23/12/11

Gems Aunt Deb picked us up from the bus station and we went straight to sleep as it was 1:30. We went to the mall with Max gems cous the next day and brought a travel pass, we just chilled out for a few days as we didn't want to start our pass yet, we watch Eclipse which gem realsied she had already watched!

25/12/11

Chrsitmas day we woke up to the smell of turkey, it was so hot outside bless deb cooking in that heat, she slept for hours after dinner! Deb got me and Tash a present each a pair of undies that had G'day on them and a Koala haha! We watched Batman and Harry potter the last one through christmas dinner! The boys went out and we had a night in skyping the family and did my rounds ringing the family. Deb did us Salad, prawns, and cheese for so nice she was proper spoiling us! We watched wife swap the only way is essexs what a load of crap what a way to end Christmas day!? lol

26/12/11

We headed to Dee Way beach the weather was cloudy but Tash still managed to get burnt. We then went back and deb had cooked us a lovely meal, lobster tales, prawns, mini pies, salad, cheese and potatos. We had the most delicious chocolate cake from the shop entitled the best chocolate cake in the world, it actually is thanks deb!! We headed to the cinema to see Tintin with the boys and deb, managed to squeeze gem in the back! The film was really good in 3d!

27/12/11

So our first experience of the city was pretty impressive i will always remember it as we meet up with Scott and went to the Harry Potter exhibition, which was sooo good (for a hp fan, scott and tash weren't so impressed) you could see all the authentic props from the films and the costume, you couldn't take pictures though, me and gem got a Gryfindor scarf! We walked around Cirlular Quay.

28/12/11

We meet up with Larissa and Natalie on what we thought was manly beach, it was a very quite beach on the 28th January, it definitly wasn't Manly beach. We then got the Ferry over to the city with the girls and took pictures of the bridge and the opera house. We walked up Martins Place, a man played moon river on his flute, one of my favourite songs, that was one of those moments you can't describe.

29/12/11

We went to Palm beach to check out where they film Home and Away. We then headed to the city and went in to the queen Victoria building which had a mall inside definitly for the elite! The building was stunning inside and out even if it was just a mall, it had a giant christmas tree that went through all the levels. We then headed to Westfields again feeling a little out of place!

30/12/11

We headed to the Blue Mountains with Max which was a two hour journey went quick on the way there!We saw the three sisters which the aboriginal people belive was the spirits of three sisters who died. We walked onto one of them, there were alot of people in a tight crampt space so pictures and back for me!! We then went on the cable car and tram which was like a cage on weels felt sooooo safe (not)! Me and tash got stuck with no seat on the way back and the train took even longet! I managed to squeeze myself into what i think was a lugage compartment, a sign of whats to come in Thailnd me thinks!

31/12/11

Today we went shopping me for a new years eve dress (i know a bit last minute) and me and gem had a haircut, i was craping myself as she was foriegn and i wasn't sure if she understood me! It turned out alright! We headed to the Duffy's we were running a bit late, luckily james didn't mind, he came to meet us at milsons point then we headed to Kiribili! The apartment was incredible and the view was unforgetable i'll never forget Gems excitment! It was so nice to see all the Duffs felt like i had a bit of home right there on new years, the Duff's are such a lovely family they made us feel so welcome! James passed the burden of my credit card over as soon as we walked through the door (well after he found it anyway). I got to skype the family and i'll never forget the effort i went to trying to hold the ipad, film on my camera and watch the fireworks whilst dad unappreciatively sat there and unwrapped a terry's chocolate orange, the Duff's were laughing! After we left we tried to get to Circular Quay but it was cornered of so we headed back! Best new years!

01/01/12

We headed to Manly to see the actual beach this time it was packed you couldn't see the sand we passed on the beach and headed for the shops after walking round the front! We had a waffle with chocolate, ice cream, banana's, strawberrys very very good Max Brenner is my new friend! We headed back to Debs as she had put on a bbq, which went up in flames whoops, was still very good though! We booked our harbour bridge climb for new years day, that was one of those moments when i thought well if the rest of this year turns out to be s*** then i can always say, well at least the first day of the year was pretty cool i climbed the Sydney Harbour bridge, not a bad way to start the year!! It made me really apreicate travelling, its easy to take it for granted when you forget how life could be if you weren't! Lodas of celebs had already done the climb incuding dan rad, Richard Branson, Prince Harry and the cast of Glee, yes finally joining the elite! It was a long process getting ready for the climb but so good once you are up there. I thought i would be afraid of the height as you are over the road but it really wasn't that bad and you are so secure. The arch was the easierst bit of the climb belive it or not, but Tara our guide was explaining everything about the bridge and the city in our headsets as we went up!! Aparently 16 people had dies making the bridge 2 of them from the arch one was 18yr old Sydney who fell and landed feet first into the sand in the water. Most of the deaths occured in the workshops. Another man fell landed feet first and survive he went back to work 17 days latter, madness! The opera house was suposed to cost $7 million but ended up costing $100 million the creater died before seeing the end product! We walked up 1439 steps and could see the Olympic stadium, Luna park and a little island where they sent convicts to die as an example to others, lovely! We finished the climb at 23:45pm it was amazing will never forget it!

02/01/12

We headed to Bondi gem and tash meet up with their friends, we had lunch with them. I wasn't impressed with Bondi it was a trashy beach ruined by tourists!

03/01/12

We leaft Debi's today and headed into the city for a few more days. Our Hostel is on George street and was very busy and loud compared to Brookvale. That night i meet up with Sian, we went to the hard rock cafe had a cosmo was so nice catching up with her!

04/01/12

Today we meet up with scott and went up the Pylons on the Bridge as we got free tickets from our bridge climb. We had lunch at this amazing little resturant, i had a steak sandwich sooo good! We then headed to the botanical gardens to see the bats hanging from the trees in daylight very cool! It started to get really windy and it felt like a major storm was coming so we headed back. We went out to the side bar with the girl from our room, there was a really good band playing the lead singer was really hot, had such a good night!

We headed to Hyde park and just chilled out on the grass and read our books! We headed to Westfields and had another Max Brenner i had the chocolate lick (a cup of melted chocolate) amazing! We went to the Sydney opera house for drinks that night!

06/01/12

We checked out early and had all day till our bus to Melbourne, so we headed to the chinese gardens. We had food in Oporto and then went to the City market! I was not looking forward to the long journey to melbourne but i managed to get two seats to myself so it was a little easier to sleep.