Australia Day 4-- New Year's Eve in Sydney!

Woke up around 10 am and showered quick before joining sean and his friend Gretchen for a coffee and a stay at the beach. We first had breakfast at his garden consisting of Greek yogurt and fresh berries.

After breakfast we went to rock dale beach where we could see the airplanes taking off from Sydney airport. Today, I applied SPF 50 after frying the tops of my calves and the areas touching my bikini. Ouch. We laid on the beach for a good four or five hours. It was very relaxing. Not a surfer beach like bondi and it was also in the area known as little Lebanon. People were setting up their blankets to watch the 9pm fireworks display while we were there too.

At about 5 we decided to head back to Sean's and shower and get ready for our New Year's Eve night out. We decided to catch the 9pm fireworks display at rock dale and then head up to observatory hill to watch the midnight Sydney fireworks. But first a drink from a townie bar complete with live karaoke. (I still have not eaten since my yogurt this am. Dying of hunger.....)

Had a coopers ale then we drive right up to the rock dale beach which we arrived at 858 and parked illegally. This firework display lasted a good half hour. Then hopped back in the car to drive into Sydney fr the fireworks. Stopped at darling harbor and picked up sushi pizza and a water for the display.

Made it up to observatory hill and a car had pulled out right as we arrived. We got prime street parking. This was the beginning of our lucky night. The queue into observatory hill was about 30 people long as it had reched it's capacity. So we headed down closer to the bridge only to be barricaded off. Luckily, sean knew the ranger (police officer) that was blocking off this section and she let us through. How lucky!!! The people in this section had been waiting for hours. And it's 1105pm and we slip right in. Next is the battle to find a spot to sit where we can see the bridge and the opera house. Fear not, we meandered our way all the way down the hill to the front side of the bridge and we could clearly see both the bridge and opera house. Found a spot in the grass Inbetween some other parties and had a seat and waited the thirty minutes for show time.

Happy new year

Skipped a barricade and weaves our way through thousands of people to watch the fireworks underneath the harbor bridge! Happy new year from Sydney Australia

Australia Day 3-- Bondi beach

Woke up around 10 am (after forcing myself back to bed at 6am and again at 8am) then packed up my beach bag (consisting of my blue messenger bag 2 luna bars, a pair of flip flops, my lay-upon and a liter of water) and caught the train to bondi junction where I caught a bus which delivered me right to bondi beach. Dave gurda you were right, absolutely gorgeous. White sand beach with a crazy rip tide and undertow.


But first, breakfast. I wandered up a random side street and found a cafe still serving eggs. Ordered a ham and cheese omelet and a chai tea. It was pretty good. Then I got a passion fruit frappe to go and sipped that while I walked to the beach.


Set up shop not too close to the water (let's be honest, I don't actually swim) and tanned in my Brazilian bikini for about four hours. Apparently bondi is a topless beach. Did not partake. About 3, Natalie- the chick that say next to me on the flight from lax-- and her friends showed up and we chatted. About 6 they left and I started te 3 mile hike to coogee beach. Alas, I was tired dehydrated and slightly sunburned so I turned around after a mile. Waited for a bus for about thirty minutes after picking up the Ozzie Gatorade and peanut m&ms. Then I decided to take the bus all the way to circular quay.

Upon arriving to circular quay I dipped into the Starbucks because my phone died. Used their plug for about an hour then headed up to harbor bridge to get a view of the city at night. Gorgeous. It was about 915 when I finished and decided I should probably head back to Sean's house as it takes a good thirty minutes. But first, I had to pick up a cheeseburger happy meal to see if the mcdonalds here tastes like the mcdonalds back home. Wait, I hate McDonald's. Oh well. It was the only spot open!


Not sure what our plans are for near years.

Australia Day two-- Sydney sights

Woke up at 5, darn jet lag. Didn't get out of bed until 10. Figured I was going to do the rocks Sydney opera house,botanical gardens and the harbor bridge. Planned to meet up with a couch surfer for a drink at night too. Sean was still sleeping so I showered and googled how to get to the train station and into the city. About a quarter mile hike to the train station and a twenty minute ride into the city.

Grabbed a Starbucks chai tea latte (ordered iced skim and seven pumps which they looked at me awkwardly) then walked along circular quay to the market in the rocks. Nothing too impressive from the street vendors (and everything is super pricey as it is tourist central) but made it to the bridge and I was getting hungry. Felt like breakfast so I kept walking in some direction (as long as I could see the bridge, or water I knew kinda where I was) but no luck. Then walked under the bridge and along the harbor and back Into the rocks where I found a place with chicken quiche plus a beer for 15$. Decent price in the city for lunch. It was decent. And the building was a renovated hospital. Each room sat maybe one or two parties.

Then I decided to head to the opera house and gardens. Gotta get that classic pic with the opera house in the back. The gardens were nice too. Reminded me of Central Park. Then I had two hours before I had to be back to meet a new Couchsurfer. Decided to hike up to the bridge.

