Oz atmosphere will kick in when I get my bearings.

Today, I feel as if both.body and spirit are bruised/battered, this must be the come down after the exhilaration of Hong Kong .

 

 

Day 2

 

A long sleep, plentiful (if basic) brekkie, and I’m more with it. Luckily, the weather is bad by Oz standards, only 24 and overcast,.

I’ve walked miles, beginning with the freebie shuttle bus to Circular Quays (quicker to walk) then to the Opera House.

The Opera House, like most landmarks, seems very small in contrast to expectations, but during the day, viewed from all angles, it grew on me-very strange building!

The Botanical Gardens are a delight! Beautiful flowers, lovely parks, then the contrast of the bats and spiders.

Bats  have taken up residence in the trees, and are fascinating, very creepy, make a bizarre noise, and Weird birds are everywhere, descending to take any food from anything and anywhere, very disconcerting.

On round to ‘The Rocks’, and then up and over the Harbour Bridge . Not literally-the bridge climb is beyond me, but I walked over the main structure (and back1!)

MacDonalds ice creams here are 50cents, so somewhat dearer than Hong Kong , but still cheap by comparison with everything else…I finally found a supermarket rather than a very very expensive spar shop this evening, so have stocked up on picnic stuff..

I ended up back around Darling Harbour , and yes, the spirit of Oz is here, by the sea.

Everyone is extremely friendly, keen to help, genuinely very kind-I managed to get bitten (of course) and within minutes a park guide whipped out some after bite.

I’m still wiped out-I reckon this is jet lag/time differences over the last 6 days catching up with me, off to bed.

 

Day 3

 

To paraphrase a Chinese proverb, a day that begins badly will end well.

Today began badly as I slept appalling, too exhausted to sleep sensation all night.

It’s been a beautiful day, blue skies, and thankfully a wind, as it’s about 30 degrees-so I brought a weekly travel pass and went off on the ferry to Manly, apparently the thing to do.

And it was gorgeous, in every way-the beaches were fantastic, the surf amazing, walks from cove to cove, all well equipped with free water, loos etc , and the people are so kind and friendly.

The only problem, having come from our winter, is the heat, but I reckon I’m not too burnt (us older and wiser women always go equipped with hat, sun cream and cover-up)

I really feel like I’m in Australia now-it’s the sun and sand, and the healthy lifestyle/sports-everyone walks, runs, or swims all the time, the place is full of bronzed sculptured bodies,  but its also so laid back here.

The ferries are great, this trip is one of the longer ones, so I got fantastic views of the city and the harbour, there are tons of islands and beaches, so I m going to ferry hop continually!

I have found one aspect of Oz life out the hard way –the spiders (Annie,  be warned!)-if you go of the beaten track anywhere, wave something in front of you (I had wondered why people carried sticks)-the golden orb sits in a wonderful gold web when the sun is out, but its not that easy to spot unless you are staring at it, and they are everywhere!!

And I’ve learnt to be careful where I sit-I sat on a bench walking the cove path admiring the eastern tiger dragons (like lizards) only to find one trying to attack my feet-luckily I had trainers on!

And one more downside to the heat-anyone know how to put sun cream on your back when travelling alone??  Luckily I’m not burnt as I covered up, but it’s a problem………

But overall this sun, sand and surf culture will do me fine!!