... Back to city living

Spent a week in sydney and, as I mentioned in the last mini-blog, it was a rather relaxed and lazy affair. It's amazing how staying in one place makes the time race away, and my week in Sydeny certainly did that. I'm used to spending about three days somewhere then moving on and then time gets really distorted; I'm often stunned that something I'm recalling was only a week ago...

Anyway, in my more speedy-paced existance in Sydeny I busied myself with shops, cafes, sightseeing (in that order!) and generally exploring the city. I took the ferry to Manley which was really nice, but alas never made it to Bondi because on my last day, when I planned to walk along the coastal path from Clovelly to Bondi, there was an almighty storm, really mental wind and rain of the kind that gets covered by news crews cos it's causing "city-wide chaos".

But I did manage to catch up with a few people I'd met along the way in Oz and one I'd never met before - Alice, a friend of Loren's who took me out a couple of times - so that was cool.... Oh and I had my hair cut, rather exciting after three months of no trimage.

So my general observation is that Sydney is indeed a very pleasant and beautifully situated city, it's a shame I didn't see it in summer however, because I'm sure that's when it's at its enviable quality of life best - sun, sea and sand after a days work and all that....

I have to say it doesn't beat London (not for me), but it was pretty scarey how much like home Sydeny felt, at times I forgot I was still travelling and it kind of felt like I'd reached the end. This feeling was assisted by the fact I was staying with Jenny's sister and her hubby in their apartment in Clovelly, a 20 min bus ride from the centre of town and a five min walk to a really pretty beach. Although it was seriously cheeky I ended up staying with them the whole week - they said it was fine! And it was so awesome having my own room and home comforts all around me. I slept so much and completely wound down, and had to really steel myself to pack up the old backpack again and get aboard the Greyhound for one final nightride through to Melbourne.

Melbourne is really lovely, and again, scarily home-like. If I hadn't just spent a week in Sydney I think I'd give this place a bit longer because it's got a really nice vibe and there's lots you can get out and do around the state of Victoria too. Only thing is I feel like I've spent enough time in the city and the need for change is rising up again; the temperature has seriously dropped, I've spent up, and I've arrived in the city where I will depart for New Zealand, so that's what I'm going to do.

So as of Monday it's goodbye Oz, hello Christchurch, where a month of wintery outdoor activities, dramatic scenery, fresh air and deletable dairy produce await....

G'day folks!