On the way back through circular quay I saw my host sean doing his street performance. So I stopped and watched. Then for atop the first part of the bridge and found Cahill walk. Which brought me right to the botanical gardens. Perfect. Yet I was starving and still had about a mile walk to meet up with sam the Couchsurfer. Luckily I packed a granola bar, so I found sam and his Couchsurfer from the Netherlands on Macquarie point to watch the sunset. Absolutely beautiful.

After the colors if the sunset disappeared we stopped by the opera house and found out way to the three wise monkey pub where we swapped stories over nachos before I caught my train back to banksia. Made it home by eleven and easily fell asleep. Complete with sunburn around my neck. 

Then I decided to head to the opera house and gardens. Gotta get that classic pic with the opera house in the back. The gardens were nice too. Reminded me of Central Park. Then I had two hours before I had to be back to meet a new Couchsurfer. Decided to hike up to the bridge.

On the way back through circular quay I saw my host sean doing his street performance. So I stopped and watched. Then for atop the first part of the bridge and found Cahill walk. Which brought me right to the botanical gardens. Perfect. Yet I was starving and still had about a mile walk to meet up with sam the Couchsurfer. Luckily I packed a granola bar, so I found sam and his Couchsurfer from the Netherlands on Macquarie point to watch the sunset. Absolutely beautiful.

After the colors if the sunset disappeared we stopped by the opera house and found out way to the three wise monkey pub where we swapped stories over nachos before I caught my train back to banksia. Made it home by eleven and easily fell asleep. Complete with sunburn around my neck. 

Australia Day 1--arrival to Sydney

Got back to Sean's house and showered and put on a summer dress (it's 85 degrees here) then he made me a Greek yogurt plus blueberry blackberry and mangos, which I ate while he was getting ready for work. He has three little dogs and a cat. We then headed into the city which is about a 20 minute car ride so he could work. 

He is a street performer and does bicycle tricks. Street performer is quite popular here. His friends all do very different acts (I'm learning) one contorts herself init a 16x16 inch box. Another does unicycle tricks. A third plays with whips on fire and contorts himself thru a tennis racket on fire. Very interesting gig. Hung out under the fig tree of circular quay which turned out to be too hot to perform. Then moved to the wharf where it was too loud with the aborigine playing music. Ate a cashew salad and drank a coffee (white flat it's called meaning it has milk but not foamy milk). 

Then we decided to go to a beach by his house. Laid on some giant rocks and soaked up the hot ozone free rays before heading back into the city so he could perform at darling jar out after the 9pm fireworks. 

The jet lag was catching up with me by this time and I took a nap in his car in the car park before his show started at 930. The fireworks were brilliant. Apparently they spent 100k on this batch and the ones from the opera house on nye will be 5.2 million dollars worth. 

After his show I was fading fast. Crawled into bed and passed out. Not sure what tomorrow will bring. But atleast I'm out of the freezing cold Minnesota winter :-)

Sent from my iPhone

Made it to Sydney!

The fourteen hour flight wasn't horrible. I cozied up to the window and passed out :-) the chick siting next to me is in the same flight back but only touring cairns Sydney Melbourne and Brisbane. We are gonna meet up in the airport on the 12 th to discuss our trips!

Made it through customs no problem, and sean my host and his puppy picked me up! Now time to shower and head into Sydney city so he can work and I can check out the town!!

It's 9am Saturday morning. Well see how long I can last before I pass out. Sean is getting me coffee right now.

Good bye USA

Got to the airport with plenty of time. Went thru neighbor nicks checkpoint but he was busy. Then texted Israel, a regular from northbound that I know who works at one of the restaurants in terminal one. And by-golly he was working and his restaurant was the gate next to mine. Ordered a juicy Lucy (don't worry, I didn't eat the bun).

Mostly packed!

Got everything to fit into my backpack. But there is no room for anything else, so I decided to busy out my pink puma bag and create a little more room in the pack.

Running to fedex to get my itinerary bound and a few more miscellaneous things. Flight leaves for LA at 530 pm.

Oh, and that's all I'm packing. Sarah in Perth day 8 said I can do laundry.

2 Days until Australia.

2 Days until I depart for Australia. 

I lose 12/27 this year as I cross the International Date Line

I am gone for 18 days, couchsurfing the ENTIRE time, here's my Itinerary:

Sydney: 12/28-1/1 (Sean)

Melbourne: 1/1-1/3 (Ben)

Adelaide: 1/3-1/4 (Tony)

Perth: 1/4-1/6 (Sarah)

Alice Springs: 1/6-1/8 (Jason)

Cairnes: 1/8-1/10 (Jack)

Surfer's Paradise: 1/10-1/11 (Tiago)

Sydney: 1/11-1/12 (Sarah)

I get back on 1/12 at 7pm!