Sydney: 6th-11th May.

The first day in Sydney was full of ups and downs- waves of tiredness intermingled with the excitement which you can’t help but feel when you’re in Sydney. After checking into Wake Up and satisfying our hunger for breakfast down the road at the neighboring YHA, we were dismayed to discover that we had been sold the wrong Greyhound tickets. Unfortunately there was nothing we could do about it there and then as it was a Sunday and STA was shut so we were unable to speak to the clever woman who had sold us the pass which didn’t have enough km on it. We then strolled around Darling Harbour.

Jess spent the rest of the morning at the Maritime Museum where she went on the boat ‘First Lady’- (the first boat to circumnavigate the globe sailed by an Aussie lady in 1987), and appreciated some artistic photos taken by Bill Noyes of fishing boats on the Irish of Arran in the 1960s. In the afternoon we both wandered up to Circular Quay and through to The Rocks where we browsed the Sunday market before having a drink and some gorgeous potato wedges in one of the many pubs with live music in the area.

On returning to the hostel we used our 2 for 1 drink vouchers in the hostel pub which was more than enough to give Jess a good night's sleep! Monday morning we carted all our belongings up to Base Backpackers, which was in a much better location behind the Town Hall. We then wandered around for a bit before Armelle did some internetting to try and meet up with some of her friends while we were in Sydney and Jess headed up the Sydney tower for a spectacular view of the harbour (which she had missed out on in Auckland).

Mid afternoon we made our way to the Opera House and were very pleased with ourselves when we got a $10 ‘student’ discount with our new cards. The tour was really interesting, especially the architecture, and we got to see a couple of acts rehearsing too.

On our way back we took our time over a coffee at Circular Quay, before spending the evening blogging (yes really) and avoiding the cockroaches which went hand in hand with the cheapness of the internet café. The next day we invested our pennies in a trip to the Blue Mountains. On the 2 hour bus journey we got to know our group as the tour leader insisted that we individually come to the front of the bus and tell everyone about ourselves into a microphone- there is a reason that public speaking is the number 1 fear amongst human beings! Jess informed everybody that having graduated in Environmental Science we are really into the whole nature thing. Half an hour later we had to suffer extreme humiliation as the group split and we decided to see the views by being carted around in the bus rather than going on the 3 hour canyon hike- the shame as the tour guide ridiculed us kindly!! First stop with our new tour guide (a keen biologist) we clambered to The Rock where we were rewarded by 360 degree views of the Great Dividing Range. We then went on a miniscule bushwalk to an ancient Wind-Cave which was stunning with its colourings and pockets of erosion. We were then taken to another view point where we got a spectacular view of Gross Valley. The next and final view point stop before lunch was at a well know hand gliding launching point, the outer edge of the Blue Mountains (apparently not mountains but outcrops created by tectonic uplift- a point constantly made by our guide) where rolling green farmland stretched as far as the eye could see. After lunch at Blackheath and an in depth conversation about opal between Jess and an antique dealer in the market, we headed to see the Three Sisters and view the Jamison Valley at Katoomba. Armelle then toddled off with some members of the group to descend into the valley on the scenic railway- the steepest railway in the world. She thought it was going to be a bit crap in all honesty but as it tilted to a near vertical position and plunged into the leafy darkness below it was actually brilliant fun! After a short meander around the mining cave entrances at the bottom, a cable car delivered the group back to the top. It was then time to exit the park but this was not before enjoying a coffee while walking among mobs of kangaroos! It was such an experience being able to get so close to them in the wild. Once delivered back to the hostel we manically rushed to get ready to head out for drinks with one of Armelle’s friends, Zuzanna and later on James. (Zuzanna and James are a couple who used to work at Comme Ca- Zuzanna as a waitress and James as a chef. They then moved to Sydney where Zuzanna studies and works while James has a job as a chef at The Rock Pool, the best restaurant in Sydney where a ton of famous people go, e.g. Bono and Kylie, all very exciting!) Anyhow, three gaggling girls migrated towards Circular Quay to sample the incredibly cheap champagne at the Ship Inn.

A bottle later we then moved to a bar a block down where another bottle was enjoyed.

