G'day from Sydney!!

It has been quite a while since I last wrote a blog entry and I don't really know where to start. I have been in Sydney for quite some time now, and it no longer feels like I am either on holiday or travelling, but instead that I have taken up a perminant residence here.

I arrived here over 3 weeks ago now and am absolutly loving the place! The only downside to Australia is the cost. Coming from Asia I am sure that anything would seem expensive but because of the terrible exchange rate everything is incredibly expensive, but apart from that worry I am having the time of my life!

I initially planned to spend 5 days in the hostel in Sydney but ended up staying for 10. Although I was soon having a lot of fun, my first 2 days here weren't the greatest as I was in quite a small room and I didn't really get to know too many people. It also rained constantly for the first 2 days and after being in Asia for so long, I coldn't believe how cold it was, so i am pretty screwed when I get back to England if I think it is cold now!

By my first Monday here, I had settled in and went on a free walking tour with the hostel and another 40 people. I got talking to loads of different people, many of whom have already down the same journey as me which was cool. I also moved rooms into a 10 bed dorm, and although I have sacrificed sleep to live in such a noisy room, I instantly made a group of mates who I spent my first week here with.

My Australia trip so far has been very different to my time in Asia, and because I am not moving to a new town or even country every few days I have had time to get to know one place. I have mainly spent my time between wandering around the city, spending my time sitting in either Hyde Park or in the Botanical Gardens, and when it is sunny going to the beach. Oh and of course not forgetting partying! The hostel feels as though I am living in University halls without any of the work; it has a great social life. Though I am trying hard not to spend too much money, so we have been drinking boxed wine which they call goon here. At $12 for 4 litres its not great as you might expect, but as I am not eating properly I am sure its topping up my calorie intake!!

I wont tell you about every day in Sydney, because frankly this post wil be too long, but the most significant things I did were.... Doing a sight seeing tour of the city, going up the tower on the habour brigde which had magnificant views, and going to both Bondi and Manley beach. Although Bondi is the most famous, it was very over-crowded when I went but never-the-less the walk along the coves between that and Coogee beach is quite something. Manley beach is far nicer, but I haven't dared to go in the sea yet! Not only are there jellyfish all over the shore, but in the 5hours I was on the beach there were 4 shark raids! The first time I heard it I was certain it was a bomb raid! A siren goes off and they tell everyone to get out the sea which is frankly terrifying. I am not entirely sure how well I am going to cope when I head off to surf camp tomorrow!!!

By Tuesday 23rd, I left Sydney and headed on a very impromptu trip to Melbourne. I flew because it was only $2 more than taking an overnight bus which was fine by me. Because I decided to go to Melbourne randomly, I had not really looked into what I was going to do, and stupidly did not realise that the Australian Grand-prix was being held there that weekend!! Although I did finally manage to get accomodation at the hostel I wanted to stay at, it was a lot more expensive. Although I feel like Sydney has turned into my home, I really loved being in Melbourne. The city seems to have a lot more culture, and more of an arty scene which I loved. I spent my days there taking the trams around the city, and looking at quite a lot of artwork both in the many museums and on the buildings. I was desperatly trying to find a Banksy work which was apparently amoungst the hundreds of spray-paintings but didn't get very far with my quest!

I only planned for Melbourne to be a brief stop-over, and after 4 days left to come back to Sydney. I have booked a bus pass with Oz Experience, and began my journey from Melbourne, and will eventually go all the way up to Cairns.

My 3 days from Melbourne to Sydney were excellent, and I saw both the most southerly point of Australia and the highest! It was a very tiring 3 days and I felt sure I was going to die by the end of it. On one of the days we set out to reach the summit of Mount Kosciusko, which is Australia's highest point. Although we got a chairlift up to the start of the walk, the 7km uphill in the rain which we did in just over an hour was certainly challenging!! Only 6 of us made it to the top and although I couldn't breathe from lack of oxygen it was a great experience!

On the trip back we also passed through Australia's capital city, Canberra. As it is the capital I was quite excited about going there, but to be fair there is not much to see and it is tiny in comparison to Melbourne and Sydney, but we went around all of the parliment buildings which was interesting.

i then arrived back in Sydney and have been here for another week with a girl called Holly who I met in Melbourne which is cool. We are in the same room, and although the first room we were put in was a bit disgusting, we soon got moved and are back where I was staying before which I am very happy about! This week has been very chilled out, and because we have done the touristy stuff we have generally been wandering around and partying!!

The one big thing I did do this week is go to the Blue Mountains which are jsut inland from sydney and excellent! I went with a tour group, and although my day started at 6am I had an amazing time! The walk was nowhere near as strenuous as Mount Kosciusko, and because the weather was much nicer, the scenery looked even more beautiful. While there i went on the steepest railway in the world which was quite an experience!

Now it is my last night in Sydney, and after being here for so long I am quite sad to leave! I am going to miss this place but will hopefully come back one day. Tomorrow I am continuing with my bus pass, and the first stop with the tour group is surf camp which should be interesting!!! We stay there overnight and get a 3hour surf lesson which will hopfully be fun, though I can't imagine I am going to be any good!

That is all I have to say for now. Sorry it is such a long one! I need to do my blog more often! I am at least getting my photos online as often as possible :-)

Hope everyone is well. Lots of love xx