After meeting James at the end of his shift, we went back to the Ship Inn where time miraculously disappeared and we tumbled out of a taxi outside the hostel gone 3am! After a very necessary lie in we descended heavily on the shopping district of central Sydney- George and Pitt Street. Since arriving in Australia, we had very much noticed how members of both genders are immaculately dressed in all the latest gear. In India, Nepal and New Zealand we had no reason to look anywhere near attractive especially being holed up in a campervan and cast into the wilderness for a month! So of course a practically entire new wardrobe was a wholly appropriate investment. Many, many hours later we deposited our bags at the hostel and drifted through Chinatown on the way to Darling Harbour. On the steps down to the water, we sipped our coffees while absorbing the atmosphere and twinkling lights of the city. We then spent a couple of hours at the aquarium suspiciously admiring the weird and wonderful fish.

We walked through a glass tunnel with teams of sharks happily swimming above us and a reef system where the floor was glass as well.

On Thursday the 10th May we decided to do the beaches even though it was a tad overcast. Investing in a day transport pass we cruised along the harbour to Manly. Once a mandatory browse in the shops had been completed we strolled along the beach admiring the slick moves of the surfers and munched on our sandwiches on the promenade, accompanied by a portion of chips. After disappointingly finding out that getting to Palm Beach (aka the beach used in Home and Away) would require a 3 hour return bus journey we took the catamaran back to Sydney and immediately jumped on a bus to Bondi.

On arrival we walked on the sand of the famous beach and evilly glared at the tourists who insisted on feeding the sea gulls right next to us- we both have a severe hatred towards these menacing spawn of Satan birds! Driving back along Oxford Street we jumped off the bus and walked to Mrs Macquaries Pt, the far tip of the Royal Botanic Gardens to paparazzi the sun setting over Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Well this was a very enjoyable experience for Jess but Armelle had discovered that her water bottle had leaked and a portion of water had kindly decided to seep its way into the interior of her camera halting at photographic opportunities! After a while, Armelle started to walk back, with Jess insisting on catching her up. However this never actually happened. On reaching the gate the botanic gardens the tannoy began to announce that the gardens would be shortly shutting. In her wisdom, Armelle decided that she would have enough time to reach the other side instead of having to walk the whole way round- big mistake. All of a sudden it got very dark and nobody could be seen in any direction. A flurry of bats (the size of owls) circled overhead and a hyperventilating 22 year old frantically searched for an exit. Half dead, a gate was reached but to her horror it was padlocked- the only way out was to ring the ranger- without a phone this wasn’t exactly a possibility. It huge bold letters it was warned to climb the fence under any circumstance- what the hell!!! Anyhow, much thanks to her lucky stars, two other foolish Brits also arrived at the wrong side of the gate. After much yelling and shaking at the gate it was decided that nobody could actually bother to help! The 3 musketeers then started to walk the perimeter of the park and found a walled portion of the boundary without cast iron spikes. The guy of the group shakily scaled the 3 meter high wall and found a crate which he then tossed over for his girlfriend and Armelle. After the girlfriend took forever to clamber over the wall with constant outcries that she was going to break her legs it was Armelle’s turn which was extremely ungracious but she was thankful for the hours put in practicing yoga! After a mild sprint, Armelle arrived back at the hotel, greeted by a rather anxious Jess. We then had approximately 30 minutes to get ready for dinner with Delna, an Australian who lived in a flat opposite Armelle in Cascade Hall while on their year abroad in Calgary. After a lengthy look for a cash point we settled down for dinner at Wagamamas on King Street Wharf.

A while later we headed downstairs for a few drinks at Cargos before saying our goodbyes- see you in another couple of years Delna! We then rushed to the Ship Inn to have a night cap with Zuzanna and James, toasting to our last night together in Sydney. Friday was our last day in Sydney, as that evening we would be on the bus- an overnight journey to Byron Bay. After crossing ridiculous inner city junctions, we eventually made it to Rachael’s house in the Glebe suburb. Rachael is a friend of ours from UEA- she is on her year abroad exchange in Sydney. Sadly, Rach had recently broken her leg while bouldering on a local climbing wall. We made some tea and had a good chat about all her adventures before heading back into the city. We then walked through Hyde Park and popped into St Mary's Cathedral where a wedding was taking place. We both decided that the couple being wed must be wealthy due to: A- the wedding taking place in the cathedral and B- the bridesmaids were dressed in black and looked like multiple Audrey Hepburn’s! We then admired the classical and odd art in the Art Gallery of NSW, which Jess especially enjoyed.

After the rather disastrous attempt at watching the sunset the night before, we headed back up to the tip of the botanic gardens. The sunset was spectacular with, thankfully, both cameras in action!

To continue our very appropriate farewell to Sydney, we treated ourselves to our final Starbucks at Darling Harbour before imitating pack horses to catch the Greyhound at Central Station.